T & M Theory & Repair Book Content - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Chris55000 · 12th Aug 2020, 3:14 pm

Hi!

I have decided to begin a new thread in which all finalised content for my new Test and Measurement Theory & Repair Book will be posted, and all new chapters will be posted here.

Final Foreword:-

Chris Williams

Skywave · 12th Aug 2020, 11:05 pm

Chris - I sincerely wish you the very best of luck with this endeavour! As a person whose interest in 'Radio & Electronics' is firmly entrenched in this sub-category of R & E, I know just how vast that field is that you are going to explore. From my viewpoint, I foresee that the critical decisions are going to be what to include; what to omit and to what depth you will penetrate. It will obviously be necessary to involve some mathematics, but you and I know that in this field of T & M, that can get extremely complicated.

I look forward to its completion; will probably acquire a copy.

Best regards & good fortune,

Al.

Chris55000 · 13th Aug 2020, 9:22 pm

Hi!

There will be no charge, individual chapters and sections will be posted on this new thread as soon as they're complete.

The "Foreword" is usually intended for the author to publish his thoughts, ideas and hopes for the complete work, with (usually!) the almost–obligatory note of thanks at the end, and I hope mine is to the standard that would be expected from a would–be technical writer.

There will, as Al stated, need to be basic equations and formulae in the main text, but where these need a derivation from first principles, this will be in Appendix No. 7, each section of the Appendix will have a clear heading stating which chapter(s) it applies to.

I think, for the moment, I have made a reasonable compromise between what I have included and what I have had to leave out – I have left out, in the main, > 1.5 GHz signal generators and spectrum analysers these need special tools, techniques and components for their repair, not to mention the equipment, leads, ancillary pads, connectors, jigs, etc., etc., to calibrate them with following repair, and the small modern TFT oscilloscopes as o.e.m. support re. spares and technical documentation is non–exsistent!

However, if Members' posts suggest these are becoming problematic, and there is a desire expressed in recurring threads for some technical information to be made available, I will buy one with the intention of adding a supplementary part specifically dealing with these.

The other factors that dictate what is included are the limits of my knowledge and personal experience, plus what I can afford to buy, and last but not least, the size and weight of many pieces of gear!

Unfortunately I wasn't able to filch the contents of Electroservices library when I left, you weren't even allowed to carry your own phone on the premises, they were that paranoid about even the tiniest scrap of paper that might have a circuit–symbol or byte of program data on it leaving the place!

Anyway I hope the Table of Contents, to be uploaded shortly, contains a selection that appeals to the Forum Members my audience is intended for!

Chris Williams

Ed_Dinning · 14th Aug 2020, 9:17 pm

Hi Chris, not sure if I've missed this, but will you include references for further reading, with a listing of the standard works for those that want to delve deeper. It should also save you from having to print out all the maths proofs.

On Bridges (AC ones anyway) "AC Bridge Methods " by B Hague is possibly the definitive book.

Ed

Ed

Red to black · 14th Aug 2020, 9:30 pm

Please have a chapter on vectorscopes or at least a reference to further reading.

kevinaston1 · 14th Aug 2020, 9:42 pm

Chris, you are a brave man.

Many years ago, when I worked for a living, I would be constantly bombarded by questions from our salesmen, as to how/why something did what it did.

I decided to produce an in house handbook covering these questions, which grew over the years from ten pages to around 900 when I retired.

We are always told, don't put maths into a book. I must have spent a week trying to explain the inverse square law without maths. I finally came up with squares on a balloon being blown up.

I look forward to reading your book as you release it.

Kevin

Chris55000 · 15th Aug 2020, 3:12 pm

Hi!

I've already worked out the chapter numbers from Chapter 1 to Chapter 175, so I'll begin a new Part 17 as below:–

Part 16:– Examples of Case Histories on Actual Equipment with fault–finding and repair methods described

This section is Chapters 161 to 175 inclusive and covers a selection of faulty equipment from my own personal collection, with their symptoms, analysis of the cause of the fault and the action needed to rectify it described.

Part 17:– Other Special Purpose Equipment

Chapter 176 Introduction to Vectorscopes
Chapter 177 PAL and NTSC Vectorscopes
Chapter 178 Fault–Finding a Vectorscope

Chapter(s) 179 and on have been left to cover Rigol and similat TFT oscilloscopes, and will have to wait until I can afford to buy one to dismantle for the necessary notes and circuit drawings!

I will include references for further reading and some internet links at the end of each chapter!

Chris Williams

Red to black · 15th Aug 2020, 4:09 pm

Nice to see vectorscopes are covered, I could never afford one to play with.
I had thought you might have missed that particular instrument out after reading your earlier posts, many thanks

Chris55000 · 18th Aug 2020, 11:08 am

Hi!

Table Of Contents. . .

The large black box at the top of the pages are "quick-thumb navigators" and show part and chapter numbers by means of the Electronics Colour Code - the left hand half is the Part No and the right hand half the Chapter No - for example, Part 10, Chapter 107 will be brown/black LH side and brown/black/purple for the RH side!

They're intended for inkjet or similar printers that will print "Borderless" - a lot of commercial text-books for student use use them!

Chris Williams

Chris55000 · 18th Aug 2020, 2:08 pm

Hi!

Table Of Contents Final.. .

The large black box at the top of the pages are "quick-thumb navigators" and show part and chapter numbers by means of the Electronics Colour Code - the left hand half is the Part No and the right hand half the Chapter No - for example, Part 10, Chapter 107 will be brown/black LH side and brown/black/purple for the RH side!

They're intended for inkjet or similar printers that will print "Borderless" - a lot of commercial text-books for student use use them!

Final version - tidied up formatting & made "quick-thumb navigators" blocks smaller and less conspicuous.

Chris Williams

12th Aug 2020, 11:05 pm	#2
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Chris - I sincerely wish you the very best of luck with this endeavour! As a person whose interest in 'Radio & Electronics' is firmly entrenched in this sub-category of R & E, I know just how vast that field is that you are going to explore. From my viewpoint, I foresee that the critical decisions are going to be what to include; what to omit and to what depth you will penetrate. It will obviously be necessary to involve some mathematics, but you and I know that in this field of T & M, that can get extremely complicated. I look forward to its completion; will probably acquire a copy. Best regards & good fortune, Al.

13th Aug 2020, 9:22 pm	#3
Chris55000 Nonode Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK. Posts: 2,874	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Hi! There will be no charge, individual chapters and sections will be posted on this new thread as soon as they're complete. The "Foreword" is usually intended for the author to publish his thoughts, ideas and hopes for the complete work, with (usually!) the almost–obligatory note of thanks at the end, and I hope mine is to the standard that would be expected from a would–be technical writer. There will, as Al stated, need to be basic equations and formulae in the main text, but where these need a derivation from first principles, this will be in Appendix No. 7, each section of the Appendix will have a clear heading stating which chapter(s) it applies to. I think, for the moment, I have made a reasonable compromise between what I have included and what I have had to leave out – I have left out, in the main, > 1.5 GHz signal generators and spectrum analysers these need special tools, techniques and components for their repair, not to mention the equipment, leads, ancillary pads, connectors, jigs, etc., etc., to calibrate them with following repair, and the small modern TFT oscilloscopes as o.e.m. support re. spares and technical documentation is non–exsistent! However, if Members' posts suggest these are becoming problematic, and there is a desire expressed in recurring threads for some technical information to be made available, I will buy one with the intention of adding a supplementary part specifically dealing with these. The other factors that dictate what is included are the limits of my knowledge and personal experience, plus what I can afford to buy, and last but not least, the size and weight of many pieces of gear! Unfortunately I wasn't able to filch the contents of Electroservices library when I left, you weren't even allowed to carry your own phone on the premises, they were that paranoid about even the tiniest scrap of paper that might have a circuit–symbol or byte of program data on it leaving the place! Anyway I hope the Table of Contents, to be uploaded shortly, contains a selection that appeals to the Forum Members my audience is intended for! Chris Williams __________________ It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed! Last edited by Chris55000; 13th Aug 2020 at 9:39 pm.

14th Aug 2020, 9:17 pm	#4
Ed_Dinning Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 8,195	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Hi Chris, not sure if I've missed this, but will you include references for further reading, with a listing of the standard works for those that want to delve deeper. It should also save you from having to print out all the maths proofs. On Bridges (AC ones anyway) "AC Bridge Methods " by B Hague is possibly the definitive book. Ed Ed

14th Aug 2020, 9:30 pm	#5
Red to black Nonode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 2,476	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Please have a chapter on vectorscopes or at least a reference to further reading. __________________ I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.

14th Aug 2020, 9:42 pm	#6
kevinaston1 Hexode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Featherstone, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 386	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Chris, you are a brave man. Many years ago, when I worked for a living, I would be constantly bombarded by questions from our salesmen, as to how/why something did what it did. I decided to produce an in house handbook covering these questions, which grew over the years from ten pages to around 900 when I retired. We are always told, don't put maths into a book. I must have spent a week trying to explain the inverse square law without maths. I finally came up with squares on a balloon being blown up. I look forward to reading your book as you release it. Kevin

15th Aug 2020, 3:12 pm	#7
Chris55000 Nonode Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK. Posts: 2,874	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Hi! I've already worked out the chapter numbers from Chapter 1 to Chapter 175, so I'll begin a new Part 17 as below:– Part 16:– Examples of Case Histories on Actual Equipment with fault–finding and repair methods described This section is Chapters 161 to 175 inclusive and covers a selection of faulty equipment from my own personal collection, with their symptoms, analysis of the cause of the fault and the action needed to rectify it described. Part 17:– Other Special Purpose Equipment Chapter 176 Introduction to Vectorscopes Chapter 177 PAL and NTSC Vectorscopes Chapter 178 Fault–Finding a Vectorscope Chapter(s) 179 and on have been left to cover Rigol and similat TFT oscilloscopes, and will have to wait until I can afford to buy one to dismantle for the necessary notes and circuit drawings! I will include references for further reading and some internet links at the end of each chapter! Chris Williams __________________ It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed! Last edited by Chris55000; 15th Aug 2020 at 3:22 pm.

15th Aug 2020, 4:09 pm	#8
Red to black Nonode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 2,476	Re: T & M Theory & Repair Book Content Nice to see vectorscopes are covered, I could never afford one to play with. I had thought you might have missed that particular instrument out after reading your earlier posts, many thanks __________________ I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.