[R-390] Slightly OT

[Roy Morgan]

At 03:41 PM 11/3/2005, you wrote:
>How to Repair An Electronic Instrument
...
>Step 2.  Wave the service manual at the instrument.


This reminds me of a frustrating experience had by a friend. He'd taken a 
TV to a shop to get "fixed".  (This was  many years ago when you could 
still do that.)  The tv set owner is a PhD physicist who's worked with lab 
equipment a lot and knew is way around electronics a bit.  The shop fellow 
did fix the thing, but at a surprisingly high fee.  When questioned about 
the cost, the shop guy said:  "This was a VERY difficult repair. I had to 
bring the oscilloscope up to it!"

The owner bit his tongue to avoid asking if the oscilloscope was any thing 
like the three he had at the lab or the one he had at home.


>... if all else fails!!
>Step 7  ... ............THINK................. ...............!!

I would add this step, which I used a number of times when working as final 
systems test engineer at Teradyne, still a well known maker of automated 
test systems for the electronics industry:

Step 8
Humbly approach your most patient and understanding coworker. Ask him/her 
to just listen as you describe the problem. About half way through your 
explanation/frustrations you will stumble upon something quite obvious that 
you did not check or do and you'll feel quite embarrassed but have the clue 
to solve the problem.

In my case it was usually that I had not checked one low voltage supply 
fuse that would blow for no reason at all and create some non-obvious 
symptoms.  Duhhh!

Roy


- Roy Morgan, K1LKY since 1959 - Keep 'em Glowing!
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