#80 - Servicing HP 8563E spectrum analyzer

[@k1mgy]

You set an excellent example for careful, thoughtful, well-planned work. I recall another video you did for the 8590, and it helped me a lot as I brought mine to life. Happy Christmas!

[@TheDefpom]

Very nice unit design, the people that designed them did an amazing job.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

Thank you for another great video 👍. This HP is a great example of how equipment should be assembled.

[@davidv1289]

Excellent work and thank you for another well made video. I thought my HP 8594E was packed into its case, but the 8563E is packed even tighter! Also, thank you for showing us how you search for replacement parts.

[@TheRadioShop]

Very nice detailed repair. Thanks for sharing.

[@amirb715]

excellent video as always. these are great spectrum analyzers, really dependable. they still beat many of the modern ones in accuracy and stability and repeatability. and I should add in ease of use.

[@largepimping]

I appreciate you keeping this stuff up and running rather than going to e-waste or the landfill and I love your repair vids like this! I had the same thoughts as some others about some of your cap replacements (Amir B, who mentioned potential oscillation, etc.). I had an HP 3456A volt meter with some blown/burned caps and diodes, so I replaced the caps with "same or better" -- higher voltage, same or higher capacitance, etc. But nothing worked at all until I got caps that matched the original capacitance and ESR much more closely. It wasn't an oscillation thing in my case, but definitely caused problems. I know the specifics of the circuit will dictate whether or not you can just "go bigger" and be safe, but some guidance on that might also make for a very interesting video.

[@chefbink61]

Great vid!! One of the 1st things I do when I get an older piece of gear is to check the power supply for those Riva caps and 9 times out of 10 they are all puffy with cracks just waiting to pop. I also like the way you go through the specs on the caps,,, Always better to up the specs never go down if you can avoid it.

[@ptronix]

You were lucky with the keypad, I had same problem on a Marconi Sig gen, no amount of cleaning worked! So got some stuff for repairing tv remotes off eBay, it's conductive paint probably graphite loaded. Since then keyboard has worked fine for two years

[@davidblunn7143]

Hi, I'm a bit late to the party but I have the same specan that emitted a nasty flash followed by a rich brown smell. One of those RIFA filter capacitors blew up. Hopefully nothing else has been damaged. Thanks for the video.

[@ableutopia2721]

Excellent workmanship and troubleshooting, congratulations and thanks.

[@borisj4054]

As I have the same instrument, this was particularly interesting. While you have the psi out it was wise to replace the Rifa caps. I got my HP 8563E from Japan which uses 110 volts. Here in Australia we use 240 volt mains and my Rivas lasted about one minute until going up in smoke. Same happened with the tracking generator. My display tube is ok but it would be good if there was a LCD replacement just in case. Worth it as this is a very powerful and desirable instrument.

[@ebayscopeman]

There are two 196K 1% resistors (R201 and R202) and two 215K 1% resistors (R203 and R204) that are in the power supply that are prone to failure. Also on your HP8590A that you have you should go through the procedure and manually read out and back up the cal flattness data and the attenuator cal data. You will need it when the backup battery goes flat as the 859x series uses SRAM to store the data, unlike the 856X series that backs up the cal data in EEPROM. Nice Video by the way. W3OHM

[@hendryparman3782]

I really appreciate your videos, there always something new to learn from you, thank you for your educational videos this will be my new favorite Channel. Ceep up your intessting work....

[@paulstucky8806]

I found this to be a very useful video as i have an Agilent 8563EC (color) and I will perform the same re-capping of the PSU. Would have been useful if you had placed the caps info/part numbers in the description. Thx for sharing.

[@TheGmr140]

that is a nice one, i have one as well. great for measuring amps, filters, and RFI hunting.

[@VintageElectronicsGeek]

Great job! Do they use a Dallas like Oscopes do? If so, are the tables/instruction set in them like some oscopes? Been looking at older HP SA's and wasn't sure. Thanks! ~Jack, VEG

[@feedback-loop]

No Dallas chips with built-in battery. There is a lithium battery in this thing. I did not mention it in the video, but I checked it. It can be seen @6:42 - that yellow thing on the back panel next to the fan.

[@manfredgotzinger1258]

I apreciate your videos!!! Thanks a lot!

[@WB5ZDP]

Nice Video. My 8563E power supply just failed. Can you provide a list of the new capacitors?

[@SoddingaboutSi]

Great to watch. Those caps were worse than expected.

[@vincei4252]

Very cool. I have one of these and it's a great device. Screen update isn't as fast as the 8566B but whatcha gonna do.

[@philippemaier2605]

Hi ! I own the same SA. I had to change an EEROM and the most expensive part : the YIG tuned filter & mixer (RYTHM). But never had trouble with focus or intensity controls. Maybe your unit has to many hours (mine had under 3000 hours) as it shows burn traces on the CRT. New or like new CRTs are obtainable on ebay for best price under $ 200. There is also a LCD display kit which is easy to install and costs around $ 650. Thank you for this very interesting video !

[@matthiastoussaint]

Hi. Would it be possible to post an image how the screen looks like at full span with the 300MHz test signal injected? I've seen one for sale online and in the pictures attached I can only see 3 harmonics. I would expect more. It could be an indication that there is something wrong with the higher bands of that particular unit. This information would be very helpful. Happy Christmas!

[@djsbriscoe]

Brilliant video. I've just bought one of these and a HP8564E as well. I've got to do the same job on both. You used PME271M610MR30 for some of the RIFA replacements. There are 2 sizes of these capacitors on the board. Which kemet capacitors did you use for the smaller replacements. Do you have a full list of ALL the capacitors you used? Can you share the list? Or maybe post it in the comments. Thanks.

[@feedback-loop]

It has been a while. I don't think I have a list. The smaller (Y class) RIFA caps I replaced with ceramic caps I happened to have (blue ones @26:58)

[@michsmi8297]

Very fascinating video. I have one of these that I am currently working on, and I am also looking at the power supply! The x rated caps in mine need to be replaced also. However my main problem is that the power supply will not start. It had worked perfectly well just recently. No smoke or evidence of overheating. Have you had this problem before , I would be grateful if you could give me some ideas. Many thanks!!

[@leonardorossi7862]

very interesting. I'm going to receive two spectrum analyzers equipped with display HP853A having problems. I should have also service manuals and I hope to be able to repair. Have you some experience with this old display and could you support me if needed?

[@hook7346]

Can you share the list of new capacitors? I want to replace the capacitors in my own HP 8563E.

[@metclapton]

Thanks i have a 8560A with the TG and i may need this vid sometime.

[@bigboy061293]

Hello, I got the error messages 334 358 and 319. Could you please help on recommending what modules I have to check manually? Thanks in advance.

[@xConundrumx]

I mean I suppose you could get one of those retrofit LCD display kits (see some on Ebay often called NewScope-6, or just get them from the vendor straight) that replace the tube with a TFT lcd. It's not going to maintain the original look but it would fix some of the issues with burnin etc.

[@amirb715]

you got lucky the PSU didnt start oscillating after replacing the output filter caps (on the +/-15 and +5V rails). The PSU on these analyzers is very picky. The version that you got here is one of the good ones and I never had issue with recapping them but there is another variation of PSU which is very picky about the ESR of output caps and if they are way too low or too high it starts oscillating. Not a very good design in terms of phase margin. It took me a couple of days to find a place to solder a small cap to stop it from oscillating after I had replaced the electrolytics with high quality low ESR Nichicons :-( Actually the current limiting circuit was oscillating not the voltage regulator op-amp)

[@PapasDino]

Great job as usual...what did you use to clean the switch pads? Happy Holidays!

[@feedback-loop]

Thanks. I used isopropyl alcohol and duster.

[@TKomoski]

Merry Christmas Dino

[@tabajaralabs]

a better job can be done with an eraser. it is very mildly abrasive but properly done is ok

[@tabajaralabs]

you should have replaced the tantalum capacitors on the monitor board...also the focus problem may be the tube. a tube rejuvenator could help you a lot :D

[@andymouse]

More interesting stuff...cheers.

[@douro20]

I wonder if the focus is controlled by a DAC output?

[@feedback-loop]

Yes, in part. This is how the adjustment from the menu works. But there are also trim-pots on the display driver board.

[@maxbeer3529]

Can you record IQ data with this spectrum analyzer?

[@TKomoski]

Signal Hound SA44B is much lighter and the options are up gradable

[@chinonsoezeobi1687]

Folks, I hope you all are doing well? can this community help me with how to clear error 351 (SETL FLD The YTO error voltage is not settling) on HP 8563E Spectrum analyzer

[@feedback-loop]

The right community is here: groups.io/g/HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment

[@chinonsoezeobi1687]

@@feedback-loop, Thank you

[@TKomoski]

I had a HP 8561B which I sold because the bloody thing was heavy

[@TKomoski]

8561E

[@denvas9551]

Hi. This is RusInglish?))

[@EriksElectronicsWorkbench]

Informative video. Did you check/adjust the power supply voltage driving the high voltage module for the CRT? Focus and brightness might be affected not to mention CRT filament. I show that adjustment at 29:40 kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJmyo2Nmgb9gm7c

[@bahram36546]

hi i have tannoy reveal 802 one of theme lost the punch and low

[@tabajaralabs]

fit an lcd on it :D