the tester I was thinking of is of the loopback variety. <br><br>very handy when dealing with antenna feed-lines that are already in place... if you have one run up a tower that you need to test you don't want to deal with yanking it out just to find that the problem is someplace else.<br>
<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 3:59 PM, David Champion <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dave@dchamp.net">dave@dchamp.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
That audio cable tester would probably work really well... the timer<br>
head unit has XLR style connectors, there's a short patch cable that<br>
goes to the TRS connectors, then the long cables have the TRS connectors<br>
on them.<br>
<br>
I was also thinking kind of on the same lines as Mr. Kula, with a<br>
loopback connector for one end so we can run out and test a cable that's<br>
already strung out. If anyone has a simple diagram, with the right size<br>
of resistors I'd need, I'd appreciate that... or I can probably google<br>
it myself.<br>
<br>
Thanks for all of the input.<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
-dc<br>
</font><div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
Bryan Baker wrote:<br>
> In fact, quick search on Musician's friend yields this:<br>
><br>
> <a href="http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-CT6-6Way-Cable-Tester?sku=338003#new" target="_blank">http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-CT6-6Way-Cable-Tester?sku=338003#new</a><br>
><br>
> On Jul 2, 2009, at 3:38 PM, Bryan Baker wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
>> Oops, I meant 1/4"<br>
>> Actually, come to think of it that's the same as a regular TRS cable<br>
>> used in a lot of patch bays etc, so there may be existing audio test<br>
>> boxes out there (I know for sure there are for Mic Cables). You could<br>
>> probably adapt a Mic cable tester by using Female 1/4" TRS->XLR (mic<br>
>> cable) adapters<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> On Jul 2, 2009, at 3:33 PM, Bryan Baker wrote:<br>
>><br>
>>> For those a multi meter should be pretty easy to use, just set to<br>
>>> continuity, touch one lead to each tip, then each ring then each<br>
>>> sleeve.<br>
>>><br>
>>> You could also build something w/ 2 1/8" stereo jacks, a battery,<br>
>>> some<br>
>>> LEDs and iirc, you'll also need some resistors, to get the LEDs to<br>
>>> work, but it should be a pretty easy circuit to just light an LED for<br>
>>> each of the conductors if contact is made. I'm just rusty enough, I<br>
>>> can't draw you the schematic, but it should be pretty basic.<br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> On Jul 2, 2009, at 3:23 PM, David Champion wrote:<br>
>>><br>
>>>> For you electronics gurus out there...<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> For our SCCA autocross timers, we have a set of cables that go from<br>
>>>> the<br>
>>>> timer head unit, to a photo sensor head out on the course (similar<br>
>>>> to a<br>
>>>> garage door safety sensor, bounces a light off a reflector). The<br>
>>>> cables<br>
>>>> have 3 conductors, we're using a fairly light gauge stranded wire,<br>
>>>> probably about like what's in ethernet cable. The connectors are<br>
>>>> 1/4"<br>
>>>> stereo headphone jack style (3 connectors). The cables may be up to<br>
>>>> about 250 feet in length.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Occasionally someone will get off course and run over one of the<br>
>>>> cables<br>
>>>> with their car, and they get some rough treatment at times, may get<br>
>>>> kinked, and get dragged around parking lots. I'd like to have some<br>
>>>> kind<br>
>>>> of way to do a quick cable test on them during setup to help shorten<br>
>>>> the<br>
>>>> troubleshooting time, so we'd know whether or not it's a cable<br>
>>>> issue, or<br>
>>>> another issue with the photo sensor.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Anyone have an idea of a simple device we could build to test the<br>
>>>> cables, or would we be better off using a multi-meter, or another<br>
>>>> pre-existing device?<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> -dc<br>
>>>><br>
<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>=====================================<br>Lathrop Preston<br><br>