Tektronix TM500 rear connector

[rodd]

I am willing to make an extender cable for my TM-503 power module.
I bought a specially designed PCB that simulates the plug in side at Ebay, but I can not find the 0.156" spacing 28 position dual reading card connector, which will go on the other side.
Any suggestions?

[Dean Huster]

Rogerio,<p>Solution #1: Most expensive, buy a replacment from Tek at http://www.tek.com that was either made for their original TM500 extender or one of the TM500 power modules.<p>Solution #2: Find a really bad (so it's cheap including the shipping) "hanger queen" TM500 power module on ebay. TM503, TM504, TM515, TM506 will all have identical connectors.<p>Solution #3: Buying Tek extenders for the 7K, 5K and TM500 series on ebay right now is an expensive proposition. Check out the third-party Tek forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TekScopes to see if anyone there can help you out or offer any other options.<p>One note: Although the 5000-series and the TM500-series have identical connectors, you cannot use a 5K extender with a TM500 power module. The TM500 extenders have heavier wires in the ribbon cable to handle the high power of the supplies, something that the 5K extenders don't have to do. You can wreck a 5K extender in a TM500 application in certain situations.<p>I'm a former Tek Service Center technician and have worked on mountains of the products that were hot in the 1970s and 1980s, including TM500, 5K, 7K, 400-series, 1500-series, 300 Sony/Tek series, etc. I have yet to have a true need for an extender cable for the TM500 series if I have a TM503 around because there are few modules of which you cannot access everything you need for troubleshooting or calibration if you have the cover off the TM503 and the module installed in the center compartment. Believe me, we had ALL of the various extender cables Tek had there in the Service Center, and they were rarely used. The 7K extenders were particularly nasty until the factory modified them per my instructions (gee, I'm so proud that they listened to me) to keep the female end from partially popping off the plug-ins and smoking the circuitry.<p>The only true need for an extender might be for troubeshooting double-wide modules such as the LA501, DC510, FG504, etc., and then you need TWO of them! Still, you can get to most of what you need if it's in a TM503. Better yet, a double-wide module is even easier to work on in a TM504 or TM506.<p>
Dean<p>[ December 15, 2003: Message edited by: Dean Huster ]</p>