> That last one consumed an hour of diagnostic time and involved using time-domain reflectometry (with a 20 ps rise-time pulser and 20 GHz scope) to locate the fault to within a region of a couple millimeters on one trace.
How does one even obtain the skills, much less the equipment to run such precision?!
A good EE degree with some RF specific course parts will teach you the concept. The scope .. well, you kinda have to borrow it from your employer as they're in the $10k range at that frequency.
There are plenty of amateur- to semipro-level youtubers out there in the metal and woodworking spaces with a total amount invested in their workshop that is way larger than that. I wouldn't be surprised if there are EE hobbyists with picosecond level scopes.
Source meters are expensive for normie hardware, but certainly not out of reach. A brand new keithley 2401 is ~$5k, so I imagine a used one could be picked up for a few thousand or perhaps less.
How does one even obtain the skills, much less the equipment to run such precision?!