What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[TERRA Operative]

Just bought a TDS2MM comms/maths module for my TDS210 scope.

Now I can do some fft stuff and take pretty screenshots and data dumps from the scope instead of using my phone camera to photograph the screen.

[sleemanj]

A "Card Phone", not to be confused with "Phone Card" which I collected in my youth... 

Quite a neat little phone, has a battery disconnect switch too, thought it might be handy to leave in the glovebox with a pre-paid long-expiry sim in it.



Thought about leaving it my wallet, but sitting on a lithium-ion battery probably not a good idea, although the case does seem fairly robust.  It's about 5mm thick 85mm tall and 50mm wide.

[TERRA Operative]

Oh cool, is that a similar idea to those emergency phones that run on 2x AA size batteries?

[Housedad]

I broke down and ordered a GPSDO,  wall wart to power it, a Extron ADA 6 300MX HV distribution amplifier, and a scanned user/repair manual for the  HP 5385a counter I bought a couple of weeks ago.

I'm going to have to figure a way to get the antennae to the roof.  My lab is in the basement.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GPSDO-Symmetricom-Inside-GPS-10MHz-1PPS-GPS-Send-GPS-antenna/263458624856?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Amplifier-Exton-ADA-6-300MX-HV-/332848084362?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=MeAU486ZfG%252FwCEZimOtPa%252FQmyG8%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc

[Specmaster]

Just bought a TDS2MM comms/maths module for my TDS210 scope.

Now I can do some fft stuff and take pretty screenshots and data dumps from the scope instead of using my phone camera to photograph the screen.

Cool, how much did you pay for it? I gave looking for one but so far they have been more expensive than the scope was so left them.

[t1d]

Spare blades for this razor cutter. The interesting part is the cutter, itself. Great for all sorts of electronic uses... I particularly like them for separating plastic "tree" parts... Header pin strips, etc. Clean separations, perfect, every time. Mine are the smaller of the two sizes of the Craftsman brand. Old Model 37300.

[TERRA Operative]

Cool, how much did you pay for it? I gave looking for one but so far they have been more expensive than the scope was so left them.

About $150 shipped from ebay, a bit cheaper if you are in the US probably.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273516247147

Still a bit expensive, but they cost what they cost.. No way I'd pay the $400-odd some sellers ask for...
It's cheaper than a new Rigol anyway, plus the Tek scope is rated to 300V Cat I/Cat II and 150v Cat III, the Rigol is 300V CAT I, 100V CAT II.

[Specmaster]

That's what I feared, almost twice the price of the scopes and I've 4 brought scopes so far and sold 2. It seems stupidly expensive by comparison

[TERRA Operative]

Here in Japan the TDS2xx scopes are still rather expensive...

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/search/search?p=Tektronix+tds220

[Specmaster]

Doing the conversion that equates to approx £175 as at today's exchange rate, thats just mental money.

[TERRA Operative]

Yeah, luckily I got my TDS210 for free from a friend who worked at a university. He nabbed a few when they were upgrading to newer scopes.

[Specmaster]

Lucky you, thats a fantastic result there.

[bob225]

Treated my self to a new meter Fluke 115 and Lead set (fluke promo) to replace my old faithful radioshack meter that's 25+ years old

Edit. the lead set was £20odd quid (plus vat) on the price of the meter as a promo - didn't realise its £80 worth

5x 54 pin 0.5 FPC



 

[bitseeker]

Yeah, luckily I got my TDS210 for free from a friend who worked at a university. He nabbed a few when they were upgrading to newer scopes.

Very nice. That certainly relieves the pain of the comm/math module.

[TerraHertz]

Some 50W LEDs in this nice format I hadn't seen before at this power.
  https://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-High-Power-COB-LED-Lamp-beads-White-Red-Green-Blue-with-60-degree-Lens/232590344184

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a reflector and external lens set suitable for these yet. Hopefully soon.

The lens dome on these appears spherical, is 22mm dia, and made of fairly rigid silicone.
All the lenses are clear, with the color-shifting phosphors in a thin layer over the LEDs. So of course the LED chip array is quite visible when running. At low power anyway, I don't expect looking at it directly at 50W would be possible without filters.
I haven't run them at full power yet.

Much like the 50W square LEDs, I bet the red ones can't actually take 50W and will burn the phosphor if you try.

Added: Oh, and some 14mm ID silicone tubing arrived. Needed for that IBM punch card reader restoration.

[gildasd]

IPhone SE.
Because it is the only modern smartphone that fits in the company boiler suit’s breast pocket with the flap buttoned down.
Because dropping your phone in 3000L of 80C oil when checking crankshaft deflection is not good.

[Moonbase]

Added: Oh, and some 14mm ID silicone tubing arrived. Needed for that IBM punch card reader restoration.

Wow. Reminds me of back in the ’70s, in university, we had to fight for a place on one of the five card punch stations we had … And of course, a good programmer would never number his cards … and promptly drop the card trough with 1,200 cards in … doh! 

[GreyWoolfe]

I just got the last in stock ANENG smd tweezers for $6 from Banggood.  I have been wanting a pair so it was time.  There are a bunch of good reviews so we will see when it comes.

[Specmaster]

I have one of those from Banggood, their not the best around but they do a reasonable enough job, lust make sure that the solder joint is clean enough before testing if doing it in circuit as any flux residue etc will result in extra pressure being applied and then the contact tips get bent.

[Kjelt]

I got those tweezers few years back but do not use them. It does not feel natural.
I find the two hand probe method work much faster and better, perhaps if you are used to eat with chopsticks the tweezers will feel more familiar in use (no offence intended just an objective remark).

[trophosphere]

Got some leisure reading before my trip to Hong Kong.

[Moonbase]

I just got the last in stock ANENG smd tweezers for $6 from Banggood.  I have been wanting a pair so it was time.  There are a bunch of good reviews so we will see when it comes.

I got two sets of those, and both were horribly corroded at the tips. :-( After some thorough cleaning with contact spray and an old toothbrush they work halfways ok, though.

I actually use these SMD measuring tweezers quite a lot, anyone good a recommendation for GOOD ones?

[tautech]

I just got the last in stock ANENG smd tweezers for $6 from Banggood.  I have been wanting a pair so it was time.  There are a bunch of good reviews so we will see when it comes.

I got two sets of those, and both were horribly corroded at the tips. :-( After some thorough cleaning with contact spray and an old toothbrush they work halfways ok, though.

I actually use these SMD measuring tweezers quite a lot, anyone good a recommendation for GOOD ones?

Yes, if you're into SMD and/of lots of testing of discretes, get some proper Smart Tweezers.
I've had a pair of ST3 for years and they get more use than my DMM.
http://www.smarttweezers.com/st5s/

Expensive, yes, and invaluable !

[thm_w]

Some 50W LEDs in this nice format I hadn't seen before at this power.
  https://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-High-Power-COB-LED-Lamp-beads-White-Red-Green-Blue-with-60-degree-Lens/232590344184

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a reflector and external lens set suitable for these yet. Hopefully soon.

The lens dome on these appears spherical, is 22mm dia, and made of fairly rigid silicone.
All the lenses are clear, with the color-shifting phosphors in a thin layer over the LEDs. So of course the LED chip array is quite visible when running. At low power anyway, I don't expect looking at it directly at 50W would be possible without filters.
I haven't run them at full power yet.

Much like the 50W square LEDs, I bet the red ones can't actually take 50W and will burn the phosphor if you try.

cool

It looks like they used to be a glass lens, and now the "upgraded" models have silicone lens: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/LED-Glass-lens-COB-Chip-Lamp-20W-30W-50W-LED-Chip-28-32V-Input-DIY-for/32800893666.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pcs-50w-5500LM-Molding-Top-LENS-Flip-Chip-COB-LED-Chip-Diodes-Warm-White-Full-Spectrum/32852359835.html

[GreyWoolfe]

I have one of those from Banggood, their not the best around but they do a reasonable enough job, lust make sure that the solder joint is clean enough before testing if doing it in circuit as any flux residue etc will result in extra pressure being applied and then the contact tips get bent.

Thanks for the advice on that.  I don't know how often I will use it but for the price it should suffice.

I find the two hand probe method work much faster and better, perhaps if you are used to eat with chopsticks the tweezers will feel more familiar in use (no offence intended just an objective remark).

Funny enough, I am used to eating with chopsticks.   I also have a DER EE DE-5000 that has the same style tweezers, just a better quality.  I have used them and they aren't so bad to use.