What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[bitseeker]

Looks like you found the good stuff. Getting a backup of the cal ram is #1.

[Cnoob]

Just got a Fluke 87V, described as boxed, new and unused, for £160.00 UK. It does indeed look as new but the most recent date I can find on any of the included docs is 2007.  Would anyone be able to date it from the S/No, which is 96350419?

One the Black lead there is a manufacture date of the lead. It is not that easy to find but all my TL175 black leads have them. 
With the pcb revision number, meter serial number and lead date you should be able to narrow the manufacture date of the 87V

[Cnoob]

My latest purchase is a Pace TD100A soldering iron to replace the TD100(plastic one) that came with my WJS station .
The new soldering iron comes with a more flexible and thinner lead and the iron itself feels better balanced.  The lead does not drag the back of the iron down.
 I always felt I was wrestling with the thing.
Some people complained they had heat issues with the old plastic iron, but I never did.

Also waiting for delivery of a spare hakko fx880-1 iron. the hakko fx888D is still my favourite iron even if it has a crap interface just set to 300C  and leave it alone.

[1Ghz]

HP 8563E spectrum analyzer! 
Should I change my ID? xDDD

[xrunner]

Two HP 3478A 5.5 digit DMMs.
Yes I know they are old, and the displays could do with hacking to add a backlight.

Check the4 RIFA caps! -

hp 3478A RIFA caps

[TerraHertz]

Check the4 RIFA caps! -

Oh yes! I already spotted those in one of the videos of the internals. Definitely top of my todo list.
I can imagine what that RIFA-smoke condensation would do to the board, and the meter's accuracy.

The DMMs are still in the post. Sent from USA to Oz via Ebay's Global Shipping Program, in which I
am coming to understand from other recent purchases, GSP means 'Global Snail Pace'.

[MarkL]

...
Here are some resources I've found, are there any other good ones?

  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/3478a-cal-ram-readout-idea/
  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/newbie-precision-reference-calibrated-with-the-3478a-dinosaur/
  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/hp-3457a-lcd-backlight-mod-%28also-for-3478a%29/
  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/diy-calibrating-a-hp-3478a/
  youtube.com/   watch?v=9v6OksEFqpA[/url]   Teardown of 3478
  http://k6jca.blogspot.com/2017/12/save-and-restore-hp-3478a-calibration.html
  https://www.keysight.com/main/techSupport.jspx?cc=AU&lc=eng&nid=-536900193.536897126&pid=3478A%3Aepsg%3Apro&pageMode=OV

Some of those links eventually get back to this one:

  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/hp-3478a-how-to-readwrite-cal-sram/msg1177575/#msg1177575

You might find some additional useful utilities in it.

[beanflying]

I 'brought' a free month of Amazon Prime subscription to get 'free' shipping from the US Must remember to cancel it as Amazon in Oz really does SUCK.

All it cost me was $100+ Aussie pesos for a Glubot that I can't get locally https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B073WPJX2R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and while I was there I got tempted into a pair of good Japanese Saws (Ryoba and a Flush Cut).

[bitseeker]

Must remember to cancel it as Amazon in Oz really does SUCK.

Not sure about the Oz version of their site, but the US version allows you to schedule automatic termination, so you don't have to worry about remembering.

[Jeroen3]

If that amazon thing includes their prime video thing you could be watching The Expanse.

[BravoV]

Sacrificial lambs for the Almighty Thor  , RF DC pass surge arrestor that will be installed at my GPSDO antenna.

"Wishing"  that when the sacrifice is made, Thor will spare my GPSDO and others T&M equipments too. 

PolyPhaser DGXZ-06NFNF-A, dual N female connectors, with freq. range 800MHz to 2500MHz thats suitable for GPS signal.

[djos]

If that amazon thing includes their prime video thing you could be watching The Expanse.

Yep, totally worth it! I’ve been watching in glorious HDR 4K and loving it!

[BravoV]

Charger adapter from AA cell to C or D cell.

[bitseeker]

That's good to know, BravoV. I hadn't seen an adapter for the charger before.

[PTR_1275]

Don’t chargers monitor the terminal temperature to determine when to shut off? (I know lithium profiles don’t, but the chargers I have with lithium profiles monitor temp and stop charging if it goes over a certain temperature)

Some manuals I’ve read for chargers with adjustable current say not to use too small a current as it doesn’t generate a big enough temperature rise to end charging.

Definitely something new that I haven’t seen before though. Where abouts did you buy them?

[BravoV]

Don’t chargers monitor the terminal temperature to determine when to shut off? (I know lithium profiles don’t, but the chargers I have with lithium profiles monitor temp and stop charging if it goes over a certain temperature)

Some manuals I’ve read for chargers with adjustable current say not to use too small a current as it doesn’t generate a big enough temperature rise to end charging.

Definitely something new that I haven’t seen before though. Where abouts did you buy them?

These adapters is for Nickel based (NiMh or NiCd) cell, as its only fit for C or D cell, don't think its common to see Li-Ion type in these sizes.

Charging process use the usual primary full charge detection algorithm which most good smart desktop charger have, using the usual voltage plateau (Negative Delta V / NDV) detection as full charge sign, of course as long the user doesn't charge it at too low C.

Most smart chargers capable of pushing 2 or 3 Amp current, which is enough for these > 3000mAh cell. Although at the photo I used is the old popular Powerex MH-C9000, as it happened it was within my reach, I used SkyRC MC3000 most of the times, which is much better charger, and it works flawlessly.

Even though most modern Ni-Mh based desktop smart charger does monitor temp, as "part of" the protection mechanism, yes, this adapter simply made thermal sensing (delta temp in Ni-based) useless, time out protection mechanism is a must for the charger in this case for overcharge protection.

Acquired them thru AliExpress.

[beanflying]

Even when we were competitively punishing NiMh (Nicads before it) cells at 8-10A charge rates Temperature was always an afterthought and while some chargers had an input for it no one used it. Delta V and generally adjustable was what was and still is used for NiMh. In our case we wanted the packs off the charger hot which lowered the internal resistance for more current out during the flights.

[beanflying]

If that amazon thing includes their prime video thing you could be watching The Expanse.

It does come with Prime Video. I actually watched a movie last night. Stuttering wasn't great on HD but on the mid setting ran smoothly. It is fairly obvious they push their own exclusive series fairly hard to keep you locked in. Not convinced I need to spend the $ but the selection of dodgy B-D grade horror and sci-fi movies might change my mind ..... 

[djos]

If that amazon thing includes their prime video thing you could be watching The Expanse.

It does come with Prime Video. I actually watched a movie last night. Stuttering wasn't great on HD but on the mid setting ran smoothly. It is fairly obvious they push their own exclusive series fairly hard to keep you locked in. Not convinced I need to spend the $ but the selection of dodgy B-D grade horror and sci-fi movies might change my mind ..... 

Prime in Aus actually has some great exclusive content, the Jack Ryan series is great, as is the man in the high castle. Treadstone looks like it might be decent too.

[Martin72]

Today I bought nothing, but in the last days a weller soldering station ( cheap one, WE1010) and siglent´s new scope sds2104x-plus....

[BravoV]

As this thingy is diminishing and its getting harder to find, spotted at an old brick & mortar shop, guess they must be really old stock, grabbed the complete wattage series with 2 pieces at each value, all just 5 bucks. 

The hoarder's nerve inside me was telling to get more  , but then I realized these will be definitely stacked, buried and drowned underneath the pile of junks, and get crushed and broken, so only 10 then.

When it comes to AC dummy load with pure power factor at 1 (pure one), and can shine too, compared to dumb power resistor, now I'm ready. 

[beanflying]

Just another wild Saturday night  Already had my $10 pesos worth of fun and nostalgia. Quake II is running great on my modern system. I really should be at the Pub or some such thing but my town is full of Truck show 'visitors'  Yes visitors I have a Gun so go to bed before 3am or else 

Quake bundle I, II ,III and extras https://store.steampowered.com/sub/434/

Must figure out how to do a screen cap.

[tautech]

Must figure out how to do a screen cap.

Ctrl + Prt Scr
Then resize.

[rdl]

For Quake and Quake 2 there are source ports that work far better with modern hardware than the originals. Many bugs are fixed also.

FitzQuake and Quakespasm are the only two I use because they stay most true to the original as far as appearance. For Quake 2, Yamagi is my choice.

[beanflying]

Quake II was running 1600x1200 on my Ryzen 3700X / 5700X in full screen without modding so I didn't 

I had a minor issue with running RTCW on full screen so I ran that in a window again without mods which is my preference

Also brought the Hexen bundle just to complete the Retro set for another $5.

Must remember to ration the 'workflow' now......