Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[med6753]

If med doesn't replace capacitors in something once a month he'll probably go shoot up a school or something 

LMAO. Wise ass. 

[Cerebus]

If med doesn't replace capacitors in something once a month he'll probably go shoot up a school or something 

It would keep those pesky kids off his lawn.

[bd139]

I miss RadioShack/Tandy, that's where my first real forays into the world of electronics started   

Their products were a bit hit and miss; I had an Archer butane soldering iron, and though it did well for a few years, it was very temperamental, and ultimately the catalyst bits were a bit expensive and eventually unavailable.

I still have my Minimus 7s as part of my main audio setup, I bought them in 1989 and I love them, my Micronta 22-195 DMM was my pride and joy for years, and still maintains its specs more than 20 years later.

Also still have a Realistic Lab 407 turntable, though I've not used it in years. Uses Audio Technica P-mount cartridges and sounds pretty good considering the cost, though if I start listening to my vinyl again I think I'll hunt down a Technics linear tracking unit. I know they aren't the audiophile choice but I like the direct track access feature, and they're certainly good enough to go with the rest of my hifi stuff.

Ahh joys of teenage life....



"That'll be a quid mate."

"Whaaaaaat get tae fuck"

Jumps a train to Maplin avoiding the guard, gets the same resistors for 2p each leaving enough cash for a mars bar, coke and a sugar buzz out of that quid 

Plus significantly more awesome catalogues:

[med6753]

After about 1980 and Lafayette Radio going out of business Radio Shack was the only game in town and if you didn't like their prices you went without. 

[Specmaster]

I miss RadioShack/Tandy, that's where my first real forays into the world of electronics started   

Their products were a bit hit and miss; I had an Archer butane soldering iron, and though it did well for a few years, it was very temperamental, and ultimately the catalyst bits were a bit expensive and eventually unavailable.

I still have my Minimus 7s as part of my main audio setup, I bought them in 1989 and I love them, my Micronta 22-195 DMM was my pride and joy for years, and still maintains its specs more than 20 years later.

Also still have a Realistic Lab 407 turntable, though I've not used it in years. Uses Audio Technica P-mount cartridges and sounds pretty good considering the cost, though if I start listening to my vinyl again I think I'll hunt down a Technics linear tracking unit. I know they aren't the audiophile choice but I like the direct track access feature, and they're certainly good enough to go with the rest of my hifi stuff.

Yep, sure miss Tandy, for me my first trip into electronics came about through Radio Service in Chelmsford and Henrys Radio, in Edgware Road, another shop I miss is Laskys.

[Specmaster]

I think that I'd also still have a scanner on the go all the time if only the emergency services hadn't gone digital, used to be very interesting knowing what was happening in the town back in the day 

[med6753]

I think that I'd also still have a scanner on the go all the time if only the emergency services hadn't gone digital, used to be very interesting knowing what was happening in the town back in the day 

I know one day my county will finally enter the 21st century and the scanner will be kaput.

[bd139]

You can still listen to the militia, preppers and people having sex after forgetting to turn the baby monitor off.

More seriously I remember using a scanner on mobile phones in the very early 1990s. Had a Yupiteru jobby. Hours of fun. Probably still have it at my mothers somewhere.  Don’t remember selling it.

[mansaxel]

That’s a medium sized child that. No problems. And it doesn’t wiggle.

Edit: just realised how dodgy that sounded 

When my children approached the weight of a 760A I stopped carrying them to bed when they'd fallen asleep otherwhere, like my bed, the sofa, etc. I barely-wake them and gently prod them into managed sleepwalking, which sometimes is an exercise in hilarity.

I'm saving myself for the boat anchors

[AVGresponding]

Ahh joys of teenage life....



"That'll be a quid mate."

"Whaaaaaat get tae fuck"

Jumps a train to Maplin avoiding the guard, gets the same resistors for 2p each leaving enough cash for a mars bar, coke and a sugar buzz out of that quid 

Plus significantly more awesome catalogues:

Haha yeah, until very recently all my resistors were "reclaimed". Nowadays at less than a penny each, it's not so bad.

Maplins is another one I miss... their catalogues often had useful data sheets in that RS or Farnell didn't. I feel their pursuit of the PC and peripherals market to the exclusion of components, tools and supplies in their final years was their undoing.

That particular cover strikes me as being very much a reference to Elite, the blue and white, and yellow and white ships in the foreground are surely Cobra MkIIIs, the slug in the background is a Python, and those red ones are maybe Kraits? (I have many hours on this game, mainly on the Amiga, but also some on the BBC B)

[Specmaster]

You can still listen to the militia, preppers and people having sex after forgetting to turn the baby monitor off.

More seriously I remember using a scanner on mobile phones in the very early 1990s. Had a Yupiteru jobby. Hours of fun. Probably still have it at my mothers somewhere.  Don’t remember selling it.

Was it a Yupiteru MVT7100 jobby by any chance? I, have one of those, a couple of Radio Shack ones that only cover certain bands and a Uniden UBC125XLT which has alpha tagging and is the main one I use now, covers the same spread as the Yupiteru but is far friendly to use.

[Sam Spastic]

I miss RadioShack/Tandy, that's where my first real forays into the world of electronics started   

Their products were a bit hit and miss; I had an Archer butane soldering iron, and though it did well for a few years, it was very temperamental, and ultimately the catalyst bits were a bit expensive and eventually unavailable.

I still have my Minimus 7s as part of my main audio setup, I bought them in 1989 and I love them, my Micronta 22-195 DMM was my pride and joy for years, and still maintains its specs more than 20 years later.

Also still have a Realistic Lab 407 turntable, though I've not used it in years. Uses Audio Technica P-mount cartridges and sounds pretty good considering the cost, though if I start listening to my vinyl again I think I'll hunt down a Technics linear tracking unit. I know they aren't the audiophile choice but I like the direct track access feature, and they're certainly good enough to go with the rest of my hifi stuff.

Yep, sure miss Tandy, for me my first trip into electronics came about through Radio Service in Chelmsford and Henrys Radio, in Edgware Road, another shop I miss is Laskys.

First Radio Shack I found was in a basement. Nicely laid out tho. And the owner let me browse everything. That was 1964. Had a Lafayette on the square several years later.

I was wiring mic cables and speaker cables and RCA cables because they were too expensive for a school boy.  Learned about soldering and reliability. Now I buy everything cause my time is worth too much to me! Still have half a dozen Minimus 7W's too.

[mnementh]

On OFF the Bench This Morning...

      

So, this morning I'm clearing off my workbench to make room for this      and I realize...   I'm Effing 'opeless.

Everything in the first pic was bought for no other reason than "Eh... it's a buck." At the time, I had NO plans for any of it, in fact some of the items I already HAVE one of. I rationalize every single thing; like "But it's a LASER mouse..." or "It's 48V@2A..." or "It's 4 ends to make a modular cable for one of your modular PSUs..." and the refrain is always "...FOR A BUCK!"

And I guess every one of us in here has some bit of that "Tech hoarder" gene; but then I look at the shit in the 2nd pic... all bought because "Eh... it's 3 bucks."    and I realize that I have not done a damned thing with one bit of it except throw it in a drawer or pile it on a corner of my bench since I bought it.    I mean Yeah... I will eventually use SOME of it. I've been looking for a cheap, crunky wireless XBOX360 controller to gut for some experiments. If I ever DO need to do a video conference again, that 720P webcam is a great choice. "... For 3 BUCKS!"

But the fan? I have two more name-brand ones I just took OUT of my PC. And those HID ballasts...? "No, come on... you know you can get up to SOME deviltry with 35 watts power @23000 volts!!!""Shut UP, YOU!!!"

But then... I go online and spend real money ($12 on Amazon) on stuff like the adapter kit in the third pic to GO WITH my junk.  And sitting here, I realize... just this lot of junk I don't really need cost me easily 10% of that 'scope I let slip through my fingers when Arrow was having a sale... or the 3DP I just bought.

Just shoot me now...

mnem

[Specmaster]

Ahh joys of teenage life....



"That'll be a quid mate."

"Whaaaaaat get tae fuck"

Jumps a train to Maplin avoiding the guard, gets the same resistors for 2p each leaving enough cash for a mars bar, coke and a sugar buzz out of that quid 

Plus significantly more awesome catalogues:

Haha yeah, until very recently all my resistors were "reclaimed". Nowadays at less than a penny each, it's not so bad.

Maplins is another one I miss... their catalogues often had useful data sheets in that RS or Farnell didn't. I feel their pursuit of the PC and peripherals market to the exclusion of components, tools and supplies in their final years was their undoing.

That particular cover strikes me as being very much a reference to Elite, the blue and white, and yellow and white ships in the foreground are surely Cobra MkIIIs, the slug in the background is a Python, and those red ones are maybe Kraits? (I have many hours on this game, mainly on the Amiga, but also some on the BBC B)

Yeah, Maplin used to be great but when they tried to compete with PC World, it went down rapidly.

I take it that you're a Star Trek fan then?

I keep my chocolate well hidden cos Klingons keep nicking it 

[AVGresponding]

Yeah, Maplin used to be great but when they tried to compete with PC World, it went down rapidly.

I take it that you're a Star Trek fan then?

I keep my chocolate well hidden cos Klingons keep nicking it 

Damn, my secret is out!   

I'm a lifelong scifi/fantasy fan, mostly books, but any flavour really. I'm currently rewatching Farscape (don't mention The Peacekeeper Wars     ).

[mnementh]

My wife & I met in the Fascape chat back in the day when Skiffy actually had some nerd cred...     Just waiting for the day my son is old enough that I can pollute his mind with it... 

mnem


"...Now get dressed Dorothy, and give them a good show."

[Specmaster]

On OFF the Bench This Morning...

      

So, this morning I'm clearing off my workbench to make room for this      and I realize...   I'm Effing 'opeless.

Everything in the first pic was bought for no other reason than "Eh... it's a buck." At the time, I had NO plans for any of it, in fact some of the items I already HAVE one of. I rationalize every single thing; like "But it's a LASER mouse..." or "It's 48V@2A..." or "It's 4 ends to make a modular cable for one of your modular PSUs..." and the refrain is always "...FOR A BUCK!"

And I guess every one of us in here has some bit of that "Tech hoarder" gene; but then I look at the shit in the 2nd pic... all bought because "Eh... it's 3 bucks."    and I realize that I have not done a damned thing with one bit of it except throw it in a drawer or pile it on a corner of my bench since I bought it.    I mean Yeah... I will eventually use SOME of it. I've been looking for a cheap, crunky wireless XBOX360 controller to gut for some experiments. If I ever DO need to do a video conference again, that 720P webcam is a great choice. "... For 3 BUCKS!"

But the fan? I have two more name-brand ones I just took OUT of my PC. And those HID ballasts...? "No, come on... you know you can get up to SOME deviltry with 35 watts power @23000 volts!!!""Shut UP, YOU!!!"

But then... I go online and spend real money ($12 on Amazon) on stuff like the adapter kit in the third pic to GO WITH my junk.  And sitting here, I realize... just this lot of junk I don't really need cost me easily 10% of that 'scope I let slip through my fingers when Arrow was having a sale... or the 3DP I just bought.

Just shoot me now...

mnem
(Attachment Link)

Haha I can recognise myself here and then there's also the other one, "I know I've got at least one of these already" but I don't where it is "So another one won't matter will it, it's only £x" so yet another comes home with me 

Edit: that power supply in the last picture has the same set of tips as those that I brought last week from Amazon but with a power supply, I already a linear one laying about that repurposed.

[mnementh]

LOL... That too!!! I know for fact I own AT LEAST 2 dozen tape measures; 6 of 'em acquired since I got to the Big Frosty. At ANY moment it's a 1 in 3 chance that I could lay my hands on any one of them. 

And the power brick? I've acquired a 5-gallon bucket worth of similar bricks and AC power cords JUST SINCE I GOT HERE. 

mnem

[Specmaster]

Sounds as if we could start another discord on that topic alone. I have tubs full of various power bricks myself, I especially like linear ones with switchable outputs and also polarity changing outputs and tips. 

[mnementh]

Oh, no... THOSE are in two (three?) 57L tubs in the trailer.

Edit: that power supply in the last picture has the same set of tips as those that I brought last week from Amazon but with a power supply, I already a linear one laying about that repurposed.

No... After you posted about them, I searched out and bought that set of adapters on amazon.ca TO GO WITH the power brick I bought cuz "Eh, itz 3 bux..."

That's right... they're YOUR FAULT!!!

mnem
"Mistakes were made; others will be blamed..."

[Specmaster]

Just merely doing my job as a facilitator, didn't I do well 

Edit: I bet you never clicked on my affiliated link though did you     

[mnementh]

Fuck you very much, old friend. 

[EDIT] Yes I did... to find search terms for it on MY Amazon. They wanted $33 to ship it up here from the UK...

mnem
"...and the h'os you rode in on."

[Cerebus]

LOL... That too!!! I know for fact I own AT LEAST 2 dozen tape measures; 6 of 'em acquired since I got to the Big Frosty. At ANY moment it's a 1 in 3 chance that I could lay my hands on any one of them. 

Perhaps you just need a filing system, or just a pocket notebook, to keep track of things rather than just getting another when you can't find something.

• Forgetfulness + Middle-age = "257 pairs of reading glasses"

I'm getting a mental image of a dragon covered head-to-tip-of-tail (and most of his claws) with PostIt Notes telling him what he's left where.

[mnementh]

...I'm getting a mental image of a dragon covered head-to-tip-of-tail (and most of his claws) with PostIt Notes telling him what he's left where.

Naaahhh... this is more like it...

mnem
I prepared EXPLOSIVE RUNES today.

[GreyWoolfe]

Still have half a dozen Minimus 7W's too.

4 of them here.  Got them for free back when I worked at Rat Shack in the early 90's.  I do love the sound.

LOL... That too!!! I know for fact I own AT LEAST 2 dozen tape measures; 6 of 'em acquired since I got to the Big Frosty. At ANY moment it's a 1 in 3 chance that I could lay my hands on any one of them. 

Perhaps you just need a filing system, or just a pocket notebook, to keep track of things rather than just getting another when you can't find something.

• Forgetfulness + Middle-age = "257 pairs of reading glasses"

I'm getting a mental image of a dragon covered head-to-tip-of-tail (and most of his claws) with PostIt Notes telling him what he's left where.

I keep legal pads that I write stuff down on.  Then I have to search all the legal pads because I can't remember which one I wrote what I needed.  It used to be just senior moments, now it seems like all the damn time.  Mrs GreyWoolfe says I call her baby or Boo or whatever because I can never remember her name.   She also offered to talk to our primary care to get me memory meds but she's afraid I won't remember to take them.   Some years ago one of my co-workers suffered a seizure that affected his short term memory for a long time.   He would write everything down on the small flip pocket notebooks but then he wouldn't remember where the notebook went to.  Sometimes, talking to him was like ground hog day.  He would regularly call to ask how to do something even though we already went through this several times.  I would smile to myself and help him out because it could have been me.