Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cerebus]

EDIT:
Unable to find a Volvo video about UK drivers, there I admit videos about them and also Skoda ones but not for the UK

Look for videos from bikers. When I was a dispatch rider Volvo drivers held a special place in my heart, the one most people reserve for child molesters.

[factory]

If anyone might be interested, there is a Nixie DMM that just popped up here, for only 20 Euros.

3 digits made by Schneider, model " DIGITEST 500 ",  and a compact portable unusual form factor, to add to your collection.

Seller says local pickup but it's not worded too strongly so he might be willing to ship if just asked   


https://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/2159083354.htm

There is even guy on YT testing it and tearing it down. Sounds German.

Over here in the US, I believe it was sold as a Honeywell Digitest 500.  I have one lurking about here somewhere, but the last time I checked several years ago a manual was nowhere to be found, (ok, not entirely true - there was one on eBay for a long time, but the guy wanted more than I paid for the meter and wouldn’t accept an offer, so I watched it there for at least a year and it eventually went away) and it’s since been buried in the clutter.

-Pat

Edit to add - will now do some searches for Schneider to see if I can find the manual under that name.

Found a manual with a quick search for "Digitest 500", pdf here; https://www.aef.se/Matteknik/Matteknikportal/Dokument/Manualer/Digitest_500-Siffer-URI-meter-8212.pdf

David

[mnementh]

EDIT:
Unable to find a Volvo video about UK drivers, there I admit videos about them and also Skoda ones but not for the UK

Look for videos from bikers. When I was a dispatch rider Volvo drivers held a special place in my heart, the one most people reserve for child molesters.

mnem
Of course, there's a Firefly quote for that...

[Cubdriver]

Found a manual with a quick search for "Digitest 500", pdf here; https://www.aef.se/Matteknik/Matteknikportal/Dokument/Manualer/Digitest_500-Siffer-URI-meter-8212.pdf

David

Excellent!  Thanks, David!  PDF downloaded.

-Pat

[tggzzz]

There is apparently a new strain around and not enough is known about it as yet and Covid will be with us for some time to come yet before we can confidently say we have beaten it, I urge everyone not to let the guard down for a while yet. I still wear my mask when shopping and in crowded places, even outside if there is no way of maintaining social distancing.

Just so.

The recent variants are causing increased infection and increased hospital admissions. IIRC up 40% last week, up 20% this week. These variants are more infectious than previous variants, and previous infection doesn't give as much protection against with infection or reinfection.

People that fondly believe viruses get weaker over time should understand the trajectory of myxamatosis https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/science/myxoma-virus-rabbits-covid.html

[tggzzz]

You put a Rifa cap back into the unit!?  I hope you got a late date code on that part............... 

I did that with several in my HP8562 spectrum analyser. As with everything in that mechanical marvel, there's no room for anything else.

But, you can get modern non-Rifa caps that are the same size or smaller than the originals... I used them in my 8160A Pulse Gen (Along with everything else), that was one tight PSU module...

I didn't find any with the same pitch that would fit in the same space. The attached diagram accurately shows how tightly packed they are (red blobs).

For those I just fit disc class X/Y caps, don't need to worry about lead pitch so much then, I refuse to buy any RIFA/Kemet ones, while they still make paper museum-piece crap. 

David

My attitude is that the new ones will last me out. Not sure whether that is or

[Cerebus]

There is apparently a new strain around and not enough is known about it as yet and Covid will be with us for some time to come yet before we can confidently say we have beaten it, I urge everyone not to let the guard down for a while yet. I still wear my mask when shopping and in crowded places, even outside if there is no way of maintaining social distancing.

We won't get rid of it. Everybody seems to have forgotten by now that Covid-19 is just a coronavirus variant, and coronaviruses are responsible for some significant proportion of "common colds". It's not like smallpox, that we could narrowly target and did eradicate. Ironically, the current resurgence of monkeypox virus is a direct result of us stopping vaccinating for smallpox because it doesn't exist anymore outside the laboratory. Smallpox vaccine also protects against the closely related monkeypox and cowpox viruses.

The good news is that newer variants on Covid-19 will tend to be less virulent. A virus that kills its host, or disables so much that they take to their beds is a bad virus (as in "bad at being a virus", or "not good at it's job"), the death or voluntary isolation stops the virus spreading. Thus only relatively benign viruses have the wherewithal to be truly "successful" viruses. Evolution breeds excessive virulence out of viruses.

[mnementh]

Another of my favorite timesinks... 

mnem

[mnementh]

There is apparently a new strain around and not enough is known about it as yet and Covid will be with us for some time to come yet before we can confidently say we have beaten it, I urge everyone not to let the guard down for a while yet. I still wear my mask when shopping and in crowded places, even outside if there is no way of maintaining social distancing.

We won't get rid of it. Everybody seems to have forgotten by now that Covid-19 is just a coronavirus variant, and coronaviruses are responsible for some significant proportion of "common colds". It's not like smallpox, that we could narrowly target and did eradicate. Ironically, the current resurgence of monkeypox virus is a direct result of us stopping vaccinating for smallpox because it doesn't exist anymore outside the laboratory. Smallpox vaccine also protects against the closely related monkeypox and cowpox viruses.

The good news is that newer variants on Covid-19 will tend to be less virulent. A virus that kills its host, or disables so much that they take to their beds is a bad virus (as in "bad at being a virus", or "not good at it's job"), the death or voluntary isolation stops the virus spreading. Thus only relatively benign viruses have the wherewithal to be truly "successful" viruses. Evolution breeds excessive virulence out of viruses.

The dispersal/consumption pattern of the human planetary virus tends to agree with that; though humans themselves will argue otherwise until you kill them in self-defense...

mnem
Food for thought; thought from food...

[Robert763]

...On the other hand I've just been running a 28V DC contactor off a 115V 400Hz supply without any resistors, zenners or voltage regulators.  Any guesses?

Capacitor and/or light blub then rectified as a transformerless power supply...? LED panel indicator if contactor current is low enough?

mnem
 

Well I did say guesses... yes, capacitor dropper followed by a bridge rectifier and small electrolytic. adds a short delay but that is desired in the application.

[capt bullshot]

On the other hand I've just been running a 28V DC contactor off a 115V 400Hz supply without any resistors, zenners or voltage regulators.  Any guesses?

It just works without additional components, coil inductance limits the current. So your explanation was faster than my guess post ...

The other way round:
I'm running a couple of 230V AC coil contactors off a 5V DC supply. It's not as easy as Robert does, some additional components are involved. But there's no 230V AC involved except the input voltage for the 5V DC supply module.

Couldn't be bothered to write an article yet, but the thing is working since 4 or 5 years now:
http://wunderkis.de/poweronov2/

The contactor coils are connected at the P1, P3, P4, P5, P7, P8

[Vince]

If anyone might be interested, there is a Nixie DMM that just popped up here, for only 20 Euros.

3 digits made by Schneider, model " DIGITEST 500 ",  and a compact portable unusual form factor, to add to your collection.

Seller says local pickup but it's not worded too strongly so he might be willing to ship if just asked   


https://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/2159083354.htm

There is even guy on YT testing it and tearing it down. Sounds German.

Over here in the US, I believe it was sold as a Honeywell Digitest 500.  I have one lurking about here somewhere, but the last time I checked several years ago a manual was nowhere to be found, (ok, not entirely true - there was one on eBay for a long time, but the guy wanted more than I paid for the meter and wouldn’t accept an offer, so I watched it there for at least a year and it eventually went away) and it’s since been buried in the clutter.

-Pat

Edit to add - will now do some searches for Schneider to see if I can find the manual under that name.

Yes it was sold / rebadged by Honeywell in the US it seems ! No, of course I won't pretend to know squat about Honeywell, however in that YT video comments section there is a guy in the US commenting he owns one and it's badged Honeywell. Another guy said Honeywell used to rebadge Schneider stuff.

Well I am glad I posted about this, didn't know you had one, and now you have a service manual for it, and for free as well !

[Zoli]

There is apparently a new strain around and not enough is known about it as yet and Covid will be with us for some time to come yet before we can confidently say we have beaten it, I urge everyone not to let the guard down for a while yet. I still wear my mask when shopping and in crowded places, even outside if there is no way of maintaining social distancing.

We won't get rid of it. Everybody seems to have forgotten by now that Covid-19 is just a coronavirus variant, and coronaviruses are responsible for some significant proportion of "common colds". It's not like smallpox, that we could narrowly target and did eradicate. Ironically, the current resurgence of monkeypox virus is a direct result of us stopping vaccinating for smallpox because it doesn't exist anymore outside the laboratory. Smallpox vaccine also protects against the closely related monkeypox and cowpox viruses.

The good news is that newer variants on Covid-19 will tend to be less virulent. A virus that kills its host, or disables so much that they take to their beds is a bad virus (as in "bad at being a virus", or "not good at it's job"), the death or voluntary isolation stops the virus spreading. Thus only relatively benign viruses have the wherewithal to be truly "successful" viruses. Evolution breeds excessive virulence out of viruses.

Some scientists have different opinion:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04186-8 the original study;
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/10/people-exposed-to-covid-yet-not-falling-ill-may-have-immune-memory-finds-study The Guardian comment on.
So, looks like there's hope to get rid(at least for most of the population - 75% IMO); the problem what I see that the Big Pharma won't give up on the money printing business(who would?).
And now some mechanical test equipment for a change:

[mnementh]

Yummy... Mitu inside mics FTW.

I had a similar set from Nippon-Seiko back in my hot-rodding/engine building daze. Like buttah.

mnem

[mansaxel]

most drivers of those three makes of car seem to think that everyone else is the idiot and those idiots all seem to flock to them,

It usually is like this:

BMW drivers think they're being gifted with the ultimate performance device, which will give them divine abilities. They're basically capable of everything without ever getting into trouble.

Audi drivers are entitled. It is simply so that an Audi driver has the right to do anything. And all shall yield. Or else.

Mercedes drivers have spotted the little cracks of insecurity in the Audi posture, and are a fair bit more relaxed, because they know the others will yield. They won't have to insist.

Volvos are so common here that there are drivers from all fields of life. Not possible to single out a behaviour.

[mansaxel]

will be with us for some time to come

As I wrote before; it's endemic. Period.

[factory]

I let my Racal Dana 1998  and OXCO module run for a day.   Over several hours drift was at most  +1/-0 digit.   I'm going to let it run another 24 hours.   

The bad news is heat soaking the 1998 killed the all-important function buttons.     It is almost permently stuck on FREQ A.   


Anyone have a link to replacing the buttons / spare parts / whatever.   I know this is a common failure.    I'm sure it is on EEVBlog somewhere.  I vaugely remember an offer to give me or sell me  a good spare.  Can't remember who or where.

Not sure if anyone replied to this, too many pages of OT TEA to read through. 

A couple of threads mentioning the obsolete front panel switches/buttons used on some Racal Dana TE:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/racal-dana-2101-microwave-counter-repair/msg3506366/#msg3506366

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/racal-repair-idea-quick!/msg2425608/#msg2425608

Edit: The second link doesn't work properly because of the !, it breaks the link. 
Edit 2: Fixed link URL, thanks to TERRA Operative. 

David

[mansaxel]

Found a manual with a quick search for "Digitest 500", pdf here; https://www.aef.se/Matteknik/Matteknikportal/Dokument/Manualer/Digitest_500-Siffer-URI-meter-8212.pdf

David

Arboga Elektronikhistoriska Förening is a TE museum club, focusing on the electronics and TE usage cases in the Swedish Air Force. Their Measurement Portal is a good reason to learn Swedish.

[tggzzz]

The good news is that newer variants on Covid-19 will tend to be less virulent. A virus that kills its host, or disables so much that they take to their beds is a bad virus (as in "bad at being a virus", or "not good at it's job"), the death or voluntary isolation stops the virus spreading. Thus only relatively benign viruses have the wherewithal to be truly "successful" viruses. Evolution breeds excessive virulence out of viruses.

Like myxamotisis?

Understand the trajectory of myxamatosis https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/science/myxoma-virus-rabbits-covid.html

[Neper]

Volvos are so common here that there are drivers from all fields of life. Not possible to single out a behaviour.

There was a time, here in Tjermoney, when Volvos were so rare on our roads that their drivers would greet each other with a V sign. In the end, only 544 and 121 drivers did.

[TERRA Operative]

A couple of threads mentioning the obsolete front panel switches/buttons used on some Racal Dana TE:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/racal-dana-2101-microwave-counter-repair/msg3506366/#msg3506366

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/racal-repair-idea-quick!/msg2425608/#msg2425608

Edit: The second link doesn't work properly because of the !, it breaks the link. 

David

Just gotta edit your link like this (substitute curly brackets for square brackets)

{url=https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/racal-repair-idea-quick!/msg2425608/#msg2425608}https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/racal-repair-idea-quick!/msg2425608/#msg2425608{/url}

[factory]

Thanks that worked. 

David

[Cerebus]

The good news is that newer variants on Covid-19 will tend to be less virulent. A virus that kills its host, or disables so much that they take to their beds is a bad virus (as in "bad at being a virus", or "not good at it's job"), the death or voluntary isolation stops the virus spreading. Thus only relatively benign viruses have the wherewithal to be truly "successful" viruses. Evolution breeds excessive virulence out of viruses.

Like myxamotisis?

Understand the trajectory of myxamatosis https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/science/myxoma-virus-rabbits-covid.html

You're asking for a long, long dad joke that starts "A rabbit went into a bar...".

Not all viruses get less harmful over time as they mutate, but most do. For any infectious disease (or parasitic disease) to kill its host and survive itself it must either be (1) both highly virulent and highly infectious, or (2) take a long time to kill its host (e.g. rabies, syphilis), or (3) have a complex lifecycle involving multiple hosts, some of which it is harmless to (e.g. malaria), or (4) be capable of surviving for a long time without a host (e.g. sporulating infections like anthrax).

Selection pressure in most cases selects for less virulent and more infectious organisms. Simple probability says that random mutations that affect one aspect of harm (infectiousness, virulence, target species, complex life cycle, and so on) are more likely than random mutations that simultaneously affect two or more aspects. Simple probability also does not exclude this happening, just makes it less likely.

[tggzzz]

The good news is that newer variants on Covid-19 will tend to be less virulent. A virus that kills its host, or disables so much that they take to their beds is a bad virus (as in "bad at being a virus", or "not good at it's job"), the death or voluntary isolation stops the virus spreading. Thus only relatively benign viruses have the wherewithal to be truly "successful" viruses. Evolution breeds excessive virulence out of viruses.

Like myxamotisis?

Understand the trajectory of myxamatosis https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/science/myxoma-virus-rabbits-covid.html

You're asking for a long, long dad joke that starts "A rabbit went into a bar...".

Not all viruses get less harmful over time as they mutate, but most do. For any infectious disease (or parasitic disease) to kill its host and survive itself it must either be (1) both highly virulent and highly infectious, or (2) take a long time to kill its host (e.g. rabies, syphilis), or (3) have a complex lifecycle involving multiple hosts, some of which it is harmless to (e.g. malaria), or (4) be capable of surviving for a long time without a host (e.g. sporulating infections like anthrax).

Selection pressure in most cases selects for less virulent and more infectious organisms. Simple probability says that random mutations that affect one aspect of harm (infectiousness, virulence, target species, complex life cycle, and so on) are more likely than random mutations that simultaneously affect two or more aspects. Simple probability also does not exclude this happening, just makes it less likely.

Yup.

Just as the new influenza variant just over a century ago was much nastier than its predecessors. That might happen with covid, or might not. This month's variants appear to hit the depths of the lungs more easily and harder, hence the rise in hospitalisations. Next month's?

The point is that it is unwise to act on the presumption that future variants won't be a major problem.

Plus we are all a couple of years older, and that translates to a 25% higher risk (I.e. doubles every 6 years)

[mnementh]

You're asking for a long, long dad joke that starts "A rabbit went into a bar...".

Not all viruses get less harmful over time as they mutate, but most do. For any infectious disease (or parasitic disease) to kill its host and survive itself it must either be (1) both highly virulent and highly infectious, or (2) take a long time to kill its host (e.g. rabies, syphilis), or (3) have a complex lifecycle involving multiple hosts, some of which it is harmless to (e.g. malaria), or (4) be capable of surviving for a long time without a host (e.g. sporulating infections like anthrax).

Selection pressure in most cases selects for less virulent and more infectious organisms. Simple probability says that random mutations that affect one aspect of harm (infectiousness, virulence, target species, complex life cycle, and so on) are more likely than random mutations that simultaneously affect two or more aspects. Simple probability also does not exclude this happening, just makes it less likely.

Hmmm...

Using that model, the human planetary virus is a sudden-onset, extremely virulent strain with multiple simultaneous modes of attack against the host.

When we continue this model, global warming is the expected fever response; and violent weather maybe the expectoration response...? Does this mean these recent global outbreaks of viral infection are more like the host's immune response?

But there are so many diseases out there which are direct result of humans poisoning their surroundings... hmmm... opportunistic infections, maybe...? Clash of the original infection with its own mutations...? 

mnem
*tap-tap on microphone* "Is this thing on...? Please forgive mnem... he's not feeling well, and his associations have grown rather loose of late..."