Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

We've had this one at helifreak.com like... forever. 

Hey I was hanging over there and rcgroups a while ago. Still got three 600mm electric heli in the basement somewhere. Didn't fly them for years now. Was a lot of fun. I was at the point where I was learning to fly inverted. Then I got some kids and that was it

I mostly lurk anymore...

I had approximately the same life journey with my helis; had gotten to the point of learning inverted, had my second kid and at the same time got into mini/micro quads. Drifted out of helis right at the beginning of the FBL revolution into multis just before the 32-bit revolution, because you can build a quadcopter piecemeal as you can afford components, while a heli is really a lot harder to do that with due to individual parts cost for ANYTHING that isn't utter shite, and the greater tendency of manufacturers to "bundle" core components.

You can sneak $60 here and there into pretty much any budget... much harder to sneak $300-600 in ANYWHERE when you have a couple little ankle-biters hoovering up every paycheck like dollars were M&Ms.  

And it just gets worse as they get older. 

mnem
"Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I..."

[mnementh]

For anyone who's interested I documented the entire teardown and repair of the Tek 2465 DMS fan motor here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tektronix-2465b-oscilloscope-teardown/msg1861713/#msg1861713

Dammit, med... I SWORE to myself I wasn't going to let me get sucked into this. 

While "cogitating" on the throne (like most men, I seem to do my best thinking there), I came to the contusion that if ANYONE was going to get into the nuts & bolts of fixing the motor itself so I didn't have to, it would be YOU.

Boy, did you show ME. 

So then my inner TinkerDwagon starts whispering in my ear... "You know you have a lovely virginal SMPS in the "NASA 2465"... you can do the teardown and have pictures before lunchtime..."

Now I'm up to my elbows in Seimens and PCBs.   

I hate you. Cordially. 

mnem
"I have a love/hate relationship with my workbench. I love to tinker there; it hates to see me with more than $10 in my pocket." ~ mnem

[med6753]

For anyone who's interested I documented the entire teardown and repair of the Tek 2465 DMS fan motor here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tektronix-2465b-oscilloscope-teardown/msg1861713/#msg1861713

Dammit, med... I SWORE to myself I wasn't going to let me get sucked into this. 

While "cogitating" on the throne (like most men, I seem to do my best thinking there), I came to the contusion that if ANYONE was going to get into the nuts & bolts of fixing the motor itself so I didn't have to, it would be YOU.

Boy, did you show ME. 

So then my inner TinkerDwagon starts whispering in my ear... "You know you have a lovely virginal SMPS in the "NASA 2465"... you can do the teardown and have pictures before lunchtime..."

Now I'm up to my elbows in Seimens and PCBs.   

I hate you. Cordially. 

mnem
"I have a love/hate relationship with my workbench. I love to tinker there; it hates to see me with more than $10 in my pocket." ~ mnem

Not exactly sure what I did to deserve the accolades    but when someone says they hate me I consider it an accomplishment and job well done. 

[mnementh]

(SNIP)
I fly acro quads... poorly. I'm a fan of freestyle; that's how I bring ME up in the air... at least until I win the lottery. 

mnem
This is NOT me... but I can dream of being this smooth one day.

https://youtu.be/UvhLrgvfy0w

... and now for the *real* thing:

https://youtu.be/omQtw_VJjl4
(SNIP)
Please don't try this at home. 

With all due respect to Chuck and his amazing ability, unless it's actually YOU at the controls doing that crazy schizz, I'll submit that my own FPV experience is a lot closer to "real" than James' there... except for the few minutes of "Training time" with Chuck, that which of course I am more than a little jelly.

And we both know that there are a lot of things you can do with a "toy" heli that a real heli would just pull itself apart if you tried to do. I've "rode shotgun" a few times in an FPV-equipped 700-size Goblin and I can tell you, it's utter chaos. BLEEEARGH!!!

Hmmm... I wonder how many "tick-tocks" Chuck could manage before even he had to hurl? 

mnem
This is Tareq Alsaadi, holder of more titles than I can count:

https://youtu.be/l5FqYiZb_5s

[mnementh]

It's an old, neglected oscilloscope.  It needs your love and affection.  Only you can give it a forever home.  It does not matter that you have NO use for it.  What matters is that it needs You.  It will fill an aching hole in your heart.  (and a huge spot in your lab.) Just thing how much warmth you will feel in your heart hand  as you stroke and pet it every night as it looks at you with that big, soft glowing eye.   

FEED THE TEA.

 

Oh, wait, this is the Test Equipment Anonymous thread.  I'm supposed to be helping you to NOT buy Equipment.

My bad.   

You fit in here JUST FINE, HD. You're a natural TEA. 

mnem

[mnementh]

Was listed at £150. I had a £20 refund (free money) from paypal after they fucked something up so that worked out at £130. Going rate is £250-280 for one in similar condition so definitely a winner.

And so this week's award goes to bd139... would you like some chilled bovine mammary secretions to go widdat?   

But seriously... I think you're in for some eye-opening here, if you haven't owned one. There's more than just branding and hyperbole goes into the pricetag.

The 87x family is as far above the run of the mill 117, etc "Homeowner Hell" grade Flukes as the 117 is above a VC97. Really, just a quantum level higher in response and quality feel in pretty much every aspect. Lots of little "attention to detail" things you don't notice until you have them side by side. Even though I have an EC 189, part of me is still a little jelly. 

mnem
I'm sure Specmaster will be pleased. 

[mnementh]

I hate you. Cordially. 

mnem
"I have a love/hate relationship with my workbench. I love to tinker there; it hates to see me with more than $10 in my pocket." ~ mnem

Not exactly sure what I did to deserve the accolades    but when someone says they hate me I consider it an accomplishment and job well done. 

And quite right that you should.    You earned them.

mnem
*Back to the teardown*

[Wolfgang]

(SNIP)
I fly acro quads... poorly. I'm a fan of freestyle; that's how I bring ME up in the air... at least until I win the lottery. 

mnem
This is NOT me... but I can dream of being this smooth one day.

https://youtu.be/UvhLrgvfy0w

... and now for the *real* thing:

https://youtu.be/omQtw_VJjl4
(SNIP)
Please don't try this at home. 

With all due respect to Chuck and his amazing ability, unless it's actually YOU at the controls doing that crazy schizz, I'll submit that my own FPV experience is a lot closer to "real" than James' there... except for the few minutes of "Training time" with Chuck, that which of course I am more than a little jelly.

And we both know that there are a lot of things you can do with a "toy" heli that a real heli would just pull itself apart if you tried to do. I've "rode shotgun" a few times in an FPV-equipped 700-size Goblin and I can tell you, it's utter chaos. BLEEEARGH!!!

Hmmm... I wonder how many "tick-tocks" Chuck could manage before even he had to hurl? 

mnem
This is Tareq Alsaadi, holder of more titles than I can count:

https://youtu.be/l5FqYiZb_5s

I know some backstory about the Red Bull BO105 and how it became the first "aerobatic" helicopter (from some pilots that had a test drive next to Chuck):

Red Bull is based in Salzburg, Austra, so not soo far from me, and the pilot community is very small ...

When the idea of doing helicopter acrobatics was born, the first question was what machine to choose.
None of any civil (probably the same for the military) machines were certified for loopings, flying on your back, ...
All this forbidden in the flight manuals, so no clearance there. The BO105 was certainly a very agile chopper (made as an anti-tank attack machine),
but its unique thing was a single-piece, all milled-titanium rotor head with no hinges that would allow the blades to flap under extreme maneuvers.
So, if a machine could be used for acrobatics - it would be this one.

The BO105 is out of production, however, for 20 years, I guess. Some are still flying, there are spare parts, Eurocopter still maintains it - but there is still
the problem with no clearance of the authorities for acrobatic flying. So, Red Bull and the authorities sat together and what came out was a deal like this:

- Red Bull and aviation safety people create teams to define standards for acrobatic flying
- This will result in limits allowable, changes in construction (e.g., fuel supply), a new flight handbook, training procedures, emergency procedures, ...
- New maintenance plans need to be worked out for the increased loading on parts during acrobatic flight. The time between inspections was drastically reduced, and the lifetime of parts decreased significantly.
- Formal testing of all the above needed to be defined.
- Red Bull pays everything.

After quite some years they succeeded making and running a BO105CBS that met engineering and aviation safety requirements.
Its not a TEA, but a fascinating addiction, IMHO.

[PA0PBZ]

This is Tareq Alsaadi, holder of more titles than I can count:

WTF did I just watch  I can't even start to describe it! 

[Mr. Scram]

With all due respect to Chuck and his amazing ability, unless it's actually YOU at the controls doing that crazy schizz, I'll submit that my own FPV experience is a lot closer to "real" than James' there... except for the few minutes of "Training time" with Chuck, that which of course I am more than a little jelly.

And we both know that there are a lot of things you can do with a "toy" heli that a real heli would just pull itself apart if you tried to do. I've "rode shotgun" a few times in an FPV-equipped 700-size Goblin and I can tell you, it's utter chaos. BLEEEARGH!!!

Hmmm... I wonder how many "tick-tocks" Chuck could manage before even he had to hurl? 

mnem
This is Tareq Alsaadi, holder of more titles than I can count:

https://youtu.be/l5FqYiZb_5s

The problem with model helicopter flying is that technology and skill have progressed too far to be elegant or very enjoyable. That clip is a good demonstration of this. The skills involved are insane and super impressive, but the resulting display is as much fun to watch as a local groundskeeper waving his weedwhacker about.

[Wolfgang]

After a demo like this, who on earth would like to mow his lawn in the classic way ? 

[bd139]

Less expensive to replace bits when it goes wrong

[Specmaster]

Was listed at £150. I had a £20 refund (free money) from paypal after they fucked something up so that worked out at £130. Going rate is £250-280 for one in similar condition so definitely a winner.

And so this week's award goes to bd139... would you like some chilled bovine mammary secretions to go widdat?   

But seriously... I think you're in for some eye-opening here, if you haven't owned one. There's more than just branding and hyperbole goes into the pricetag.

The 87x family is as far above the run of the mill 117, etc "Homeowner Hell" grade Flukes as the 117 is above a VC97. Really, just a quantum level higher in response and quality feel in pretty much every aspect. Lots of little "attention to detail" things you don't notice until you have them side by side. Even though I have an EC 189, part of me is still a little jelly. 

mnem
I'm sure Specmaster will be pleased. 

Yep, it's been with me for a long time so it's about it moved on, bd has earned it with that awesome deal[emoji23].

Dammed right the 87 is way above a 117 and VC97 together, might you bang per £ the VC97 takes some beating[emoji6]

Edit:
Just returned from a day up at RAF Marham trying to get some photos of the Tornado GR9's before they all disappear from our skies for ever in a few months time and only saw 3 planes all day long FFS, a Gulf Stream and 2 GR9's, thats the sad state of our Air Force these day that they can't afford to send pilots out on training sorties. Compare that with RAF Lakenheath (Home to the USAF) and even on a quiet day like today they managed to get 16 planes launched on sorties to the bombing ranges and also the Mach Loop, 

If anyone is interested I'll post a couple of photos later when I've eaten.

[mnementh]

(SNIP)
mnem
This is Tareq Alsaadi, holder of more titles than I can count:
(SNIP Video already seen a few times on this page)

The problem with model helicopter flying is that technology and skill have progressed too far to be elegant or very enjoyable. That clip is a good demonstration of this. The skills involved are insane and super impressive, but the resulting display is as much fun to watch as a local groundskeeper waving his weedwhacker about.

The skillz are really NOT that insane; I know 12-year-olds that can do inverted nose-in & nose-out, tick-tocks, funnels and inverted funnels just like Tareq. Maybe not as tight or as close proximity (thank Ifni; a 700, gas or electric, has SOME presence up close, I will tell you  ) but still the same kind of skill building. I can BARELY do inverted on a collective pitch heli, and I have a solid 5 years flying planks and helis as a kid, and another 10 since I got back into it.

I still enjoy a relaxed afternoon sport flying LOS with both planks and blenders, and I also enjoy FPV in both sport and acro flying modes.

The difference for me is the cost of the hobby; while I've already dumped the cost of entry into helis, quads and planks, mini & microquads are the cheapest way to stay in the air and get that all-important stick time. Like ANY sport, doing it well eventually boils down to turning conscious action into muscle memory; making "thinking through doing something" into "Thinking about doing" and having your body "make it happen".

THAT, like any other skill, is fun to engage in, and fun to watch experts perform for people who ARE ENGAGED in that skill/sport.

Similarly, it is fun for me to watch someone with lots of experience troubleshooting TE like bd, Spec or med, as they sort through the circuits and figure out what makes a scope tick right or tock wrong. Because it is a "sport" I'm engaged in.

Aaaand hopefully that brings us back around to TEA before the OT Nazis come out...

mnem
*Sorting photos*

[bd139]

But seriously... I think you're in for some eye-opening here, if you haven't owned one. There's more than just branding and hyperbole goes into the pricetag.

Gah if I ever get to play with it. I'm being served some karma here. All things are balanced in the universe. This is what happens when you get good luck twice in a row.

Three things never to do I learned today:

1. Never rip a principal software architect running a cargo cult a new arsehole in front of the CEO, especially when in retrospect you find he's the CEO's son.

2. Never rip a teacher a new arsehole for being caught red handed telling a fat great big lie to cover their arse, backed up with scanned evidence from a homework journal (I am the chair leg of truth!). Teachers are basically untouchable apparently and they won't process my formal complaint because there's an unfair accusation in it (what the fuckity fuck?)

3. Never order a curry from a new curry place. Looks and tastes like dog vomit.

So I'm going to go to bed early. No TEA for me today. Boo hiss.

Edit: all effort is now going into working out how to retire quickly so I can hide away and play with test gear.

[Specmaster]

Oh dear oh dear, one thing you really must break away from is arsehole ripping, the next one might just be yours inadvertently, ouch 

Thought you might have known better than to take on the establishment, teachers are like police, they look after their own and they believe that if they bury their head in the sand then the complaint will go away, which normally it will as they won't let you pick up the baseball bat and smack them with it. They will claim that you fabricated the evidence using photoshop or whatever, just as the Police will cover for each other, as I found out when I complained about mistaken identity after being stopped for a minor motoring offence, long story short, they claimed that I ignored their flashing blue lights while they were allegedly chasing me for going the wrong way around keep left island ( ). I had reached my destination, stopped the car, switched off the engine and stood on a person front doorstep having a chat when they came screaming round the corner and booked, even ignoring the person whom I was chatting with and told them to keep their nose out or they would be in trouble. I complained to a superior office and was told it was their word against mine and who in a court of law would believe me? I was advised that as it carried no penalty points, to pay the fine and accept it. 

Life just ain't playing fair at times and all you can do is go home and kick the cat so to speak. It sure sucks but that is what we have to do at times, it ain't right but sometimes its better then banging your head against a wall and getting a headache 

[bd139]

You're right but it's sooooooo annoying being unable to do anything about it. If I can't fight the machine I'll put sugar in the fuel tank at least. That absolutely sucks with the police. Unwisely I'd probably have fought it. I have front and rear 360 roadhawk dashcams for such events. I was actually pulled over for being on the phone once in about 2008 while driving along. "Do you know what you were doing?" he asked me. "not a clue officer" I replied. He said "what were you holding". I said "the wheel officer". He was trying to get me to admit that I was on the phone, which I wasn't anyway. This went on for a bit and I said I had my finger in my ear, which I did and wasn't illegal or dangerous  ... he then checked my car over and checked insurance and tax status and scuttled off disappointed.

On the subject of the 87V now. The coffee I had about 3 hours ago just kicked in so bed is off the cards. Ordering a nice fresh GP ultra PP3 to go in it. Don't trust the Duracell procell in it.

[Wolfgang]

Throw away the duracell, but keep the 87V in good shape. I love this adorable meter, and I plan to inherit it to my children should my time has come. 

[Specmaster]

You're right but it's sooooooo annoying being unable to do anything about it. If I can't fight the machine I'll put sugar in the fuel tank at least. That absolutely sucks with the police. Unwisely I'd probably have fought it. I have front and rear 360 roadhawk dashcams for such events. I was actually pulled over for being on the phone once in about 2008 while driving along. "Do you know what you were doing?" he asked me. "not a clue officer" I replied. He said "what were you holding". I said "the wheel officer". He was trying to get me to admit that I was on the phone, which I wasn't anyway. This went on for a bit and I said I had my finger in my ear, which I did and wasn't illegal or dangerous  ... he then checked my car over and checked insurance and tax status and scuttled off disappointed.

On the subject of the 87V now. The coffee I had about 3 hours ago just kicked in so bed is off the cards. Ordering a nice fresh GP ultra PP3 to go in it. Don't trust the Duracell procell in it.

Yeh, I know, at the time I didn't have a dashcam (couldn't afford one), I was moonlighting as a debt collector trying to replace some the £ that the anklebiters were hoovering up (thanks mnementh for the phrase). Seems to me that whatever the so called pillars of the community say is believed unless you can present irrefutable evidence to the contrary, and then if you do win the argument, you're a marked man, especially with the Police as they will (so I'm told) make your life a living hell with repeated traffic stops etc.

If you get an itch in your ear, its the natural thing to do isn't it, to stick your finger in your ear and scratch it or whatever?

Got pulled over a few years back on a hill and the officer went over my car (Cortina MK1 at the time) and tried to find fault with it, tyres, lights, horn, wipers tax, insurance etc, anyway, he then proceeded to stand behind my car (this meant he was downhill) and told me the apply the handbrake and put the car in neutral, he then tried to push the car to test the handbrake  If the handbrake didn't work, he'd been flattened as the car rolled down the hill... definitely not the sharpest tool in the toolbox 

The 87V is not a dual display is it? So I'm kinda wondering where it is going to fit in your bench, I mean as far as I can see it doesn't do anything that the other two can't do (ignoring the dual display for now). Yes the Fluke is an excellent meter and has excellent protection and build quality the same as the 867, mind you for that kind of money you paid, I'd probably have snapped it up, but then I like meters full stop.

Edit: Just noticed, 4 more pages and we have reached 700 pages of TEA goodness, hmmmm.

[bd139]

Yeh, I know, at the time I didn't have a dashcam (couldn't afford one), I was moonlighting as a debt collector trying to replace some the £ that the anklebiters were hoovering up (thanks mnementh for the phrase). Seems to me that whatever the so called pillars of the community say is believed unless you can present irrefutable evidence to the contrary, and then if you do win the argument, you're a marked man, especially with the Police as they will (so I'm told) make your life a living hell with repeated traffic stops etc.

Police are only police here because they can't get another job or fancy a power trip.

Got pulled over a few years back on a hill and the officer went over my car (Cortina MK1 at the time) and tried to find fault with it, tyres, lights, horn, wipers tax, insurance etc, anyway, he then proceeded to stand my car (this meant he was downhill) and told me the apply the handbrake and put the car in neutral, he then tried to push the car to test the handbrake  If the handbrake didn't work, he'd been flattened as the car rolled down the hill... definitely not the sharpest tool in the toolbox 

Typical jobsworth nark. Doesn't surprise me. The one that stopped me was interesting as I had £5k of notes in the glove box. Nothing suspicious there at all! I was shitting my flipping pants.

The 87V is not a dual display is it? So I'm kinda wondering where it is going to fit in your bench, I mean as far as I can see it doesn't do anything that the other two can't do (ignoring the dual display for now). Yes the Fluke is an excellent meter and has excellent protection and build quality the same as the 867, mind you for that kind of money you paid, I'd probably have snapped it up, but then I like meters full stop.

Nope not dual display. There's two answers to that question, one of which you already answered. I like meters! The second one is I miss my Fluke 77 I had years ago. The third one is that it's a sane investment at that price as it depreciates slower than the equivalent in cash against inflation, gains instantaneous value fasther than any investments possible when I bought it and actually does something useful for me.

[bd139]

First round of meter reviews. I will fill this whole damn thing out and make a thread on it. Sorry for the text as a PNG. I can't be arsed to format it in here yet.

[Specmaster]

Ok then, here are just 3 photos I took at RAF Marham today, as mentioned before, only saw 3 planes all day, thats from 10am till 5.30pm, bitterly cold when the sun went in on account of the wind but pleasant enough when the sun did shine.

This airfield is one of the worst for viewing whats going on, its brilliantly hidden from general view, you could drive right by it and not see or know that their was airfield there at all. Part of the day was taken up with exploring ways of getting close enough to see anything at all but I did find some nice areas where access was a bit easier so I now know where I can go for closer shots next visit.

[VK5RC]

Nice photos!

[mnementh]

But seriously... I think you're in for some eye-opening here, if you haven't owned one. There's more than just branding and hyperbole goes into the pricetag.

Gah if I ever get to play with it. I'm being served some karma here. All things are balanced in the universe. This is what happens when you get good luck twice in a row.

Three things never to do I learned today:

1. Never rip a principal software architect running a cargo cult a new arsehole in front of the CEO, especially when in retrospect you find he's the CEO's son.

2. Never rip a teacher a new arsehole for being caught red handed telling a fat great big lie to cover their arse, backed up with scanned evidence from a homework journal (I am the chair leg of truth!). Teachers are basically untouchable apparently and they won't process my formal complaint because there's an unfair accusation in it (what the fuckity fuck?)

3. Never order a curry from a new curry place. Looks and tastes like dog vomit.

So I'm going to go to bed early. No TEA for me today. Boo hiss.

Edit: all effort is now going into working out how to retire quickly so I can hide away and play with test gear.

Sonuvacrap man... sounds liek you just went from one  NO!!!  thing to another today... 

My kids do that at least once a week... you're not alone. And they'll be glad to know that it's also not just DADDY who does it... other ADULTS are NO!!!-recursive as well. 

mnem

[bitseeker]

This is Tareq Alsaadi, holder of more titles than I can count:

WTF did I just watch  I can't even start to describe it! 

Yeah, no kidding. That's amazing stuff. A mini-UFO.