Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread (Read 18626893 times)

bitseeker · « **Reply #31075 on:** May 11, 2019, 02:20:59 am »

Yeah, next I need to also get a DC block.

Nice scores, 0culus. Seems to be a good day for TEA.

Kosmic · « **Reply #31076 on:** May 11, 2019, 02:30:12 am »

Quote from: bitseeker on May 11, 2019, 01:46:29 am

Quote from: mnementh on May 11, 2019, 01:44:06 am
Oh, futch. I'm a complete 1D10T... This thing probably needs µA at most in that mode; no need for anything that complicated.

CR2032/2025/2016 (whatever's needed to make 10 of 'em fit) cells and a 3DP shell. Easy as 3.1415926...

That sounds like a much better plan.

Yep definitely doable ! Thanks for the suggestion

0culus · « **Reply #31077 on:** May 11, 2019, 02:37:16 am »

Quote from: bitseeker on May 11, 2019, 02:20:59 am

Yeah, next I need to also get a DC block.

Nice scores, 0culus. Seems to be a good day for TEA.

I'm excited!

As for DC blocks, I got a few 18 GHz SMA blocks from mini-circuits a while back. Their N to SMA adapters are also nice.

I have heard that mini-circuits RF connections do need to be bought to the spec you need...unlike nicer brands (Narda, Midwest Microwave, etc) that will often work well far beyond the label rating.

bitseeker · « **Reply #31078 on:** May 11, 2019, 02:40:19 am »

Quote from: xrunner on May 11, 2019, 02:04:46 am

Quote from: bitseeker on May 11, 2019, 01:57:11 am
For half the price of the used PCMCIA-to-SD, you can get both a new PCMCIA-to-CF adapter and a new CF-to-SD adapter.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CF-TO-PC-Adapter-Card-PCMCIA-Converter-Memory-Card-Reader-USB-2-0-to-68-pin-CYC/233205105005
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SD-SDHC-SDXC-To-CF-Compact-Flash-Memory-Card-Adapter-Reader-Converter-to-ZEL/163616224440

Buy before the new tariffs kick in LOL.

Haha, yeah. Actually, I think I have a PCMCIA-to-CF adapter. Now, if I only knew where I put it.

tautech · « **Reply #31079 on:** May 11, 2019, 02:49:25 am »

Quote from: bitseeker on May 11, 2019, 01:46:29 am

Quote from: mnementh on May 11, 2019, 01:44:06 am
Oh, futch. I'm a complete 1D10T... This thing probably needs µA at most in that mode; no need for anything that complicated.

CR2032/2025/2016 (whatever's needed to make 10 of 'em fit) cells and a 3DP shell. Easy as 3.1415926...

That sounds like a much better plan.

Made up a few stacks of LR44's that fit quite well as a direct replacement of the old but now $$ 15V cells in AVO's.
A bit of copper tube to match 15V battery length and shrink sleeve over it all....done !
A stack of CR****'s would be the best bet for that old 413 cell.

mnementh · « **Reply #31080 on:** May 11, 2019, 05:33:41 am »

Speaking of coin cells being used in funky places... I present to you the AccuLux Tourist Halogen. That is 4 225mAH coin cells powering a 2.5 watt halogen bulb. Pretty effing amazing for 1980-something! And it was designed to overnight charge by pulling the back half of the flashlight out which then plugged directly into the wall.

This was my toolbox light when I was in my high school's AV Dept; I just unearthed it while clearing space in the garage for working on my engine. I kept it all these years out of sentiment (and my raging flashlight-aholism), but lately puttering about with my other uber-LED flashlights has me rethinking this one...

mnem

bitseeker · « **Reply #31081 on:** May 11, 2019, 05:41:12 am »

That's pretty cool. I like the self-contained, self-charging battery pack idea. Looking inside, it's pretty funny how much doesn't go into it.

beanflying · « **Reply #31082 on:** May 11, 2019, 05:45:43 am »

Quote from: mnementh on May 11, 2019, 05:33:41 am

Speaking of coin cells being used in funky places... I present to you the AccuLux Tourist Halogen. That is 4 225mAH coin cells powering a 2.5 watt halogen bulb. Pretty effing amazing for 1980-something! And it was designed to overnight charge by pulling the back half of the flashlight out which then plugged directly into the wall.

This was my toolbox light when I was in my high school's AV Dept; I just unearthed it while clearing space in the garage for working on my engine. I kept it all these years out of sentiment (and my raging flashlight-aholism), but lately puttering about with my other uber-LED flashlights has me rethinking this one...

mnem

Dad had one of those for a long while (With Aussie Angle plug and on 240V). Got to love NiCads for simple trickle charging

mnementh · « **Reply #31083 on:** May 11, 2019, 06:02:36 am »

Accck! Y'all were too quick on the gun... I just updated a new pic with an inset of the R/C coupled trickle charging circuit.

Yeah... amazing how much we made do with how little once upon a used-ta-was.

And amazing... it doesn't have a phone, or video games or bluetooth connectivity!

mnem
What about WiFi...? C'mon... it's gotta have WiFi... How will our robot overlords know when its done charging and time to go back to work?

bd139 · « **Reply #31084 on:** May 11, 2019, 08:43:36 am »

That looks like those ancient exploding NiCd cells. I used to chuck them in a fire. That's what made them explode

I do have to say that there's something nice about that little circuit. Looks neat and purposeful.

Well Elecraft are a bit of a let down on the sales front. So it says 1-5 days to dispatch so I left it 4.5 days of pressing F5 on their order status page and seeing "unfulfilled" and gave them a nudge. Turns out they held my entire order up because they ran out of free hats. I don't care about the free hat dammit. I bought a radio not a hat!

... They're sending it Monday and sending the hat separately via USPS ground. Their customer service is pretty good but the sales/dispatch process is opaque and a bit wonky.

beanflying · « **Reply #31085 on:** May 11, 2019, 08:47:32 am »

Clearly for some Hams Hats are important

bd139 · « **Reply #31086 on:** May 11, 2019, 08:53:14 am »

Crikey it's a whacker hat!

Brumby · « **Reply #31087 on:** May 11, 2019, 09:13:41 am »

Better be careful. Looks like that halo could easily slip.

bd139 · « **Reply #31088 on:** May 11, 2019, 09:34:59 am »

Some of them do have a head injury for sure!

Delivery companies giving me trouble today. We have Yodel today and their excellent bugs...

Specmaster · « **Reply #31089 on:** May 11, 2019, 09:50:51 am »

I like Yodel, I love the "bug" messages and they are very reliable on their 24hr deliveries too. I often use them for larger items, pack them well and drop them off at their local collection point early in the morning and so far they have always been delivered the following day and its far cheaper then Parcel Force 48 service. So far have not a single item damaged and the parcel is 100% trackable throughout its journey, even to the extent of getting a message sent to me within minutes of it being delivered.

Specmaster · « **Reply #31090 on:** May 11, 2019, 09:57:09 am »

Quote from: bd139 on May 10, 2019, 10:16:12 am

Well seeing as I now officially have no money at all and after all I am a TEA drop in, I thought I better finish a test gear project off so did some enclosure bashing early this morning...

Working on innards this evening. Have all the parts lying around for this: https://sites.google.com/site/vk3bhr/home/index2-html

(and yes I know the stickers aren't straight. It was before 8am when I did this )

That's not to shabby indeed, did you use your Dremmel for that?

bd139 · « **Reply #31091 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:01:29 am »

Nope. The plastic is pretty soft so an engineer's square, lumocolor marker and a stanley knife. I "drilled" the holes with a stanley knife like a proper bodger as well

I "missed" a bit on the corners. I just bought a new laser printer this week and some thick transparencies so I'll print a mask for it that will go over the display area to hide that mess.

med6753 · « **Reply #31092 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:08:53 am »

Quote from: bd139 on May 11, 2019, 08:43:36 am

That looks like those ancient exploding NiCd cells. I used to chuck them in a fire. That's what made them explode

I do have to say that there's something nice about that little circuit. Looks neat and purposeful.

Well Elecraft are a bit of a let down on the sales front. So it says 1-5 days to dispatch so I left it 4.5 days of pressing F5 on their order status page and seeing "unfulfilled" and gave them a nudge. Turns out they held my entire order up because they ran out of free hats. I don't care about the free hat dammit. I bought a radio not a hat! ... They're sending it Monday and sending the hat separately via USPS ground. Their customer service is pretty good but the sales/dispatch process is opaque and a bit wonky.

Without the hat, rubbed in dirt and sweat prior the shipment, you can't look like a proper hobo.

med6753 · « **Reply #31093 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:12:27 am »

Quote from: beanflying on May 11, 2019, 08:47:32 am

Clearly for some Hams Hats are important

Hobo in training.

bd139 · « **Reply #31094 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:14:43 am »

I already have a Yaesu hat so I'm well in hobo territory

Came across this the other day. I think this probably applies to test gear as well...

med6753 · « **Reply #31095 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:17:05 am »

Canada Post says package will be delivered this Monday. USPS says same package will be delivered today. Package is currently sitting in JFK Customs. My suspicion is neither are correct but USPS is definitely off the mark.

med6753 · « **Reply #31096 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:26:21 am »

In the "Perception" pix I give the Wife an "A" for effort but an "F" for fail in her selection of beers. That's a Schlitz beer. Drop a few letters and "shit" is a better description.

Edit....she could be passive aggressive and trying to poison him and then have a silent key sale.

In "Reality". It's 6:25 AM here and I got NOBODY looking over my shoulder.

bd139 · « **Reply #31097 on:** May 11, 2019, 10:58:44 am »

I tried to find the source of the image and I think it as a Schlitz beer advert so that makes sense.

If someone looks over my shoulder now I flip the bird

PA0PBZ · « **Reply #31098 on:** May 11, 2019, 11:17:28 am »

Quote from: bd139 on May 11, 2019, 10:58:44 am

I tried to find the source of the image and I think it as a Schlitz beer advert so that makes sense.

bd139 · « **Reply #31099 on:** May 11, 2019, 11:25:23 am »

That's the one


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Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread (Read 18626893 times)

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