Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Carl_Smith]

Since we are on the topic of computers, I thought this thumbnail on YouTube for a recent Linus Tech Tips video was pretty funny.

[worsthorse]

Mnem -  I wish my math skills were even half as good as yours.  I have forgotten so much from college days (getting systemic dain bramage along the way didn't  help) that I started reviewing with my old (ancient) high school algebra texts last summer.  I figger I'll  be done algebra, trig/geom, and calc 101  in another 2 years.  It sucks getting old and forgetful.

OMG  I just laughed my ass off about that fosters story!! 

I took three years worth of analytical geometry, linear algebra, trig, calculus, etc in college. Forty years, later I have retained just enough to realize how much I don't remember. I am currently working my way through Kline's Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach, taking notes and doing the problem. I am backfilling on what's called pre-calculus these days whenever I hit some concept or formula that I don't remember, which is most often in geometry or trig.

Why you ask? Can't really grok Maxwell's equations or general relativity, without them.

In TEA related news... my DMMCheck Plus finally arrived.  The ten minute first pass review: it is a pretty damn good tool for a hundred bucks.  The bad news is it revealed that both my 8840A and the HP 3478As are a bit drifty in the least significant digits, so I probably have some work to do.

[worsthorse]

Used to blow the buggers up all the time when I was a kid. Harmless 

This is rather interesting: http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/antuino/

Edit: gone off the above already after finding the schematic. As Farhan's stuff always does, it's kicking out a square wave which means you can't use it effectively for wideband sweeps due to the harmonics. Plus there's no way that power output calibration is any good. Plus the UI is clunky as fuck.

Yup. I bought one at FDIM and played with a it a bit.  Ashar built it for a specific task and figured it would make an interesting piece of test equipment. I don't know about the power output calibration yet because I haven't tested it. It is sort of a concept project at best right now.

And, honestly, it doesn't really have a user interface.

The real issue for me is you have to have a PhD in Si5351 to understand how to make it do interesting stuff and I just ain't that smart. 

[mnementh]

Bic lighter laptops. I’m gonna steal that 

 

IN OTHER NEWS...



My wife finally toddled off for a nap.



mnem
Let's see how that works out for me. 

[bd139]

Niiiiiiice. Needs matrix screensaver

Used to blow the buggers up all the time when I was a kid. Harmless 

This is rather interesting: http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/antuino/

Edit: gone off the above already after finding the schematic. As Farhan's stuff always does, it's kicking out a square wave which means you can't use it effectively for wideband sweeps due to the harmonics. Plus there's no way that power output calibration is any good. Plus the UI is clunky as fuck.

Yup. I bought one at FDIM and played with a it a bit.  Ashar built it for a specific task and figured it would make an interesting piece of test equipment. I don't know about the power output calibration yet because I haven't tested it. It is sort of a concept project at best right now.

And, honestly, it doesn't really have a user interface.

The real issue for me is you have to have a PhD in Si5351 to understand how to make it do interesting stuff and I just ain't that smart. 

I just cut and paste Hans' code: https://qrp-labs.com/synth/si5351ademo.html 

Note: I don't use arduino environment other than the steal the AVR-GCC compiler and avrdude from so I don't have to build it. I hate Arduino so much I'll eviscerate the corpse and use the organs and chuck the flaccid remaining bloated whale on the street for the rats to drag away!

For the mathematicians here, on topic. A little life lesson. You will forget everything. My 15 year old comes to me expecting answers to her GCSE questions. This conversation usually ends with a sarcastic stab at "I thought you went to university?". After being poked with this a few times I've taught myself to ask what she's doing and cover it quickly so I don't look like an idiot in the future. Thank fuck for late night Khan Academy sessions!

[med6753]

Bic lighter laptops. I’m gonna steal that 

 

IN OTHER NEWS...



My wife finally toddled off for a nap.



mnem
Let's see how that works out for me. 

What is it with wimen's fascination with unicorns?    There has to be some sort of subliminal message here. 

[mnementh]

What is it with guys' fascination with dragons? Why was our wedding Dragon & Unicorn themed? Why does the Grelber steal my left socks? 

mnem
No, really... why ONLY the left ones?!?

[Specmaster]

Bic lighter laptops. I’m gonna steal that 

 

IN OTHER NEWS...



My wife finally toddled off for a nap.



mnem
Let's see how that works out for me. 

Breaking news, Brexit unicorns have been spotted on the run in Texas, the Brexit party have filed extradition papers 

[GregDunn]

I took three years worth of analytical geometry, linear algebra, trig, calculus, etc in college. Forty years, later I have retained just enough to realize how much I don't remember. I am currently working my way through Kline's Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach, taking notes and doing the problem. I am backfilling on what's called pre-calculus these days whenever I hit some concept or formula that I don't remember, which is most often in geometry or trig.

Why you ask? Can't really grok Maxwell's equations or general relativity, without them.

Make sure that backfill includes tensor algebra and Riemannian geometry; the authoritative book is tough going without some working knowledge of both (not joking; I'm still working my way though it and while it's quite a good source it does get deep at times) :

[Neomys Sapiens]

Wow that's an interesting statement, Lenovo are a Chinese manuefacturer so it just goes to prove that Being made in China is not necessarily a bad thing after all.

Being made in China in a organisation (on on a line) formerly set up by IBM (or for the needs of) might make the difference.

[mnementh]

IN OTHER NEWS...      My wife finally toddled off for a nap.

mnem
Let's see how that works out for me. 

Breaking news, Brexit unicorns have been spotted on the run in Texas, the Brexit party have filed extradition papers 

She HATES it...

mnem
Brexiters can kiss my scaly dragon ass!  * Chugs a can of Dragon Whoop-Ass (double red-hot lava with anthracite coal chaser) * "Bring it! Ya ignorant, inbred, mouth-breathing, copper-bottomed, three-toed backbirth fuckwits!!!"

[worsthorse]

I took three years worth of analytical geometry, linear algebra, trig, calculus, etc in college. Forty years, later I have retained just enough to realize how much I don't remember. I am currently working my way through Kline's Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach, taking notes and doing the problem. I am backfilling on what's called pre-calculus these days whenever I hit some concept or formula that I don't remember, which is most often in geometry or trig.

Why you ask? Can't really grok Maxwell's equations or general relativity, without them.

Make sure that backfill includes tensor algebra and Riemannian geometry; the authoritative book is tough going without some working knowledge of both (not joking; I'm still working my way though it and while it's quite a good source it does get deep at times) :

Tensor algebra and Riemann geometry will be new territory for me. At my current pace, I figure tackling relativity is at least two years out. Maxwell's equations are, by comparison, easier sledding.

[worsthorse]

She HATES it...

She does?

You did clear the specs with her first, right?   

[0culus]

I took three years worth of analytical geometry, linear algebra, trig, calculus, etc in college. Forty years, later I have retained just enough to realize how much I don't remember. I am currently working my way through Kline's Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach, taking notes and doing the problem. I am backfilling on what's called pre-calculus these days whenever I hit some concept or formula that I don't remember, which is most often in geometry or trig.

Why you ask? Can't really grok Maxwell's equations or general relativity, without them.

Make sure that backfill includes tensor algebra and Riemannian geometry; the authoritative book is tough going without some working knowledge of both (not joking; I'm still working my way though it and while it's quite a good source it does get deep at times) :

Tensor algebra and Riemann geometry will be new territory for me. At my current pace, I figure tackling relativity is at least two years out. Maxwell's equations are, by comparison, easier sledding.

I'm kind of doing the same thing. I have a degree in math, but it's been a while and if you don't use it, you lose a lot. 

[beanflying]

I took three years worth of analytical geometry, linear algebra, trig, calculus, etc in college. Forty years, later I have retained just enough to realize how much I don't remember. I am currently working my way through Kline's Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach, taking notes and doing the problem. I am backfilling on what's called pre-calculus these days whenever I hit some concept or formula that I don't remember, which is most often in geometry or trig.

Why you ask? Can't really grok Maxwell's equations or general relativity, without them.

Make sure that backfill includes tensor algebra and Riemannian geometry; the authoritative book is tough going without some working knowledge of both (not joking; I'm still working my way though it and while it's quite a good source it does get deep at times) :

Tensor algebra and Riemann geometry will be new territory for me. At my current pace, I figure tackling relativity is at least two years out. Maxwell's equations are, by comparison, easier sledding.

I'm kind of doing the same thing. I have a degree in math, but it's been a while and if you don't use it, you lose a lot. 

About the only thing I remember 'properly' from Uni Calculus is the Lecturer who could actually teach it and make the subject palatable for 100+ students. Good bloke considering he was a pure academic and Maths Phd 

[xrunner]

I remember the calculus prof, saying "Well, to solve this one, you just have to do a little mathematical gamesmanship ...". 

[beanflying]

IN OTHER NEWS...      My wife finally toddled off for a nap.

mnem
Let's see how that works out for me. 

Breaking news, Brexit unicorns have been spotted on the run in Texas, the Brexit party have filed extradition papers 

She HATES it...

mnem
Brexiters can kiss my scaly dragon ass!  * Chugs a can of Dragon Whoop-Ass (double red-hot lava with anthracite coal chaser) * "Bring it! Ya ignorant, inbred, mouth-breathing, copper-bottomed, three-toed backbirth fuckwits!!!"

For your next print/shmbo gift    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3250078

[mnementh]

She HATES it...

She does? You did clear the specs with her first, right?   

What specs? It's the SAME monitor she already has... just two of them.  The shelf is even the same... just a wider sheet of glass to accommodate two monitors.

mnem
* Toddling off to find an electric fence to pee on *

[mnementh]

   For your next print/shmbo gift    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3250078

   Too late. I already bought Poo-nicorn plushies for the kids at Christmas. I KNOW what she thinks of THEM. 

mnem
Thank Ifni they don't know what that name sounds like... 

[GregDunn]

I took three years worth of analytical geometry, linear algebra, trig, calculus, etc in college. Forty years, later I have retained just enough to realize how much I don't remember. I am currently working my way through Kline's Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach, taking notes and doing the problem. I am backfilling on what's called pre-calculus these days whenever I hit some concept or formula that I don't remember, which is most often in geometry or trig.

Why you ask? Can't really grok Maxwell's equations or general relativity, without them.

Make sure that backfill includes tensor algebra and Riemannian geometry; the authoritative book is tough going without some working knowledge of both (not joking; I'm still working my way though it and while it's quite a good source it does get deep at times) :

Tensor algebra and Riemann geometry will be new territory for me. At my current pace, I figure tackling relativity is at least two years out. Maxwell's equations are, by comparison, easier sledding.

Yes, if you know differential equations, Maxwell can be deciphered fairly well.  We actually had a physics professor write them down in integral form as a "4 equations in 4 unknowns" set and proceed to solve for the wave velocity.  Not surprisingly, the result, once you plugged in the magnetic and electric constants of free space, came out to be "c".  It was eye-opening to see that all of EM theory proceeds from a compact set of equations.

The main issue in GR is that you have 10 nonlinear differential equations to solve (meaning the inputs depend on the outputs).  This necessitates that you make some assumptions about the form of the solution and is what led to Einstein's long search for a compatible metric so that he could express his requirements consistently.  Riemannian (differential) geometry turned out to be the key, as it divested itself of the coordinate restrictions we typically assume in our customary Cartesian system.  Pretty complex stuff, yet it has a beauty and elegance all its own.

I highly recommend John Wheeler's A Journey Into Gravity and Spacetime from Scientific American.  Written entirely without the complex math, it nonetheless captures the spirit of general relativity and is quite entertaining as well.

[mnementh]

Before it's gone...

WOOHOOO!!! Lucky Thirteen hundred!!!

Because I needed a good Woohoo!, that's why.

mnem
Also cuz I'm a bit chafed that bean had no pithy response to my little furphy... 

[beanflying]

Before it's gone...

WOOHOOO!!! Lucky Thirteen hundred!!!

Because I needed a good Woohoo!, that's why.

mnem
Also cuz I'm a bit chafed that bean had no pithy response to my little furphy... 

I don't consider Fosters an Australian Beer even as drain cleaner the Sugar and preservatives in it make it unsuitable not to mention the rest of the chemicals

[Specmaster]

IN OTHER NEWS...      My wife finally toddled off for a nap.

mnem
Let's see how that works out for me. 

Breaking news, Brexit unicorns have been spotted on the run in Texas, the Brexit party have filed extradition papers 

She HATES it...

mnem
Brexiters can kiss my scaly dragon ass!  * Chugs a can of Dragon Whoop-Ass (double red-hot lava with anthracite coal chaser) * "Bring it! Ya ignorant, inbred, mouth-breathing, copper-bottomed, three-toed backbirth fuckwits!!!"

Look stop sodding about and say what you really mean [emoji23][emoji23][emoji83][emoji83]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[tggzzz]

For your next print/shmbo gift    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3250078

I know someone that had the bad taste to make ponyprobe and minionprobe - but he redeems himself with some geek/TEA/GAS porn at https://www.flickr.com/photos/anachrocomputer/albums

[Specmaster]

I shot over to Stansted Airport today to see could catch some photos of AirForce 1 and other support aircraft that flew in this morning on his state visit.

The first two I shot on the approach to Stanstead about 1 mile from touch down and then a quick dash  through the country lanes to an industrial estate about 1 mile from the opposite end of the Airport I pleased to discover that I was in time to catch his helicopter departing for the short hop in to London.

He also had a pair of Chinnock's that headed into London a few minutes later but they unfortunately took a slightly different route and they would have nothing more then a specks in the distance so I never photographed them. I'll see what the weather is like when he returns later in the week.