Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

I suggest Religion.

No new toys for me to play around with over the holidays, zero news from DPD about my missing K7105 scope, it looks like it was collected from the drop off shop but never made it back to the dept for sorting  Found myself a real cracking bargain for 2 almost mint condition ex NATO Avo 8's and then the seller decided it was too much trouble to configure them for safe transit 

Then I managed to locate yet another almost mint Avo 8, seller is away till after Christmas. Found myself a reasonable TTi single Power Supply but seller has stuck a reserve on it, twice the auction ended, I was the highest bidder but the seller has I believe put a stupid high reserve on it and now relisted it again, I'm again the highest bidder but it doesn't finish till after Christmas 

So it looks like I'll be watching boring TV and socialising with the in-laws this Christmas unless a miracle happens and the K7105 turns up tomorrow, which I doubt 

Sounds like time for a little retail therapy. I like Target around 1AM today, myself.  Wally World has looked like a hurricane strike disaster for a week now...  "Run away... run awaaaay!" 

mnem

[bd139]

Some topic ideas: What crap have you bought, whinging about couriers, Stuff from China, time nut corner, Volt nut corner, Boat anchor corner, whats on the bench, what nearly killed you/blew up in your face, things that got away, jammy git award ...

I suggest Religion.

There's only one religion. I refer thee to the prophets William and David. May they rest in eternal peace.

[bitseeker]

Excellent list, bd. Also, what do you need help (not) buying (a.k.a., eliminating the competition in a helpful way )?

[mnementh]

Amet. 

mnem

[bd139]

Also, what do you need help (not) buying (a.k.a., eliminating the competition in a helpful way )?

That's a great idea! 

[xrunner]

Just spoke to bitseeker on Discord - he sounded just as I expected. 

[bitseeker]

 

It's going to be interesting pronouncing some of these screen names.

[med6753]

OK, so who is going to moderate the discord which includes selecting a date, time (In GMT so everyone is in sync), and subject matter?

Don't look at me. 

[xrunner]

OK, so who is going to moderate the discord which includes selecting a date, time (In GMT so everyone is in sync), and subject matter?

Don't look at me. 

You just volunteered! 

[Cerebus]

I just took one pace smartly backwards.

[bitseeker]

How about 1/4/2020 or 1/11/2020 @ 18:00 or 19:00 UTC?

[beanflying]

I suggest Religion.

I suggest how RPN Calculators are inferior Off to play in the sunshine and mild weather

[xrunner]

How about 1/4/2020 or 1/11/2020 @ 18:00 or 19:00 UTC?

I'm in pretty much anytime. Don't worry about me. 

[bitseeker]

Here's a potential agenda. Some of these, such as 4, 5, and 6, could be regular segments. A suggestion was to keep it to one hour. I don't know how long each of these would last. So, it may be good to have some extra topics on hand. Then again, there's always the "TEAngent of the Day".

TEA Time — Episode 1
1. Intro
2. Retrospective: Best/worst of 2019 (auction, acquisition, repair, explosion, vendor, shipper, forum post/thread, etc.)
3. Most/least excited about TE in 2020 (announced, released, in search of, etc.)
4. Recent acquisitions & scores (gear, tools, snipes, gifts)
5. Jammy Git award: Best recent score (from #4 or seen on the forum)
6. GAS station: Deals you just can't resist (this is TEA, after all)
7. Suggestions on TEA Time (how was episode 1, when is episode 2)

If we survive this, we might dare to attempt episode 2.

[mnementh]

I suggest Religion.

I suggest how RPN Calculators are inferior. Off to play in the sunshine and mild weather

Same thing.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[Kosmic]

FYI Arrow is having a sale on some Rigol products. The DG831 is 161$ (more than half price). Only 2 units left!

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/dg831/rigol-technologies-inc

the MSO2102A is also really cheap compared to the regular price (318$ vs 969$)

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/mso2102a/rigol-technologies-inc

Ugh! Now I have a DG831 on the way. I guess I'll be "upgrading" it in the new year. Thanks, Kosmix. Couldn't resist at that price (and I got 10% off).

hehe I bought one too 

I was looking at at the Dg800 series some months ago and decided against it in the end.

But at that price! Figured i could simply sell it later if I'm not satisfied.

[Kosmic]

FYI Arrow is having a sale on some Rigol products. The DG831 is 161$ (more than half price). Only 2 units left!

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/dg831/rigol-technologies-inc

the MSO2102A is also really cheap compared to the regular price (318$ vs 969$)

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/mso2102a/rigol-technologies-inc

Ugh! Now I have a DG831 on the way. I guess I'll be "upgrading" it in the new year. Thanks, Kosmix. Couldn't resist at that price (and I got 10% off).

Yeah, on paper the MSO2102A looks like a pretty good deal at that price, given the 2GS/S rate. I was looking at the OWON MSO7062TD ($274) and MSO7102TD ($306), but at those prices with 1GS/S rate they didn't seem like that earth-shattering of a deal.  Probably why they're still lingering. 

Oh, and would you lookit those tasty probes the MSO2102A supports...

mnem
(Attachment Link)

yeah those Owon MSO look really old (no decode, no color mode, old style ui). Not sure why arrow ordered like 2 or 3 units of every products offered by owon. The latest XDS E series scopes are a lot better.

The MSO2102A is also really old now and Rigol also stopped updating the firmware.

Those prices are still really low but considering the age of the designs, its probably a better idea to buy something else.

Keeping old hardware designs around is fine, but they should at least continue working on the software 

[Black Phoenix]

Traffic circles (round abouts) are rare here. Proof most native drivers have no clue.

"Hold my beer and watch this" 

https://midhudsonnews.com/2019/12/23/whoops-missed-the-traffic-circle-a-bit-2/

When I had a Land Rover, back before satnavs became available, I always wanted a passenger to tell me to "go straight over at the next roundabout".

Well Almost kinda like this one:



Reduce the sound, since it's very loud.

[bitseeker]

hehe I bought one too 

I was looking at at the Dg800 series some months ago and decided against it in the end.

But at that price! Figured i could simply sell it later if I'm not satisfied.

Spoken in true TEA fashion. It should be fine for general use and, as you said, at that price it's easier to unload if you don't like it.

It still looks silly.

[beanflying]

Hot off the Laser the prototype Cockatoo flappy mobile. Last Gift for Mum. Depending if she wants to break out the Acrylic paints on it works well with the pivot points as set. Also could be a Galah with the right colours

Merry TEAmas from me and some of Mine too 

[Martin.M]

have a nice christmas time 

( I will start it with listening the SAQ, then solding )

Martin

[Martin.M]

waiting SAQ, 17,2kHz     Telefunken E104Kw4, glowing heavy metal

[tggzzz]

Traffic circles (round abouts) are rare here. Proof most native drivers have no clue.

"Hold my beer and watch this" 

https://midhudsonnews.com/2019/12/23/whoops-missed-the-traffic-circle-a-bit-2/

When I had a Land Rover, back before satnavs became available, I always wanted a passenger to tell me to "go straight over at the next roundabout".

Well Almost kinda like this one:



Reduce the sound, since it's very loud.

I'm not sure he crossed the roundabout I would have done it with more, um, elegance, and continued driving the other side.

The other point is that my Land Rover (legally) did not have seatbelts and I doubt the metalwork would have acted as a cage if it had been rolled. Plus (again legally) only half the front windscreen had a wiper, but that's another story.

[BravoV]

My first  newly purchased T&M equipment, Fluke 101, as all previous ones were acquired used. 

Damn, its tiny, in comparison with older brothers 189 and 287.

Opened, wrote down date with marker as my habit on every new acquisition, it came with 2 AA Energizer Alkaline installed  , instantly both went to trash bin, and installed Eneloops, its good to go now. 

[VK5RC]

OK not true TE but definitely boat anchor material, my Yaesu ft 101 has serious gremlins, while trying to measure voltage rails, my hand brushed across the HV line - fortunately depowered and probably around the 100v mark by the feel, (as some bugger has lost the cover to the HV home) - so I thought I would do other stuff until some perforated metal arrived and I could make another cover. I thought I would pull some of the PCBs.
Look at the pre wash picture - who would ever leave an RF board like that! Makes me cringe as to what else is going on.
As an aside, for boards like this, I often scratch the big chunks of flux off with a fine metal tip probe, dry brush then do the full/repeated IPA scrub. Do you guys have any better techniques?