Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Pah I’d have taken the 50%. Standard “cost of business” when you are share cropping. Feasibly the item could have been poorly packaged and partially damaged in transit then destroyed from normal use. Can’t prove anything either way. 

Don’t forget I sold that 5334b and lost about £30 in the end because the fucknugget couldn’t work out how to use it. Annoying but meh.

Also the sellers in video are top rated sellers so they should factor this into operating costs.

I have to say though, to eBays credit, when I've had an issue with a seller, they have refunded me if I had to do a refund, apart from the time when I cocked up and sent the wrong item to a buyer, and for which I put my hands up to admit it was my fault.

[Specmaster]

My son has just come from his shift in a large national chain store and says that there are rumours that shops could be closed as of Friday night apart from food shops and also that the army is due to be called in to enforce a lockdown. This has come from the store managers who have been briefed from H/Q who I assume have been having high level discussions with Westminster.

Tonight the Government has announced that most schools will close their doors as of Friday afternoon, but they have to put in place some scheme for the children of key workers (government yet to define who these are) to allow these key workers, and they indicate that these could also include people working in food shops, food producers and lorry drivers involved in the distribution of food along with the usual suspects.

Just keep an ear and an eye open for news broadcasts for more information.

[Mr. Scram]

My son has just come from his shift in a large national chain store and says that there are rumours that shops could be closed as of Friday night apart from food shops and also that the army is due to be called in to enforce a lockdown. This has come from the store managers who have been briefed from H/Q who I assume have been having high level discussions with Westminster.

Tonight the Government has announced that most schools will close their doors as of Friday afternoon, but they have to put in place some scheme for the children of key workers (government yet to define who these are) to allow these key workers, and they indicate that these could also include people working in food shops, food producers and lorry drivers involved in the distribution of food along with the usual suspects.

Just keep an ear and an eye open for news broadcasts for more information.

It's probably best to be a bit careful with rumours or unconfirmed reports. People are tense as it is and unconfirmed information could just fan the flames in unproductive manners. It's important to stay calm and only relay both useful and confirmed reports.

[Specmaster]

My son has just come from his shift in a large national chain store and says that there are rumours that shops could be closed as of Friday night apart from food shops and also that the army is due to be called in to enforce a lockdown. This has come from the store managers who have been briefed from H/Q who I assume have been having high level discussions with Westminster.

Tonight the Government has announced that most schools will close their doors as of Friday afternoon, but they have to put in place some scheme for the children of key workers (government yet to define who these are) to allow these key workers, and they indicate that these could also include people working in food shops, food producers and lorry drivers involved in the distribution of food along with the usual suspects.

Just keep an ear and an eye open for news broadcasts for more information.

It's probably best to be a bit careful with rumours or unconfirmed reports. People are tense as it is and unconfirmed information could just fan the flames in unproductive manners. It's important to stay calm and only relay both useful and confirmed reports.

Agree 100%, hence the last sentence "Just keep an ear and an eye open for news broadcasts for more information." to confirm this either way. The fact that it was coming from the store manager who told him this info tonight as he left the store, I suggest adds some weight to it.

[mnementh]

Guess I should be glad I got my order in when I did, with the freeze on "non-essential" goods just announced. Maybe I should order another couple spools of filament before they sell out... 

mnem

Just reviewed the Amazon blog post on COVID-related changes: it is not a freeze but medical, household, and other essentials will be prioritized for delivery and amazon is asking people to choose no-rush shipping, which will ease the logistics nightmare. They've posted 100,000 full and part time jobs, raised pay for their hourly workers by 2USD, and guaranteed sick pay for employees who are quarantined or diagnosed with COVID. They are also apparently providing cloud infrastructure and technical support for a number of COVID-related activities.

That's actually a pretty good start though they, like every other company in the United States is going to have to do a good deal more before this is over.

And this is one of those times when I am glad we still have state and local governments in the NW US that are willing to take action when the dimwits running the executive branch and the senate are not.

Well, no... the "freeze" is on "nonessential item" NEW stock coming into Amazon warehouses. Existing nonessential items (like my bits o' 3DP) are still shipping OUT as usual.

Folks who utilize Amazon's warehouse/logistics to provide delivery of these "frozen" products will have to find other warehousing and coordinate with Amazon logistics themselves. Before long, I expect Amazon shipping will be restricted similarly, but so far not yet. 

mnem
*back into my cave*

[Mr. Scram]

Agree 100%, hence the last sentence "Just keep an ear and an eye open for news broadcasts for more information." to confirm this either way. The fact that it was coming from the store manager who told him this info tonight as he left the store, I suggest adds some weight to it.

It's still a very unconfirmed third hand rumour and even if you acknowledge it is, mentioning it at all influences people and may fuel unease or even panic. It's probably best to omit those and stick to the less tentative reports and what we actually know. Social media are full of people who heard this or that from someone who knows someone and it's part of the idiocy we're in. Even if it's wholly true the situation may completely change the next few days.

[bd139]

Army is out doing drills and exercises around here which might be spooking people. This is perfectly normal to see around here as is the odd chinook as we've got two big barracks. Either that or they're beating chuds in Hounslow High street. There is probably correlation and coincidence.

As for retailers, I've seen multiple sources today as well. Watch the greasy fuckers work out how to get out of paying for their staff now via "restructuring" and bagging any bunce they can get from the government. Carphone Warehouse just pulled the plug on their entire retail network the other day. 531 stores down the shitter. That's going to be business as usual for the next 9 months or so I reckon.

It's going to be as rough as a badger's arse.

[bd139]

Well, no... the "freeze" is on "nonessential item" NEW stock coming into Amazon warehouses. Existing nonessential items (like my bits o' 3DP) are still shipping OUT as usual.

Folks who utilize Amazon's warehouse/logistics to provide delivery of these "frozen" products will have to find other warehousing and coordinate with Amazon logistics themselves. Before long, I expect Amazon shipping will be restricted similarly, but so far not yet. 

mnem
*back into my cave*

So what you're saying is to make room for the essentials we need to buy out all the junk that's not essential but is cool?   

[Specmaster]

Army is out doing drills and exercises around here which might be spooking people. This is perfectly normal to see around here as is the odd chinook as we've got two big barracks. Either that or they're beating chuds in Hounslow High street. There is probably correlation and coincidence.

As for retailers, I've seen multiple sources today as well. Watch the greasy fuckers work out how to get out of paying for their staff now via "restructuring" and bagging any bunce they can get from the government. Carphone Warehouse just pulled the plug on their entire retail network the other day. 531 stores down the shitter. That's going to be business as usual for the next 9 months or so I reckon.

It's going to be as rough as a badger's arse.

I can concur with this as well, I have been watching all kinds of channels today and there have been a number of reports from confirmed pro government media sources indicating that schools were going to be shut down this week and that has already been confirmed by the PM himself on national media broadcasts today. The info that my son told me could very well be the next step but yet to be officially announced, but to add some form of credibility to it, the store he works for, is one of the largest of its kind in the country, with over 500 stores, most of which are large on retail parks and employs over 20,000 people. These are the kind of businesses that the Government consultant with on a regular basis, so just be aware.

[bitseeker]

Sounds as if we could start another discord on that topic alone. I have tubs full of various power bricks myself, I especially like linear ones with switchable outputs and also polarity changing outputs and tips. 

Perfect. You can start us off this TEA Time.

[Specmaster]

Meanwhile, in other news, I have my eye on yet another addition to my bench that I'm very hopeful of snagging but more on this later in case it goes badly for me. I have already snagged what is supposed to be a working signal tracer, built from a design printed in Past Times Radio a few years ago but was never built into a case. Waiting this to be delivered, hopefully Friday, then I shall commence looking at housing it.

Many will know that my window winder on the packed up last week, dealer has ordered a new one, he now has it will be fitted on Monday, he was looking at being done after 2nd of April but has squeezed it for Monday 

Amazon originally stated 14th April for delivery of the yeast I ordered, now it is supposed be with me on Tuesday 24th March, result 

Edit:
I should be able to reveal what it is that I'm stalking in the discord session Saturday as I will now the outcome by then 

[Mr. Scram]

I can concur with this as well, I have been watching all kinds of channels today and there have been a number of reports from confirmed pro government media sources indicating that schools were going to be shut down this week and that has already been confirmed by the PM himself on national media broadcasts today. The info that my son told me could very well be the next step but yet to be officially announced, but to add some form of credibility to it, the store he works for, is one of the largest of its kind in the country, with over 500 stores, most of which are large on retail parks and employs over 20,000 people. These are the kind of businesses that the Government consultant with on a regular basis, so just be aware.

Is this an official report or not?

[Specmaster]

Sounds as if we could start another discord on that topic alone. I have tubs full of various power bricks myself, I especially like linear ones with switchable outputs and also polarity changing outputs and tips. 

Perfect. You can start us off this TEA Time.

Haha, I think mnem is better placed for that, as his collection would seem to dwarf mine by all accounts in true Texan style 

[bd139]

Some quick measurements of Flukes for you all

Fluke 179 AC bandwidth measurement

Flat (1%)   - 2.0KHz (specified to 500Hz)
Flat (3%) - 2.4KHz (specified to 1KHz)
3dB point - 6.8KHz (unspecified)

Fluke 87 AC bandwidth measurement

Flat (1%)   - 91.0KHz (specified to 1KHz)
Flat (3%) - 99KHz (specified to 20KHz)
3dB point - 186KHz (unspecifed)

Frequency counter on the 179 is good to ~ 80KHz

Pretty happy with these dudes 

[bitseeker]

Yeah they started doing that here as well. Pulled kids out today. Two of us with symptoms. Probably just a shit cold but we'll see  . Got ~14 days of food in now so should be good.

Uh, oh! Hope it's just a cold. Get better soon!

[bd139]

Definitely not a cold. Got a minor temp (thanks Fluke 179 for informing me  ) and feel like shit and am coughing a lot. Kids are doing same but not even bothered by it. Meh I'll survive. If I don't, look out on ebay for incorrectly priced test gear 

Edit: mostly worried that whilst delirious I may accidentally purchase another Fluke or something and end up with the "stairs of fluke":

[Specmaster]

I can concur with this as well, I have been watching all kinds of channels today and there have been a number of reports from confirmed pro government media sources indicating that schools were going to be shut down this week and that has already been confirmed by the PM himself on national media broadcasts today. The info that my son told me could very well be the next step but yet to be officially announced, but to add some form of credibility to it, the store he works for, is one of the largest of its kind in the country, with over 500 stores, most of which are large on retail parks and employs over 20,000 people. These are the kind of businesses that the Government consultant with on a regular basis, so just be aware.

Is this an official report or not?

Clearly it is not official, as I said in my earlier posting, if it was then I'd be able to name the source as it would already be in the public domain. This is a grown up forum and not a FaceBook or a Twitter type of social media which have many millions of users in the UK alone, many times more than this forum has members world wise so is hardly likely to cause panic, I suggest. 

[med6753]

Latest news here is that many of the major malls are closing but stores that have entrances from outside the mall area MAY remain open. No word on what may happen with grocery stores but I expect that's the next shoe to drop. If something like that occurs that will definitely create total panic. 

[bitseeker]

Definitely not a cold. Got a minor temp (thanks Fluke 179 for informing me  ) and feel like shit and am coughing a lot. Kids are doing same but not even bothered by it. Meh I'll survive. If I don't, look out on ebay for incorrectly priced test gear 

Edit: mostly worried that whilst delirious I may accidentally purchase another Fluke or something and end up with the "stairs of fluke":

I suppose that was good timing on the 179.

Hopefully, the symptoms won't last so long that your stairs end up like that. Such a collection is meant to grow more gradually.

[Mortymore]

I can present some bandwidth related measurements of a few multimeters, some of them Fluke.

The attached Excel file has some portuguese text, but the charts and graphs will be understood (or so I hope). Sorry for my measurments not being at the high level you may demand here, but I hope they could be of some use anyway.

[bd139]

That’s really useful. Thanks for that. Proves the Fluke 8x is a damn good series of meters for AC measurements 

[Brumby]

We have a "seniors and pensioners" exclusive access at Woolies for the first hour, So I set my alarm for 6am today and got myself in the queue to get in just over half an hour later.  The queue stretched out of the centre and I stood in the cold for 35 minutes before the store opened.

Inside, I worked from a list and was able to get most items on it.  A few were actually the brands I would have chosen, but a couple only had the name brand option available.  Chops, mince, steak, sausages and the like were not to be seen and frozen vegetables were down to 3 packets of some exotic mix that wasn't worth the effort.

As I was heading for the checkout, a security guard and two staff were building a 3D structure with packs of toilet paper, but the instability I could see soon translated into a collapse and packs were strewn across the floor.  With my path blocked, I stood there waiting for the path to be cleared and one of the staff thought I was waiting for toilet paper, so dropped one in my trolley.  I just shrugged and thought "OK".

Traffic through the store was chaotic.  Trolleys everywhere.  The normal moments when people prop in the middle of nowhere as they look around or think, didn't cause this traffic to detour ... it just stopped.  Amazingly, from what I saw, people were reasonably civil about it all.

[Mr. Scram]

Clearly it is not official, as I said in my earlier posting, if it was then I'd be able to name the source as it would already be in the public domain. This is a grown up forum and not a FaceBook or a Twitter type of social media which have many millions of users in the UK alone, many times more than this forum has members world wise so is hardly likely to cause panic, I suggest.

I'm not sure why you're doubling down on your very unconfirmed report after conceding that it's best to only relay both useful and confirmed reports. It's best to show some constraint. I really don't mean to be a dick about it but this kinds of thing is a significant part of why we're in this circus. Whether it's shared with one person or a 1000 doesn't really matter.

Of tangential interest, did you know they had rumour hunters in the war as they often undermined morale?

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/wwii-rumor-clinics

[Brumby]

On a more appropriate TEA subject ... I requested my recent acquisition of a HP 3478A to be shipped without the power cord, as I can't use it, didn't need it and I would be happier knowing there was one less thing to smash into it during transport.

Seller replied this morning saying it has been dispatched and that they removed the power cord.

When checking the tracking number, I see the name: Pitney Bowes.  Should I be worried?


Seems I will find out in 2-4 weeks......

[Specmaster]

@bd139, just where did you stick the thermocouple of the 179 to determine that you had a temperature, oops, everyone has a temperature, lets rephrase that, an abnormal temperature