Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

A bit offtopic, but on the other hand outstanding in my opinion. Lots of electronics involved though.   
I was surfing youtube when I came across this cover of 'sweet child in time':


I'm reliefed now. rock isn't dead when youngsters cover classic rock songs like this.
Sends me shivers down my spine like the original. 

Hell, how do I insert youtube links correctly...?

Keep Mnem away from the drummer. She looks like she could break him...

Too late... had my time with that model (right down to that adorable chin and red All-Stars) a good 30 years ago. I broke her heart; she broke my jaw. Ain't love grand...?

mnem

[bd139]

Here is the latest from the Chelmsford Main Tesco store today, I really wondered if it was worth their while being open TBH, the same goes for Farmfoods  and also Morrisons, although did have a few items on some shelves in Morrisons.

I managed to speak to some staff members in these shops, and they kind of implied that their suppliers themselves are unable to obtain stock, and until they can they will only be getting dribs and drabs in IF they are lucky.  I did remember to get my phone and snap a few photos in Tescos and even the pet food has also all gone so there will be a few starving pets if this continues. In fact I predict that an awful lot of pets will be kicked out to fend for themselves over this.

Is this preview to what it will be like once Jan 2021 gets here, and we cut all trading ties with the EU?

Tesco Chicken shelves


Pet food and paper goods (TP etc)


Frozen vegetables

Exactly the same here. Independent greengrocers are still good around here. Neighbour got me some potatoes earlier randomly out of the blue. 

Only things at risk for me at the moment are coffee and washing up liquid. In about 3-4 days I’ll start adding to the end of the food queue though.

[Specmaster]

A bit offtopic, but on the other hand outstanding in my opinion. Lots of electronics involved though.   
I was surfing youtube when I came across this cover of 'sweet child in time':


I'm reliefed now. rock isn't dead when youngsters cover classic rock songs like this.
Sends me shivers down my spine like the original. 

Hell, how do I insert youtube links correctly...?

Keep Mnem away from the drummer. She looks like she could break him...

Too late... had my time with that model (right down to that adorable chin and red All-Stars) a good 30 years ago. I broke her heart; she broke my jaw. Ain't love grand...?

mnem

Yeah if you search around on YT you'll come across Sina's channel. She has been covering various rock tracks for years, I think she started at around 13years old but I could be wrong.

Edit There you go, fixed it for you. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGn3-2LtsXHgtBIdl2Loozw

[Cerebus]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

[bitseeker]

A bit offtopic, but on the other hand outstanding in my opinion. Lots of electronics involved though.   
I was surfing youtube when I came across this cover of 'sweet child in time':


I'm relieved now. rock isn't dead when youngsters cover classic rock songs like this.
Sends me shivers down my spine like the original. 

Wow! Just, wow!

[Specmaster]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

Careful, you nearly had me feeling sorry for you then 

[bitseeker]

Yes, definitely a favorite. That and the creative sign variations during the title sequence of every episode of Fawlty Towers.

[Specmaster]

UK lockdown is getting closer, as tonight, all restaurants, clubs, gyms, theatres and pubs etc are to close until further notice. All of the other big events, Airshows, sports etc and cancelled, it just leaves non-essential shops and businesses to go now. 

[xrunner]

Wow! Just, wow!

Check out grandma!

[bd139]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

Hahaha. Just had the intellectual opposite of that meal, a fry up.

Well half of one. Diets suck and no exercise opportunities coming up.  Good job I deferred buying that bike for a bit and spent the cash on test gear 

[Specmaster]

And I'm eating my usual Friday dinner of Chicken Curry 

[Cerebus]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

Careful, you nearly had me feeling sorry for you then 

It was, genuinely, the last two slices of last week's pretty stale bread. Decided on a cheese and ham toastie (or if you're fancy Croque-monsieur) on a "waste not, want not" basis.

[Specmaster]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

Careful, you nearly had me feeling sorry for you then 

It was, genuinely, the last two slices of last week's pretty stale bread. Decided on a cheese and ham toastie (or if you're fancy Croque-monsieur) on a "waste not, want not" basis.

Oh, I'm sorry, thought you was actually joking for a minute. Actually I often make toast from the end of the crusty loaf when it gets too hard to make sandwiches with, or use it as croutons in a lovely bowl of tomato soup with a sprinkling of grated cheese. 

[Cerebus]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

Careful, you nearly had me feeling sorry for you then 

It was, genuinely, the last two slices of last week's pretty stale bread. Decided on a cheese and ham toastie (or if you're fancy Croque-monsieur) on a "waste not, want not" basis.

Oh, I'm sorry, thought you was actually joking for a minute. Actually I often make toast from the end of the crusty loaf when it gets too hard to make sandwiches with, or use it as croutons in a lovely bowl of tomato soup with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Oh, I was, just not about the bread. The rest was primo stuff and went down very well, thank you very much.

[Specmaster]

It's so bad here that I've been reduced to eating last week's malted bread for my supper. To make it tolerable I made it into a toasted sandwich, with cheese so old that the supermarket was forced to label it as 'vintage', and ham so old, thin, and dried out that you can almost see through it. It's hellish I tell you, hellish. 

Careful, you nearly had me feeling sorry for you then 

It was, genuinely, the last two slices of last week's pretty stale bread. Decided on a cheese and ham toastie (or if you're fancy Croque-monsieur) on a "waste not, want not" basis.

Oh, I'm sorry, thought you was actually joking for a minute. Actually I often make toast from the end of the crusty loaf when it gets too hard to make sandwiches with, or use it as croutons in a lovely bowl of tomato soup with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Oh, I was, just not about the bread. The rest was primo stuff and went down very well, thank you very much.

[SoundTech-LG]

That's what my recently acquired 575 display looks like. It did have a slight rotation (mostly cured). Most of the problem seems to be the CRT clamp plastic is shattered from age.

[tggzzz]

Here is the latest from the Chelmsford Main Tesco store today, I really wondered if it was worth their while being open TBH, the same goes for Farmfoods  and also Morrisons, although did have a few items on some shelves in Morrisons.

I managed to speak to some staff members in these shops, and they kind of implied that their suppliers themselves are unable to obtain stock, and until they can they will only be getting dribs and drabs in IF they are lucky.  I did remember to get my phone and snap a few photos in Tescos and even the pet food has also all gone so there will be a few starving pets if this continues. In fact I predict that an awful lot of pets will be kicked out to fend for themselves over this.

Is this preview to what it will be like once Jan 2021 gets here, and we cut all trading ties with the EU?

Tesco Chicken shelves


Pet food and paper goods (TP etc)


Frozen vegetables

Went out to my local Polish corner shops/mini supermarkets in a poorer part of Brizzle, expecting to have to visit several to stock up.

The first one I went to had full shelves and floors, so I came away with lots of long life sauerkraut, meat stew, celeriac, bean stew, plus some addictive short life unpronounceable pickled herring with onions and mushrooms - which I'll freeze in handy size portions. Aborted going to the others.

Went to Aldi hoping to find some dishwasher tablets. Found them plus 24 rolls of toilet paper which will stop my mothers fears for as long as she remembers that she's got them

OTOH yesterday there were lots of empty shelves in Sainsburys. I'm glad that typical British punters are afraid to try anything they weren't fed as kids

Tomorrow's job is to prepare for lockdowns, by getting tools to enable me to wrap my house in plastic

[bd139]

Yes. Go look down the fish aisle. Literally all the pork, beef, chicken, lamb will be gone but there will be plenty of fish left. People just don't know what to do with it.

If you go in a Polish shop look for "Legendary Smack" (correctly written Legendarny Smak). I could eat their pretzel sticks all day. Also I find Polish Sauerkraut slightly less potent than the German stuff which is disappointing if I'm honest.

[tggzzz]

Yes. Go look down the fish aisle. Literally all the pork, beef, chicken, lamb will be gone but there will be plenty of fish left. People just don't know what to do with it.

If you go in a Polish shop look for "Legendary Smack" (correctly written Legendarny Smak). I could eat their pretzel sticks all day. Also I find Polish Sauerkraut slightly less potent than the German stuff which is disappointing if I'm honest.

I've always liked strange ugly (therefore cheap) fish. John dory, gurnard, spoots, even mussels. Shame they increase the chance of prostate cancer by 15% !

I came away with only three packs of pretzels, the long straight variety that doesn't occupy too much space.

[med6753]

What I think is going to be most interesting about the New York State lockdown is that I think the liquior stores will have to close. In New York grocery stores can only sell beer. No wine or hard booze. Hard booze and wine in privately owned liquior stores that are very tightly controlled and monitored by the State Liquor Authority. So it appears if they remain closed for any length of time we will have raging alcoholics roaming the streets suffering from withdrawals. I doubt beer will satisfy their needs. 

We'll see. 

[factory]

It's only taken me six months but I've finally completed the Tek 2465B, got the PSU finished yesterday while waiting for my van to have it's annual service & road test, the verification of correct capacitor fitment was done with the brute force method, no bangs or smoke after power up.   

That just left the cal data retention battery to change, I used another lithium battery I had from something I scrapped a long time ago, it had some wires attached and was MacGyver'ed in with smurf electrician tape.
All seems good after reassembly, which gave my an opportunity to test a newly acquired HP 226A time mark generator. 

David

[med6753]

I have to change out the same battery type in a 2430 and will use similar backup method as you did to keep the NVRAM alive.

[Cerebus]

The first one I went to had full shelves and floors, so I came away with lots of long life sauerkraut, meat stew, celeriac, bean stew, plus some addictive short life unpronounceable pickled herring with onions and mushrooms - which I'll freeze in handy size portions. Aborted going to the others.

Oh, celeriac, yum. That's another thing that was staying on the shelves that's now vanished too and will be causing a lot of "what the fuck do I do with this" moments in households around the country in a week or two.

Standby recipe for when we can't figure out what we what to eat. Cut root vegetables including potatoes, carrots, celeriac, parsnips and anything else that fits the loose appellation "root veg" into 1/2 inch cubes - butternut squash is a nice addition. Parboil just the spuds for five perhaps ten minutes, mix them all together, add a couple of twists of black pepper and coarse sea salt, toss in a generous glug of olive oil. Chuck into a preheated medium-hot oven and roast for ~ 30 mins, chuck in a sweet pepper (or two) cut into 1 inch squares and an onion quartered and loosely separated into petals. Roast another 15-20 mins until the onions are sweet, the peppers cooked, and the root veg browned. Goes with almost anything, or is quite delicious on its own.

[factory]

I have to change out the same battery type in a 2430 and will use similar backup method as you did to keep the NVRAM alive.

It worked pretty well considering I was working from the 2465 manual (dead tree edition), which doesn't use battery on the A5 board.
We used the extra battery method at work a few years ago too (but not for anything TEA related).

David

[med6753]

I have to change out the same battery type in a 2430 and will use similar backup method as you did to keep the NVRAM alive.

It worked pretty well considering I was working from the 2465 manual (dead tree edition), which doesn't use battery on the A5 board.
We used the extra battery method at work a few years ago too (but not for anything TEA related).

David

Yep, I have 2 - 2465's here and as you stated they don't use a battery.