Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[nixiefreqq]

I suggest to bring Mrs. Nixiefreqq a nice and cool RPN calculator as a gift

would not touch an rpn calculator even if wearing gloves and a mask. 

and painting it blue would not disguise it.

Not even like this?

(Attachment Link)

not really sure what is going on there.......but......NO!

[nixiefreqq]

I suggest to bring Mrs. Nixiefreqq a nice and cool RPN calculator as a gift

would not touch an rpn calculator even if wearing gloves and a mask. 

and painting it blue would not disguise it.

What if it had Nixie tubes 

that would be a true dilemma.  but fortunately such an animal is not likely to appear at any local hamfest.

[xrunner]

not really sure what is going on there.......but......NO!

The forum is messing up my attachments!!! 

[nixiefreqq]

not really sure what is going on there.......but......NO!

The forum is messing up my attachments!!! 

ok. got the picture.  hmmmmmmm.   

hmmmmmmmm.

scratching my head.

still thinking...................



NO!

[McBryce]

So my "Fixer-upper through sheer boredom" just turned up. It's a Racal Dana 9904 that I picked up for €26. A bit dirty, but it's all there and doesn't look like anyone has tried to fix it so far. It powers up, but doesn't count. Lots of retro goodness inside and no custom IC's. There's a nice ovenised 5MHz source inside that I can use even if the device isn't fixable.

McBryce.

[TorinoFermic]

God, I have been outbid on the eBay auction: #293644305020
Shall I bid more or look for more safer choice like Keithley DMM6500 or any 6.5 with good screen ?

[Wolfgang]

If they are flying in uncontrolled Class G airspace, then ATControl don't need to be aware of them and actually don't want to have to be aware of them. Awareness -> control -> responsibility -> too much workload.

You might be on to something here. But in this case I have to wonder why that hyperactive product manager / sales honcho had me work several months on it, as that guy has an ATC background.

There can be many speculations, from the positive to the negatice, with cluelessness in the middle

A lot of glider and ultralight people would rather die young than implement safety devices that cost weight, money or complexity.
The lack of all these goodies has a clear consequence on the accident rate (guess why they are compulsory on larger aircraft),
so its a deliberate decision to live with a considerable risk or leave it. I'm fine with that - as long you just kill yourself, and not some
other people. The sheer number of sad  glider and ultralight crash casualties per year should be enough to start you thinking, however.

Are they really much different than e.g. motorcyclists?  (FX: thinks fondly back to the days of cracking 4 throttles wide open on a 1200cc bike and making the horizon turn into a point, and everything else a blur...   sigh.  To be young again...)

... yeah, those were the days of Golden Earring: ... another radar lover gone, and the good die young.
Why are we still alive ? Was our mere lifestyle too boring sheepish and ordinary - We need to re-evaluate ourselves. 

[tonyalbus]

Speaking of roadtrips. I picked up my first ever auction score myself. In Malmo. 2000km in total. Was stopped by customs around midnight. My car was stripped. I was too.

Not gonna do that again any time soon.

Malmo sounds nice to visit once..... i think i pass for the stipdown...though
was the shipping that much that picking it up yourself 2000K was better? or you did a fun trip too?

[BU508A]

God, I have been outbid on the eBay auction: #293644305020
Shall I bid more or look for more safer choice like Keithley DMM6500 or any 6.5 with good screen ?

This one?

[Ice-Tea]

Speaking of roadtrips. I picked up my first ever auction score myself. In Malmo. 2000km in total. Was stopped by customs around midnight. My car was stripped. I was too.

Not gonna do that again any time soon.

Malmo sounds nice to visit once..... i think i pass for the stipdown...though
was the shipping that much that picking it up yourself 2000K was better? or you did a fun trip too?

Shipping stuff *is* stupid expensive, but I'v gotten better at it. Still, it will often double the price of gear I buy. If you don't count time, it was still cheaper than having it shipped.

[Specmaster]

I suggest to bring Mrs. Nixiefreqq a nice and cool RPN calculator as a gift

would not touch an rpn calculator even if wearing gloves and a mask. 

and painting it blue would not disguise it.

Quite right, I've just snapped up another to my collection, Casio FX991d, with an = button too  , its the only calculator I know that does true electronic symbols, in stead of showing 10 to the -6, it shows the u (micro symbol etc), whats not to like?

[Specmaster]

My new ultrasonic cleaner arrived today..... a 1L model with a smaller tank then the cheap plastic one I already have 

Already requested (via eBay) that the seller replaces it with the correct one as advertised and the one I ordered, at their cost. Now awaiting on their response  .

[TorinoFermic]

This one

Yes, mine with many stars. Shall I keep bidding or snipe it ?

[TorinoFermic]

Holy fuck, this FORUM SOFTWARE IS A TRASHFIRE

[capt bullshot]

Some fine TEA from Belgium arrived:



Got some other things to do for now, will look at it later.

Found this poor little Lock-In Amplifier on the scrapyard:



Appears to be working at a first glance, will check later too.

[Specmaster]

This one

Yes, mine with many stars. Shall I keep bidding or snipe it ?

Never bid on something early, unless it has offers on it and you have used up all 3 of your offers and been rejected, then bid the starting amount to prevent anyone else from bidding offering a bit higher than yours and winning it. Once bid, decide what your top price is going to be and then snip it, otherwise if someone else is also after it, you risk them bidding against you and before you know it, your away in the frenzy and bidding the price up all the time. By snipping it, even if there are others after, there is always the possibility that come the auction end, they either forget to bid again, or are prevented for one reason or other from doing so, and if your maximum price has not yet been reached, you stand a good chance of winning it, without showing your hand.

[mnementh]

Newly supplied Li-ion cell @2.4V, recoverable?

I did, while ago while salvaging laptop cells, its Panasonic 2500mAh cell, using CC & CV PS, set to CC at 50mA and CV at 4.1V, once it reached 4,1V, then did re-cycle charge & discharge at my LiIon charger set at 0.5C. Managed to recover it back, though at about 75% capacity, but I guess it depends on how long its been soaked at that low voltage.

Worth a try though.

2.4V is def not terminal for most high-discharge cells, like those used in power tools, as long as it doesn't spend long at that voltage. However for flat-discharge cells, like those used for laptops etc, probably going to reduce capacity and/or life-cycle depending on load. Essentially, the IR increases and the capacity/discharge current curve alters. If you're operating within the confines of the "new curve" (like with a low current-draw LED flashlight), you may not notice any appreciable change in capacity.

mnem
*juicy*

[BU508A]

This one

Yes, mine with many stars. Shall I keep bidding or snipe it ?

+1 for Specmaster's advice

[mnementh]

so what do you think guys?   should med be allowed a clean get away with just his precious 561b?   am thinking that he needs at least one hp5245.  (swmbo would be happy to see one going OUT the door for a change).

Oh, NO SIR! You shall not allow him to escape with LESS THAN two 5245s, such that he has adequate stock of parts, and at least 3 "accessory items"  of SWMBO's preference. (Read: "What would she MOST like to see gone...?") 

mnem
*agitating-ily*

[mnementh]

If they are flying in uncontrolled Class G airspace, then ATControl don't need to be aware of them and actually don't want to have to be aware of them. Awareness -> control -> responsibility -> too much workload.

You might be on to something here. But in this case I have to wonder why that hyperactive product manager / sales honcho had me work several months on it, as that guy has an ATC background.

There can be many speculations, from the positive to the negatice, with cluelessness in the middle

A lot of glider and ultralight people would rather die young than implement safety devices that cost weight, money or complexity.
The lack of all these goodies has a clear consequence on the accident rate (guess why they are compulsory on larger aircraft),
so its a deliberate decision to live with a considerable risk or leave it. I'm fine with that - as long you just kill yourself, and not some
other people. The sheer number of sad  glider and ultralight crash casualties per year should be enough to start you thinking, however.

Are they really much different than e.g. motorcyclists?  (FX: thinks fondly back to the days of cracking 4 throttles wide open on a 1200cc bike and making the horizon turn into a point, and everything else a blur...   sigh.  To be young again...)

... yeah, those were the days of Golden Earring: ... another radar lover gone, and the good die young.
Why are we still alive ? Was our mere lifestyle too boring sheepish and ordinary - We need to re-evaluate ourselves. 

Speak for yourself... I've been shot, stabbed, burned up, blowed up, and in a truck that flipped over sixteen times. I've fought, fucked and farted on 3 different continents... I never expected to see 30, much less fifty-somethin'. 

The bitch part now is I have to pay out all those checks I wrote on my poor abused body as a youth... 

mnem
"A misspent youth is better by far... than a wise and productive old age..."

[TorinoFermic]

Quote from: TorinoFermic on Today at 10:18:33>Quote from: BU508A on Today at 10:17:06

This one

Yes, mine with many stars. Shall I keep bidding or snipe it ?

Never bid on something early, unless it has offers on it and you have used up all 3 of your offers and been rejected, then bid the starting amount to prevent anyone else from bidding a bit higher than yours and winning it. Once bid, decide what your top price is going to be and then snip it, otherwise if someone else is also after it, you risk them bidding against you and before you know it, your away in the frenzy and bidding the price up all the time. By snipping it, even if there are others after, there is always the possibility that come the auction end, they either forget to bid again, or are prevented for one reason or other from doing so, and if your maximum price has not yet been reached, you stand a good chance of winning it, without showing your hand.

Excellent advice, I am thinking of stopping bidding it since I clearly remember the quote from Illya Tsemenko with this

Overall repair experience with Fluke 8845/8846A series is very bad, as they are filled with BGA parts, complex firmware and nearly zero of useful troubleshooting information, leave alone schematics or ability to easy backup/restore instrument’s firmware. Together with high cost, this makes it bad competitor to more serviceable Keysight 344xx series DMMs or Keithley 20**/DMM6500 series.

Last thing, holy shit the modify feature is so BROKEN. It don't even edit the original content, it just does on the rendered post. And sometimes eats my lines after inserting broken quotes from modify button.

[mnementh]

Holy fuck, this FORUM SOFTWARE IS A TRASHFIRE

Yes, I feel sorry for gnif; trying to administrate SMF (I think that stands for Stupid MuthaFucka) backend on a volunteer basis... 

mnem

[Ice-Tea]

Some fine TEA from Belgium arrived:

(Attachment Link)

 

[tggzzz]

If they are flying in uncontrolled Class G airspace, then ATControl don't need to be aware of them and actually don't want to have to be aware of them. Awareness -> control -> responsibility -> too much workload.

You might be on to something here. But in this case I have to wonder why that hyperactive product manager / sales honcho had me work several months on it, as that guy has an ATC background.

There can be many speculations, from the positive to the negatice, with cluelessness in the middle

A lot of glider and ultralight people would rather die young than implement safety devices that cost weight, money or complexity.

My comments apply only to gliding. I've no idea about ultralight nor hang gliders nor parascenders since I don't want to use my legs as undercarriage

The young tend to take more risks in any walk of life.

I haven't heard anybody object to the cost, weight, or complexity of safety measures. I've heard many debates about whether specific measures can be implemented, and whether they would increase/decrease overall safety. Such debates are essential. In my experience practical measures with a clear benefit are quickly implemented.

The lack of all these goodies has a clear consequence on the accident rate (guess why they are compulsory on larger aircraft),

That's too simplistic. Gliders can and should do things that large commercial aircraft simply cannot.

so its a deliberate decision to live with a considerable risk or leave it. I'm fine with that - as long you just kill yourself, and not some
other people.

"considerable risk" is a personal value judgement; it is valid that I take a different attitude to you. I do not value a long life above all else, because that would be similar to a long "existence". Having seen and dealt with elderly relatives, I want to "go out with my boots" on doing something I love.

What I choose to do with my body is my business. What I might do with other people's bodies is everybody's business.

The sheer number of sad  glider and ultralight crash casualties per year should be enough to start you thinking, however.

Maybe it is different in Germany. But over here there have been years with zero gliding fatalities;

It is also notable that there is a surprisingly high fatality rate amongst the top glider pilots. They choose to push the envelope, and they only have to get it badly wrong once. Shrug.

Gliding is one of the safer sports; I was much happier that my daughter was flying gliders than I would have been if she had been riding horses, or experimenting with motor bikes etc.

[mansaxel]

Speaking of roadtrips. I picked up my first ever auction score myself. In Malmo. 2000km in total. Was stopped by customs around midnight. My car was stripped. I was too.

Not gonna do that again any time soon.

From southern Sweden to Belgium there are a lot of borders, SE/DK, DK/DE, DE/BE, minimum. Which border got you searched? My money would be on SE/DK, on the Swedish side, by the bridge, but that's just because the extreme right in Sweden has skewed the entire free movement in consort with the rest of Europe not implementing asylum rights or even doing their share of taking care of people.

They must have been looking for drugs. TEA is legal in Sweden. You do not have .NL plates, do you?