Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[AVGresponding]

OK, first I DO NOT HAVE TEAS!  I can quit anytime I want to!  I just need to get a few more pieces...

Besides, compared to some people here, I'm almost a virgin.

Scope, meter, RF mV meter, VTVM, frequency counter, 2 sig gens, RF power meter, and spectrum analyzer.

And as I near retirement, I'm thinking about maybe getting into refurbing vintage audio equipment, so I might need more gear.

____________________________________________________

Welcome to Enablement Station. Here are a few things to get you started...



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-8904A-DC-600kHz-Multifunction-Synthesizer-opt-001-002-003-10/324101294632


Hope you're not one of those wobbly pointy weirdos...   

Opabob is in the US. It's unlikely that he's going to buy any boat anchors from the UK.

McBryce.

Well that HP 8904 is in the US, and looks a bargain. I'd take a tilt myself if shipping between there and here wasn't such a pita.

[mnementh]

I'm all outta soggy ol' boots. Can someone from t'other side of the pond handle this one... pleeeeze....?

mnem
 

How did you run out? Making soggy ol' boots is the main industrial output of Canadia isn't it?

It's you. You personally have caused this nationwide shortage; that many groaners, all of them that bad.   

Fortunately, you lot in the UK have similar soggy ol'boot production capacity, if not greater; I'm sure someone local can whump you sufficiently. 

C, what's your take on the soggy ol' boot production capacity of queen and country...?

mnem

                Everything stops for TEA.

[cyclin_al]

Rules of thumb for cheese:

• hard cheese: English
• soft cheese: French, or a decent ripe Gorgonzola or Stilton
• a few other speciality cheeses when bored or seeking adventure
• avoid others, except for sustenance purposes

You can still get less good cheeses in the above, of course. Too many supermarket hard cheeses are rubbery rather than crumbly, and after you've had a decent truckle cheddar you'll only put them in a mousetrap (but peanut butter is more effective there!)

or some fine Dutch cheese

Some what now? 

Gouda, Edam, Beemster, Leerdammer .. if you don't know these, you know nothing about cheese

nr. 6 in the world leader list:
https://www.farandwide.com/s/countries-produce-best-cheese-world-2dd14ff1cf3144c8

The history of cheesemaking in the Netherlands stretches back more than 1,600 years, so it should come as no surprise that the Netherlands is one of the leading cheese exporters in Europe. Because of the country’s geography, Dutch cheeses, including goat cheeses and sheep cheeses, are some of the most pure and natural in all of Europe.

Gouda is one of the most widely produced cheeses in the Netherlands, accounting for around 50 percent of the country’s cheese production. Cheese historians theorize that Gouda dates back to the end of the 12th century, making it one of the oldest cheeses in the world that is still in production.

*POLEAXED by food infodump from utterly unexpected quarter*

I'll admit to being pretty much completely ignorant of cheese; it's probably a good thing, because if I did I'd probably be the size of a Winnebago instead of merely a ordinary 4-door sedan. 

There are so many European bloodlines in my Heinz-57 gene pool that I'm hopeless; I love cheese and pasta, cheese and rice, cheese and bread, cheese and pie (mmmm.... sharp Cheddar shaved onto a HoneyCrisp Apple Pie... droooool...), cheese and potatoes... the sharper the better, and if it's browned almost to burning it's just right.

While I do like and enjoy a number of American-produced cheeses, it's primarily the real European recipes with some caveats:

Most of what is called "American cheese" it to real cheese as margarine is to butter. In fact, most of it is made of the same exact kind of shite whipped vegetable oil.

If it's not aged at least a year it is inedible, even the so-called Italian blend cheeses. The crumbly shit that's mostly powder is not cheese either. FFS, get some real grated or flaked hard Parmesan and Romano on/in your pasta and salads!!!

There are a few domestically-produced so-called "Swiss" cheeses I can tolerate; the sharper and nuttier the better, and I best like a Cheddar that's sharp enough to cut you back, but not so dry it crumbles.

And don't even get me started on shredded American "Pizza cheeses" and "Mexican blends"... they are a fucking abomination in their own right... 

So I'm not a complete heathen... but pretty close.   

Maybe there's hope for me, but I doubt it.  I really just cannot abide most "non-cow" cheeses or "ripe" cheeses; with few exceptions, they make me *blerk!* involuntarily.

mnem
moo.

Since you are now in the Great White North, and not in America, you now have opportunity to do better.
Here, try this:
https://baldersoncheese.ca/balderson-cheddars/premium-aged

I suggest you try the 2 or maybe 1 year aged, based on what you wrote above.
my preference is in the 2 to 5 year aged range.
The 10 year is not listed, but is a specialty that appears from time to time, which is quite crumbly.

  -- Al  Honestly, I am not a truck salesman

[cyclin_al]

Tonyyyyy

Zucca, such a tease !!!  I was drooling all over that.  Unfortunately, that is still way to expensive for my budget of Canadian pesos, even without adding in the shipping.   

[cyclin_al]

Well... they can 'ardly 'elp it; you know they're all on the same cycle... 

I want to see if anyone can reach 1 CPS (endorsement granted  ) on this thing? 

[cyclin_al]

OK, first I DO NOT HAVE TEAS!  I can quit anytime I want to!  I just need to get a few more pieces...

Besides, compared to some people here, I'm almost a virgin.

Scope, meter, RF mV meter, VTVM, frequency counter, 2 sig gens, RF power meter, and spectrum analyzer.

And as I near retirement, I'm thinking about maybe getting into refurbing vintage audio equipment, so I might need more gear.

____________________________________________________

Welcome to Enablement Station. Here are a few things to get you started...



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-8904A-DC-600kHz-Multifunction-Synthesizer-opt-001-002-003-10/324101294632


Hope you're not one of those wobbly pointy weirdos...   

Opabob is in the US. It's unlikely that he's going to buy any boat anchors from the UK.

McBryce.

Well that HP 8904 is in the US, and looks a bargain. I'd take a tilt myself if shipping between there and here wasn't such a pita.

Ummmm, since when is Israel in the US?   The shipping to here is more than the price of the unit itself.

[med6753]

Well... they can 'ardly 'elp it; you know they're all on the same cycle... 

I want to see if anyone can reach 1 CPS (endorsement granted  ) on this thing? 

Isn't that the same type of bugle that was used in the fox hunt? Certainly looks like it. Now since the fox hunt has been outlawed why do you suppose he's riding a bike in the streets of London with a bugle? Is it the secret code for trolling for a different kind of fox like perhaps a hooker?   

[Ice-Tea]

OK, first I DO NOT HAVE TEAS!  I can quit anytime I want to!  I just need to get a few more pieces...

Besides, compared to some people here, I'm almost a virgin.

Scope, meter, RF mV meter, VTVM, frequency counter, 2 sig gens, RF power meter, and spectrum analyzer.

And as I near retirement, I'm thinking about maybe getting into refurbing vintage audio equipment, so I might need more gear.

____________________________________________________

Welcome to Enablement Station. Here are a few things to get you started...



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-8904A-DC-600kHz-Multifunction-Synthesizer-opt-001-002-003-10/324101294632


Hope you're not one of those wobbly pointy weirdos...   

Opabob is in the US. It's unlikely that he's going to buy any boat anchors from the UK.

McBryce.

Well that HP 8904 is in the US, and looks a bargain. I'd take a tilt myself if shipping between there and here wasn't such a pita.

Ummmm, since when is Israel in the US?

*Prepares political rant*

*Thinks the better of it*

[tggzzz]

Rules of thumb for cheese:

• hard cheese: English
• soft cheese: French, or a decent ripe Gorgonzola or Stilton
• a few other speciality cheeses when bored or seeking adventure
• avoid others, except for sustenance purposes

You can still get less good cheeses in the above, of course. Too many supermarket hard cheeses are rubbery rather than crumbly, and after you've had a decent truckle cheddar you'll only put them in a mousetrap (but peanut butter is more effective there!)

I eat a lot of Emmental and Gruyere cheese. Also Harzer is nice.

Only thing that's decent that comes from here is a good Stilton. Rest of it is crap.

I haven't heard of Harzer, but Emmental and Gruyere are meh at best.

Provided "here" means in blue ice territory near Heathrow, you might be right; I wouldn't know.

If by "here" you mean the UK then I envy you - because there are some culinary pleasures[1] you have yet to experience. I suggest you take a trip to Covent Garden, and try some of the cheeses here: https://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/ Supermarket mousetrap it ain't.

[1] then try Loch Fyne kippers (deliveries available), or fresh spoots sauted for 60-90s, no longer. You can get them from Morrisons

[bd139]

Rules of thumb for cheese:

• hard cheese: English
• soft cheese: French, or a decent ripe Gorgonzola or Stilton
• a few other speciality cheeses when bored or seeking adventure
• avoid others, except for sustenance purposes

You can still get less good cheeses in the above, of course. Too many supermarket hard cheeses are rubbery rather than crumbly, and after you've had a decent truckle cheddar you'll only put them in a mousetrap (but peanut butter is more effective there!)

I eat a lot of Emmental and Gruyere cheese. Also Harzer is nice.

Only thing that's decent that comes from here is a good Stilton. Rest of it is crap.

I haven't heard of Harzer, but Emmental and Gruyere are meh at best.

Provided "here" means in blue ice territory near Heathrow, you might be right; I wouldn't know.

If by "here" you mean the UK then I envy you - because there are some culinary pleasures[1] you have yet to experience. I suggest you take a trip to Covent Garden, and try some of the cheeses here: https://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/ Supermarket mousetrap it ain't.

[1] then try Loch Fyne kippers (deliveries available), or fresh spoots sauted for 60-90s, no longer. You can get them from Morrisons

As always depends where you get it. Got my German fix from http://www.hanselandpretzel.co.uk/ (shop near me) or mailed direct from Switzerland by the family. Not Waitrose 

I’ve had “proper” cheeses from here but they aren’t anything better than the supermarket’s higher end lines I have found. That includes some expensive stuff I was given from Somerset. Even the crap Stilton is pretty good though.

Fish, hell no. Unless it’s in batter or breadcrumbs. I’m a cave dwelling charlatan on the fish front.

Edit: added some nice German goods to erase the thought of fish.

[tggzzz]

Rules of thumb for cheese:

• hard cheese: English
• soft cheese: French, or a decent ripe Gorgonzola or Stilton
• a few other speciality cheeses when bored or seeking adventure
• avoid others, except for sustenance purposes

You can still get less good cheeses in the above, of course. Too many supermarket hard cheeses are rubbery rather than crumbly, and after you've had a decent truckle cheddar you'll only put them in a mousetrap (but peanut butter is more effective there!)

For Italian sauce texture, Carbonara for example, Pecorino Romano. For Italian flavour, parmesan. For blue, Roquefort.

But once you put cheese in something, it isn't cheese any longer - it is cheese sauce.

For everything else, vintage or mature cheddar. Unless, of course, you are doing a cheese board in which case put a bit of everything on there with some nice crackers.

For a special treat, but good luck finding it, Lancashire Tasty (yes, that is what it is called). It is not made like other cheeses and has an amazing depth of flavour.

A nice ripe Gorgonzola eaten with a fork is nice, where "ripe" = "dribbles between the fork tines".

A nice semi-crumbly Double Gloucester is hard to beat.

I'll keep an eye out for "Lancashire Tasty".

[mansaxel]

We interrupt this cheese bragging war (all y'all will lose to the Västerbotten, anyway) for some actual TE news:

The 410B has arrived, in good condition, reasonably well packed (rolled in bubble wrap, in large box with OK amount of chips around.) It has an OK triaxial (three-axle?  ) cable, but all other cables need swapping. Mains cord was positively "Krusty" and has been purged after some documentation work. DC probe cable and ground/Ohms cables are scrap.   DC probe cable will be replaced with some RG58, and ground/Ohms will be exchanged for silicone lab cable.  Mains cable will be a grounded REV / H07RN-F 3g1 (like SJT) which is a dream to work with. Of course the old cable in the Schuko plug had tinned conductors, so they were loose. There will be Aderendhülsen there instead. And probably a new plug too.

[mnementh]

...If it's not aged at least a year it is inedible, even the so-called Italian blend cheeses. The crumbly shit that's mostly powder is not cheese either. FFS, get some real grated or flaked hard Parmesan and Romano on/in your pasta and salads!!!

There are a few domestically-produced so-called "Swiss" cheeses I can tolerate; the sharper and nuttier the better, and I best like a Cheddar that's sharp enough to cut you back, but not so dry it crumbles.

And don't even get me started on shredded American "Pizza cheeses" and "Mexican blends"... they are a fucking abomination in their own right... 

So I'm not a complete heathen... but pretty close.   

Maybe there's hope for me, but I doubt it.  I really just cannot abide most "non-cow" cheeses or "ripe" cheeses; with few exceptions, they make me *blerk!* involuntarily.

mnem
moo.

Since you are now in the Great White North, and not in America, you now have opportunity to do better.   Here, try this:   https://baldersoncheese.ca/balderson-cheddars/premium-aged

I suggest you try the 2 or maybe 1 year aged, based on what you wrote above.   my preference is in the 2 to 5 year aged range.   The 10 year is not listed, but is a specialty that appears from time to time, which is quite crumbly.

  -- Al  Honestly, I am not a truck salesman

Umm... oklay... If I eat this, am I still allowed to like Monterey Jack...?

One of my favorite fall treats was always a little Jack and some toasted everything bagels or crusty baguette with too much butter... a byproduct of growing up on local product Merlots and Sauvignon blends.

mnem
Too many free wine tours... *hic*

[Zucca]

How much will cost to CNC this plate see attachment?

My guess 70€.

First guy responded: 194 trumpets for one plate, 343 for two.

second guy: 134 Euro shipping included.

Third guy 68 Euro and he got the cake.

Yuuuuuu

The plate came in today. I am so happy.
The finish was not perfect but I told him it does not need to be nice and shiny, for 68 Euro shipped deal!
Here the guy who did it for me.

www.cncform.de

and here the beast.....

[tggzzz]

We interrupt this cheese bragging war (all y'all will lose to the Västerbotten, anyway) for some actual TE news:

I'm open to your convincing me

[AVGresponding]

Well... they can 'ardly 'elp it; you know they're all on the same cycle... 

I want to see if anyone can reach 1 CPS (endorsement granted  ) on this thing? 

Hard to know the exact size of the wheel but if it's say 5' that only equates to about 10.5mph

I have peanuts, will share in lieu of coins.


@Saskia, my Reaper Peanuts arrived, now I just need a willing victim gourmet to share them with.

Ummmm, since when is Israel in the US?   The shipping to here is more than the price of the unit itself.

Mea culpa, I saw the price in $, and declared the sum of two twos to be the national debt of Upper Mongolia.


The Keithley 195A arrived from the breakers yard devon_it_recycling, and I wasn't disappointed, there were more faults than the pictures showed. Though to be fair the most serious one was the range up button didn't work.
Further investigation revealed the diaphragm spring/contact was completely missing from inside the switch. And those switches are quite tricky to take apart...   
Anyhoo I bodged it with a similar tactile unit, albeit with a different pinout and height profile. Cue flying leads and blutak (it's only a temporary bodge). It'll do until I can source a proper one.
The thing needs a calibration, it's way off on some ranges, haven't had time to clean the f/r input switch yet (it's better sealed than most and hard to get to).
On the plus side, it has the 1950 trms AC V/A module fitted.
I was also surprised at how low the DC ranges go; DCA in particular, the lowest range is 20uA with a 100pA resolution! The signal to noise ratio at those levels is another matter of course...

Why have I not had time? Because my period of solitary confinement self-isolation is at an end, and I'm back at work.

Was putting the finishing touches to the covid testing station today, hopefully the NHS staff will take on board the instructions regarding the heaters we fitted in the testing booths and there will be no more melted chair incidents.

Tomorrow I'm off to City Hall to toss it off make a list of and order necessary materials.

All very tiring, I think I need a two week holiday to recover from the two weeks of self-isolation.

[mnementh]

Whenever I see one of those bicycles, I think of Patrick McGoohan as Number 6...

mnem
That would be telling.

[mansaxel]

We interrupt this cheese bragging war (all y'all will lose to the Västerbotten, anyway) for some actual TE news:

I'm open to your convincing me

I won't. The cheese will. 

It is available in the UK. At least until the brits commit financial suicide and leave Europe...

[Specmaster]

Ok, I'm about to indulge in the British hobby of whinging....  Amazon are not making me happy at the moment, maybe I might get some better news soon. After my Son's car get damaged outside his front door, he has invested in a doorbell camera that also senses movement (adjustable for the sensitivity to avoid false alarms etc) and this records video footage of anyone lurking in the vicinity of his front door / car. So I thought about getting one as well, so I ordered one from Amazon and it arrived today, and so I have not yet got round to installing it.

Tonight I was looking at it on the Amazon website, only to discover it is now some 30% lower price than I paid 3 days ago  I'm not happy.   I have sent the seller a message informing them that if they can't refund me the £20, I'll return the one I got today and reorder at the current price 

On the plus side, Amazon has such a 'customer-focused' returns policy you are able to do this.

In all honesty, they'd rather you just return it; no, seriously.

They have "lower price" as an option in the drop-down dialog, and their automated system can handle it all without involving a single human being.

mnem
 

Yep, problem there is though, that the camera was not sold by Amazon but a 3rd party seller which might complicate things a bit. Anyway, the seller responded with a £10 refund offer which I counted at £15 and said that I'd be happy with that. I did so in the belief that I'd have to pay for the return seeing as the product is not damaged or faulty? Currently awaiting the sellers response to that counter offer.

Edit: Also of course, having seen the various videos on YT about the huge piles of returns to Amazon that they just sell off to recyclers at really stupidly low prices rather than test the items and sell them a slightly lower price, and of some of their returns just go to landfill, so I'm trying to be practical and sensible about this, like a good citizen should.

[Specmaster]

From the realms of sensible sellers and realistic valuations, I stumbled upon this on Gumtree and the seller claims that the meter has been tested and works fine, sale price is £50 FFS.

If its working just fine, how in blue blazes is the needle on the right-hand side of the meter, with the input switches set to AC and DC and no leads connected to it, cutout switch and meter reverse switch munted 

[bd139]

That’s almost as bad as that one I saw that didn’t have a needle!

Just finished reading all 8 of The Expanse series of books. Back to normality now. TE purchasing go 

[mnementh]

Yep, problem there is though, that the camera was not sold by Amazon but a 3rd party seller which might complicate things a bit. Anyway, the seller responded with a £10 refund offer which I counted at £15 and said that I'd be happy with that. I did so in the belief that I'd have to pay for the return seeing as the product is not damaged or faulty? Currently awaiting the sellers response to that counter offer.

Edit: Also of course, having seen the various videos on YT about the huge piles of returns to Amazon that they just sell off to recyclers at really stupidly low prices rather than test the items and sell them a slightly lower price, and of some of their returns just go to landfill, so I'm trying to be practical and sensible about this, like a good citizen should.

They don't do that if goods are returned new & sealed; they just restock. Not sure what the process is with Marketplace vendors; I've only ever returned for price a couple times, and they were Fulfilled by Amazon items. One item was returned, one just refunded the difference. This was also pre-COVID, so 

mnem
*lost in the great cosmic waiting room*

[cyclin_al]

Since you are now in the Great White North, and not in America, you now have opportunity to do better.   Here, try this:   https://baldersoncheese.ca/balderson-cheddars/premium-aged

I suggest you try the 2 or maybe 1 year aged, based on what you wrote above.   my preference is in the 2 to 5 year aged range.   The 10 year is not listed, but is a specialty that appears from time to time, which is quite crumbly.

  -- Al  Honestly, I am not a truck salesman

Umm... oklay... If I eat this, am I still allowed to like Monterey Jack...?

One of my favorite fall treats was always a little Jack and some toasted everything bagels or crusty baguette with too much butter... a byproduct of growing up on local product Merlots and Sauvignon blends.

mnem
Too many free wine tours... *hic*

The 2 year is my favorite on a sesame seed bagel.  I recommend you try it.
We Canadians are pretty open-minded; you are still allowed to like Monterey Jack, but will you once you have tried this? 

[cyclin_al]

Well... they can 'ardly 'elp it; you know they're all on the same cycle... 

I want to see if anyone can reach 1 CPS (endorsement granted  ) on this thing? 

Hard to know the exact size of the wheel but if it's say 5' that only equates to about 10.5mph

True, it is not all that fast.  Think of the physics a little bit.  The transmission is true direct drive.  That penny-farthing is even a step more hardcore in the cycling world than even a fixxie (fixed gear).  What happens if you attempt hard braking while travelling at top speed? 

[Specmaster]

Yep, problem there is though, that the camera was not sold by Amazon but a 3rd party seller which might complicate things a bit. Anyway, the seller responded with a £10 refund offer which I counted at £15 and said that I'd be happy with that. I did so in the belief that I'd have to pay for the return seeing as the product is not damaged or faulty? Currently awaiting the sellers response to that counter offer.

Edit: Also of course, having seen the various videos on YT about the huge piles of returns to Amazon that they just sell off to recyclers at really stupidly low prices rather than test the items and sell them a slightly lower price, and of some of their returns just go to landfill, so I'm trying to be practical and sensible about this, like a good citizen should.

They don't do that if goods are returned new & sealed; they just restock. Not sure what the process is with Marketplace vendors; I've only ever returned for price a couple times, and they were Fulfilled by Amazon items. One item was returned, one just refunded the difference. This was also pre-COVID, so 

mnem
*lost int the great cosmic waiting room*

This camera is no longer sealed, I had to open it to charge the batteries (18650s) and also test it out and set it up, so it could just end up as landfill.