Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Saw this elsewhere. 5071A wrist watch  http://leapsecond.com/pages/atomic-bill/

[med6753]

6237B update:

Shipping initiated; the first leg is UPS Ground to Erlanger.

Edit: I of course went into the jazz organ rabbit hole, currently listening to "Big Booty Bounce" by Jimmy McGriff.  All I need now is a 6-lane urban motorway in Philly, and a two-tone brown gas-guzzler with a suspension soft like the nightmare version of TE packaging.

   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pontiac-Gwynn-Prix-1-Off-Concept-car-Unique-piece-of-American-History-swap-px/284159532520?hash=item42293a5de8:g:lPwAAOSwjkxgDelF

     I've been a Pontiac guy since I was a kid, but always thought the GP from that era was a rather ugly car.  That thing is an order of magnitude or three WORSE as far as I'm concerned!  <imagine puking emoji here>

-Pat

I miss my '66 Catalina... mine was a rustbucket 4-door, but it had that frontend a mile deep... 389 and PowerSlide slushbox, and the interior was effing mint 30 years old. Like going down the road in your living room. 

mnem
*sigh*

65-66 Catalina are very nice  ... probably the best years as well for the little sister the GTO.

I'm owning the other GM cousin
(Attachment Link)

That is a NICE '65 Impala SS. I'm jealous.  What engine/tranny combo you got in it? 327 small block or 396 big block? 4 speed stick or auto? 

[Specmaster]

6237B update:

Shipping initiated; the first leg is UPS Ground to Erlanger.

Edit: I of course went into the jazz organ rabbit hole, currently listening to "Big Booty Bounce" by Jimmy McGriff.  All I need now is a 6-lane urban motorway in Philly, and a two-tone brown gas-guzzler with a suspension soft like the nightmare version of TE packaging.

   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pontiac-Gwynn-Prix-1-Off-Concept-car-Unique-piece-of-American-History-swap-px/284159532520?hash=item42293a5de8:g:lPwAAOSwjkxgDelF

     I've been a Pontiac guy since I was a kid, but always thought the GP from that era was a rather ugly car.  That thing is an order of magnitude or three WORSE as far as I'm concerned!  <imagine puking emoji here>

-Pat

I miss my '66 Catalina... mine was a rustbucket 4-door, but it had that frontend a mile deep... 389 and PowerSlide slushbox, and the interior was effing mint 30 years old. Like going down the road in your living room. 

mnem
*sigh*

65-66 Catalina are very nice  ... probably the best years as well for the little sister the GTO.

I'm owning the other GM cousin
(Attachment Link)

That is a NICE '65 Impala SS. I'm jealous.  What engine/tranny combo you got in it? 327 small block or 396 big block? 4 speed stick or auto? 

No, thats not a 65 Chevvy Impala but this is - 

[med6753]

6237B update:

Shipping initiated; the first leg is UPS Ground to Erlanger.

Edit: I of course went into the jazz organ rabbit hole, currently listening to "Big Booty Bounce" by Jimmy McGriff.  All I need now is a 6-lane urban motorway in Philly, and a two-tone brown gas-guzzler with a suspension soft like the nightmare version of TE packaging.

   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pontiac-Gwynn-Prix-1-Off-Concept-car-Unique-piece-of-American-History-swap-px/284159532520?hash=item42293a5de8:g:lPwAAOSwjkxgDelF

     I've been a Pontiac guy since I was a kid, but always thought the GP from that era was a rather ugly car.  That thing is an order of magnitude or three WORSE as far as I'm concerned!  <imagine puking emoji here>

-Pat

I miss my '66 Catalina... mine was a rustbucket 4-door, but it had that frontend a mile deep... 389 and PowerSlide slushbox, and the interior was effing mint 30 years old. Like going down the road in your living room. 

mnem
*sigh*

65-66 Catalina are very nice  ... probably the best years as well for the little sister the GTO.

I'm owning the other GM cousin
(Attachment Link)

That is a NICE '65 Impala SS. I'm jealous.  What engine/tranny combo you got in it? 327 small block or 396 big block? 4 speed stick or auto? 

No, thats not a 65 Chevvy Impala but this is - 

I was replying to psykok who does have a '65 Impala but his attachment didn't carry over with the quote. Go look a few posts back.

[BU508A]

@med:

just add this:

Code: [Select]


[img width=400]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1158138;image[/img]


the complete line, including the [img    and  /img]

[factory]

Ebay and Brexit moan, I ordered a replacement knob to fit onto a cast iron casserole dish from a seller on eBay who would appear to be located in East London, it was listed as being £8.34 and free P&P but the checkout asked for £10.01. The seller claimed that it was due to Brexit and our government forcing him to collect the 20% VAT for them. That is fair enough if he is based outside the UK, in which case I think that eBay should really be forcing eBay shops to declare the true location of their stocks, so it does not allow profiteering to take place. 

Probably not a UK seller, see this thread about new VAT rules for the UK (delayed for rest of EU) for imports of foreign stuff.  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/uk-abolishes-lt15-vat-free-imports/
I noticed the HP probe from Germany had the "code:paid" as part of the address, I do worry that sellers buy shipping outside of ePay will forget to add that information and we will end up paying VAT twice.

On a positive note, the parcel of HP display boards I ordered in November from Sphere in Canada has just arrived, the second parcel ordered a few weeks later also arrived with it. 

David

[Specmaster]

6237B update:

Shipping initiated; the first leg is UPS Ground to Erlanger.

Edit: I of course went into the jazz organ rabbit hole, currently listening to "Big Booty Bounce" by Jimmy McGriff.  All I need now is a 6-lane urban motorway in Philly, and a two-tone brown gas-guzzler with a suspension soft like the nightmare version of TE packaging.

   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pontiac-Gwynn-Prix-1-Off-Concept-car-Unique-piece-of-American-History-swap-px/284159532520?hash=item42293a5de8:g:lPwAAOSwjkxgDelF

     I've been a Pontiac guy since I was a kid, but always thought the GP from that era was a rather ugly car.  That thing is an order of magnitude or three WORSE as far as I'm concerned!  <imagine puking emoji here>

-Pat

I miss my '66 Catalina... mine was a rustbucket 4-door, but it had that frontend a mile deep... 389 and PowerSlide slushbox, and the interior was effing mint 30 years old. Like going down the road in your living room. 

mnem
*sigh*

65-66 Catalina are very nice  ... probably the best years as well for the little sister the GTO.

I'm owning the other GM cousin
(Attachment Link)

That is a NICE '65 Impala SS. I'm jealous.  What engine/tranny combo you got in it? 327 small block or 396 big block? 4 speed stick or auto? 

No, thats not a 65 Chevvy Impala but this is - 

I was replying to psykok who does have a '65 Impala but his attachment didn't carry over with the quote. Go look a few posts back.

Oops,   

[factory]

This one makes me angry. Who thought this mod was a good idea?!?!?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184634587029

That is hideous, just how much control did they want over it then FFS. I admit that I did do a similar bodge once on a Philips bench meter, but that was necessary because the part of the fascia where the pot would be mounted had suffered the normal Philips plastic rot, and it was the only to bring the meter back into normal service. 

@bd139, hows it going now, do you think that you'll be home tomorrow?

I guess they didn't buy the right TE for the job, we had a similar version of that TTI function generator built into the benches at work, for most jobs it was impossible to set the frequency control accurately enough, so they rarely got used for anything. Instead the programmable TTI function generators (TG1010) or Farnell LFM4 signal generators with large vernier dial were preferred.

David

[psykok]

it's definitely a 65 Impala

Originally it was a 327/powerglide but I got it with a 350/th350

[bd139]

This one makes me angry. Who thought this mod was a good idea?!?!?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184634587029

That is hideous, just how much control did they want over it then FFS. I admit that I did do a similar bodge once on a Philips bench meter, but that was necessary because the part of the fascia where the pot would be mounted had suffered the normal Philips plastic rot, and it was the only to bring the meter back into normal service. 

@bd139, hows it going now, do you think that you'll be home tomorrow?

I guess they didn't buy the right TE for the job, we had a similar version of that TTI function generator built into the benches at work, for most jobs it was impossible to set the frequency control accurately enough, so they rarely got used for anything. Instead the programmable TTI function generators (TG1010) or Farnell LFM4 signal generators with large vernier dial were preferred.

David

The thing is you shouldn’t really expect precise frequency control from an RC function generator. They’re a “close enough” device. Even if you stick a ten turn in there it won’t be stable because of drift anyway. Over the years I’ve generally used them for sweeping large ranges by hand and looking for phase flips and filter responses. And if you’re looking at narrow filter peaking then it’s usually a ~5% pass band in one range. Honestly at non RF frequencies, accuracy isn’t that big a deal for analogue stuff. Digital display is fairly optional as well if the dial is within 5%. Occasionally they get used for clocking digital circuits and various pulse circuits but you’re mostly not bothered there either.

The LFM4 is a nicer instrument for sure however. As for the synthesised generators I’d only use them for RF to be honest.

[med6753]

If you want something delivered on a timely basis UPS wins hands down. This left Masshole yesterday and will be delivered today. I'll reveal what it is after I get it at around 11:30 hours.

The Leeds and Northrup resistance box shipped via USPS from less than 40 miles away 3 days ago has dropped into the continuous black hole of "In transit". What a crock of shit.   

[Saskia]

waiting for a DHL courier parcel coming from Frankfurt. (or Raunheim) to be exact. 10:53 to still not there @right now more than 2 hours later does not seem right for  45 kms ...

[factory]

This one makes me angry. Who thought this mod was a good idea?!?!?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184634587029

That is hideous, just how much control did they want over it then FFS. I admit that I did do a similar bodge once on a Philips bench meter, but that was necessary because the part of the fascia where the pot would be mounted had suffered the normal Philips plastic rot, and it was the only to bring the meter back into normal service. 

@bd139, hows it going now, do you think that you'll be home tomorrow?

I guess they didn't buy the right TE for the job, we had a similar version of that TTI function generator built into the benches at work, for most jobs it was impossible to set the frequency control accurately enough, so they rarely got used for anything. Instead the programmable TTI function generators (TG1010) or Farnell LFM4 signal generators with large vernier dial were preferred.

David

The thing is you shouldn’t really expect precise frequency control from an RC function generator. They’re a “close enough” device. Even if you stick a ten turn in there it won’t be stable because of drift anyway. Over the years I’ve generally used them for sweeping large ranges by hand and looking for phase flips and filter responses. And if you’re looking at narrow filter peaking then it’s usually a ~5% pass band in one range. Honestly at non RF frequencies, accuracy isn’t that big a deal for analogue stuff. Digital display is fairly optional as well if the dial is within 5%. Occasionally they get used for clocking digital circuits and various pulse circuits but you’re mostly not bothered there either.

The LFM4 is a nicer instrument for sure however. As for the synthesised generators I’d only use them for RF to be honest.

I didn't expect precision from the TTI function gen built into the bench* but some people would still try & use it, then complain they couldn't meet the spec required, I would give them something more suitable to use. 

*The 10 benches were ordered by people with no clue and filled with the small TTI function gen (useless for what we needed), a matching TTI DMM (good but rarely used by others), a Leader 20MHz CRO (rarely used by anyone). The only built in items that were used often were the TTI dual PSU and a 150V Glassman PSU. Unfortunately these benches instead of using nice rack mount stuff, had custom made shelves with cut-outs in the exact shape of the TE fitted (except the rack width Glassman PSU).
I butchered the one I used to fit a larger Tek CRO instead of the Leader and swapped the TTI function gen for a second TTI DMM to check the output of the Glassman PSU.

We only worked on low frequency stuff (no RF), at least one job did require accurate setting at 50Hz (with some variance during the test). The Farnell LFM4 were always used with a counter and often used for slow sweeping, we only had two programmable function gens originally, they did buy another two eventually.
All history now as they EOL'd the lab years ago.

David

[Specmaster]

If you want something delivered on a timely basis UPS wins hands down. This left Masshole yesterday and will be delivered today. I'll reveal what it is after I get it at around 11:30 hours.

The Leeds and Northrup resistance box shipped via USPS from less than 40 miles away 3 days ago has dropped into the continuous black hole of "In transit". What a crock of shit.   

Funny how some couriers can do a good job others screw up time after time. UPS do the deliveries for CPC over here and they always do a good job, yesterday CPC dispatched the FOC replacement PP3 batteries to me and 9.05AM today UPS delivered them.

[med6753]

It's a miracle...USPS now says the Leeds and Northrup is out for delivery. 

We will see. 

[TERRA Operative]

From USA to Japan, anything Fedex/DHL/UPS say I always add one day and then it's spot on. I suspect the delay is Japan customs then local contractors holding stuff just long enough to miss the cutoff for that day's delivery.

[mnementh]

...Being booted out today by the looks. Phew. Condition is I need to poop apparently 

TMI but I'm glad you're better and getting the boot. 

This one's for you, bd!!! 

mnem
...and for you too, med... just to agitate.

[mnementh]

If you want something delivered on a timely basis UPS wins hands down. This left Masshole yesterday and will be delivered today. I'll reveal what it is after I get it at around 11:30 hours.

The Leeds and Northrup resistance box shipped via USPS from less than 40 miles away 3 days ago has dropped into the continuous black hole of "In transit". What a crock of shit.   

   Funny how some couriers can do a good job others screw up time after time. UPS do the deliveries for CPC over here and they always do a good job, yesterday CPC dispatched the FOC replacement PP3 batteries to me and 9.05AM today UPS delivered them.

That is very much a regional and/or temporal thing. When I lived in San Damntonio, UPS ran a pretty tight ship and very little "anticipated progress"  tracking. Their ground service was typically a day or two slower than FEDEX, but you got it when they said you would.

In Houston, UPS was a complete shitshow worse than USPS, which actually delivered mail 3-4 days a week; no more. And as we were the last leg of the route, often got items from both tracking as "Delivered" at 8PM that really didn't arrive until the following afternoon. 

mnem
YMMV, IANAL, DQMOT, WTFBBQ, DILLIGAF...?

[mnementh]

   I miss my '66 Catalina... mine was a rustbucket 4-door, but it had that frontend a mile deep... 389 and PowerSlide slushbox, and the interior was effing mint 30 years old. Like going down the road in your living room. 

mnem
*sigh*

All the Poncho needs is a roof mounted .50 cal and you got yourself a PT boat. "Slip and slide with Powerglide".  I had a '64 Poncho Tempest with a 326/quad and Powerglide. 280hp was not kind to that tranny. Lasted 2 weeks in my hot little hands and blew up.

My first was a hand-me-down '69 four door Catalina with a high compression 400-2V and a TH400 trans.  My senior year of HS the transmission started slipping, so I of course dropped it (in the dead of winter) to rebuild it.  No one thought I'd be successful, so while I was working on it my uncle bought a '65 Bonneville ragtop with a 389 and a Carter AFB under its acre-sized hood from his neighbor for $200 with the intent that I'd pull the transmission from that and put it in the Catalina. 

I like the Bonneville, too, and kept it on the road while fixing the Cat.  I then drove both for the next 8-10 years, fixing them alternately when they broke.  The Catalina finally started getting crazy electrical gremlins and died at work 30 miles from home, so I decided it was time to let it go.  Drove the Bonneville for a while longer, but it had terminal cancer from the road salt in the northeast, and after it sat for several years I finally let it go, too.  Then less than two years later took some welding classes and have been kicking myself ever since as I could have fixed it.  It was a damned cool old beast.  I have pictures of both somewhere, but can't lay hands on them at the moment.

-Pat

PowerGlide & TH400 both responded well to a few simple performance building tricks; aftermarket parts were very well-developed for both when I was just a kid. The PowerGlide was actually pretty grenade-proof, and properly modded with high-stall TC and HD clutch-paks/bands, was a favorite at the drag-strip for over a decade.

The TH400 was designed from the ground up for Olds, Pontiac & Cadillac's "too-fukkin' big big-blocks" that all delivered stump-pulling torque at low RPMs; bone-stock they were tougher than leather and with the addition of higher pressure regulator and accumulator springs, would deliver shifts so solid they'd snap your neck.

I loved the one I had in my grand-dad's F-150 shoehorned in behind a '70 Cadd-500; even with 3.00 rearend gears from the original OD trans, that thing just jumped forward when it shifted gears. Also, I had a micro-pushbutton embedded in the shifter T-handle to engage the kickdown solenoid when I wanted it. 

mnem
*sigh*

[mansaxel]

We only worked on low frequency stuff (no RF), at least one job did require accurate setting at 50Hz (with some variance during the test). The Farnell LFM4 were always used with a counter and often used for slow sweeping, we only had two programmable function gens originally, they did buy another two eventually.
All history now as they EOL'd the lab years ago.

David

This just went past me and while likely unrelated, it does describe operation of a large coöperative 50Hz generator 

[Cerebus]

Being booted out today by the looks. Phew. Condition is I need to poop apparently 

So let me get this right. You have to put your hand up and say "Please miss, I need the toilet.", you get quizzed "No 1 or No 2?" and if you say "No 2" they don't let you go but instead boot you out of the door doing that "there's going to be an accident" bent at the knees run? 

[Specmaster]

Being booted out today by the looks. Phew. Condition is I need to poop apparently 

So let me get this right. You have to put your hand up and say "Please miss, I need the toilet.", you get quizzed "No 1 or No 2?" and if you say "No 2" they don't let you go but instead boot you out of the door doing that "there's going to be an accident" bent at the knees run? 

Not quite  I took it as being that he just needs to poop to be allowed to go home 

[med6753]

PowerGlide & TH400 both responded well to a few simple performance building tricks; aftermarket parts were very well-developed for both when I was just a kid. The PowerGlide was actually pretty grenade-proof, and properly modded with high-stall TC and HD clutch-paks/bands, was a favorite at the drag-strip for over a decade.

The TH400 was designed from the ground up for Olds, Pontiac & Cadillac's "too-fukkin' big big-blocks" that all delivered stump-pulling torque at low RPMs; bone-stock they were tougher than leather and with the addition of higher pressure regulator and accumulator springs, would deliver shifts so solid they'd snap your neck.

I loved the one I had in my grand-dad's F-150 shoehorned in behind a '70 Cadd-500; even with 3.00 rearend gears from the original OD trans, that thing just jumped forward when it shifted gears. Also, I had a micro-pushbutton embedded in the shifter T-handle to engage the kickdown solenoid when I wanted it. 

mnem
*sigh*

Any idea why the old Powerglides had that distinctive whine or howl when you put them in Park?

[mnementh]

PowerGlide & TH400 both responded well to a few simple performance building tricks; aftermarket parts were very well-developed for both when I was just a kid. The PowerGlide was actually pretty grenade-proof, and properly modded with high-stall TC and HD clutch-paks/bands, was a favorite at the drag-strip for over a decade.

The TH400 was designed from the ground up for Olds, Pontiac & Cadillac's "too-fukkin' big big-blocks" that all delivered stump-pulling torque at low RPMs; bone-stock they were tougher than leather and with the addition of higher pressure regulator and accumulator springs, would deliver shifts so solid they'd snap your neck.

I loved the one I had in my grand-dad's F-150 shoehorned in behind a '70 Cadd-500; even with 3.00 rearend gears from the original OD trans, that thing just jumped forward when it shifted gears. Also, I had a micro-pushbutton embedded in the shifter T-handle to engage the kickdown solenoid when I wanted it. 

mnem
*sigh*

Any idea why the old Powerglides had that distinctive whine or howl when you put them in Park?

Sure... lots of crap flowing through the pump from kids abusing stock PowerGlides caused wear. 

Also, Dexron ATF. It didn't have the anti-foaming agents that DexronII and Type F trans fluid did; a common performance "trick" for drag-use was to use Type F instead. Later we got B&M Trick-Shift which was a synthetic blend ATF with slightly higher vis but generally very similar makeup to Type F. The GM answer was to switch to DexronII.

The whole design scope of the PowerGlide was to provide smooth shifts for grandma's grocery-getter; this means it was designed to slip clutches rather than shift firmly. Stock, that became a ticking time-bomb in the hands of kids who wanted them to jump.    OTOH, that design meant they had oversized clutch-paks and bands; this is why they responded so well to modding.

mnem
 

[mansaxel]

I actually have a Pontiac history, too. I think. Albeit through no fault of my own. This one (which, as I indicated, remember as being a Pontiac) was issued to me in 2001 at the EWR Alamo representative, for a drive down to Gaithersburg and NIST.

It worked. Slightly more comfortable than the Chevrolets Alamo normally throw at you.