Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Robert763]

I've flogged something on fleabay, the buyer has paid for postage but suggested that he collects it (which was an option in the sale).

I've no reason to believe the buyer is malovelent, but what do I need to avoid in order to ensure the transaction doesn't end in tears?

If you use the ebay mobile app it has an option to generate a QR code to scan
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/setting-postage-options/local-collection?id=4181

[McBryce]

I've flogged something on fleabay, the buyer has paid for postage but suggested that he collects it (which was an option in the sale).

I've no reason to believe the buyer is malovelent, but what do I need to avoid in order to ensure the transaction doesn't end in tears?

Baseball bat or High voltage probe behind the front door perhaps?

McBryce.

[BU508A]

(He doesn't have negative feedback.....)

Don't know about your corner of the world - but for Australia, eBay stopped buyers from being given negative or neutral feedback some years ago.  They don't want to make the people who bring the money to the platform uncomfortable in any way!  (Yes - even if they royally screw a seller!)

I dare to say that you might have misunderstood the intention behind that - as 'bad guy from down under' is somewhat redundant, isn't it? 

It's a pleonasm.   

[BU508A]

That counter is still one ugly mofo 

But I see a lot of zeroes so it’s excused 

I call that counter "Rodney". Don't get no respect. Even painting it blue didn't help. 

The similarity is unmistakable. 

[Robert763]

Looks like Fry's Electronics has gone bust.  Not that I've been in one for years.

[tggzzz]

Was that the one you were trying to sell me a couple of years back at Harwell?   

No, this is a DMS that I got a year ago. You must be thinking of a non-DMS variant that I haven't tried to flog recently.

Ideally the magic number is presented by the smartphone equipped buyer as a QR code and the smartphone equipped seller scans it. Both devices are authenticated so the handover is verified as both parties have agreed. Have done it a couple of times and it works very well.

I don't have a smartphone The nearest is a HUDL android tablet with a crappy camera.

As for paypal sucking it back, indeed. They're changing it all soon so I've opened another account with Santander just for ebay payments and will use their new system. If you open a basic account you can't go overdrawn even with DD. They can duke it out with the DCAs then 

Yeah Worth considering.

Don't know about your corner of the world - but for Australia, eBay stopped buyers from being given negative or neutral feedback some years ago.  They don't want to make the people who bring the money to the platform uncomfortable in any way!  (Yes - even if they royally screw a seller!)

You might well be right; fortunately I have never had a problem.

If anybody has opinions about "wirelessmarty", please send me a PM (i.e. don't post anything libellous here!)

[med6753]

That counter is still one ugly mofo 

But I see a lot of zeroes so it’s excused 

I call that counter "Rodney". Don't get no respect. Even painting it blue didn't help. 

The similarity is unmistakable. 

I don't know who that is. This is the Rodney I mean.

[med6753]

Looks like Fry's Electronics has gone bust.  Not that I've been in one for years.

They have been circling the drain for years. Never had one locally here but was in one once in Los Angeles.

[med6753]

(He doesn't have negative feedback.....)

Don't know about your corner of the world - but for Australia, eBay stopped buyers from being given negative or neutral feedback some years ago.  They don't want to make the people who bring the money to the platform uncomfortable in any way!  (Yes - even if they royally screw a seller!)

I dare to say that you might have misunderstood the intention behind that - as 'bad guy from down under' is somewhat redundant, isn't it? 

It's a pleonasm.   

Don't care. If someone is a fucking idiot then they are a fucking idiot. 

[BU508A]

I don't know who that is. This is the Rodney I mean.

That's him:

https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Meredith_Rodney_McKay

Stargate Atlantis

[Kosmic]

Canadians or Refugees this looks very tidy? eBay auction: #303887615917 Several other toys are worth a look from the same seller.

Nice instrument and with original documentation, the price looks correct.
It should not stay too long.

And it is coming with the riser card. Those things are rare as hens teeth.

I'm not biting. Even though it shows 0 bids so far and 1 day left so the potential is there to get it cheap. Except shipping to U.S. is $215. 

And.......no room. 

Shipping is $172.32 USD for me. By the way, the seller is on the forum some time. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=123843

[Kosmic]

Here's some examples.

Why homedepot can not be accessed from europe?

Access Denied
You don't have permission to access "http://www.homedepot.com/" on this server.
Reference #18.955e6cc1.1614159297.a9b98ea

I don't know. Guess you'll have to go through a VPN. The other big box home center in the U.S. is Lowes. They have similar items. Try their website. Lowes.com

Not sure where in the US you are moving, but if it's minimally civilized in an reasonably urban area power should be stable enough. Over here I never add any incident and I simply use the typical power bar you can buy everywhere.

By the way, you can find 220v in most installation in North-America. It's normally used for the oven, heating etc.. so you could potentially have a dedicated circuit for your European instruments.

[med6753]

I don't know who that is. This is the Rodney I mean.

That's him:

https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Meredith_Rodney_McKay

Stargate Atlantis

Geez, you guys take this stuff SERIOUSLY. 

[Kosmic]

Silly boy, of course you do. 

I have no grand plans to go to high accuracy Bridge measurements so no I really don't. But maybe @Wolfy might need a drive down the coast 

It's also a incredibly good attenuator up to 20KHz. I remember doing some tests with my 7.5digits meter and oscilloscope and it has more resolution than every meters I got here. I should try again with my 8.5digit meter. All the transfo inside are potted in paraffin and don't really need adjustment.

You can still buy them new for only 15K USD https://www.tegam.com/shop/ratio-standards/dt72b/dt72bac-ratio-standard-7-decades/

[med6753]

Here's some examples.

Why homedepot can not be accessed from europe?

Access Denied
You don't have permission to access "http://www.homedepot.com/" on this server.
Reference #18.955e6cc1.1614159297.a9b98ea

I don't know. Guess you'll have to go through a VPN. The other big box home center in the U.S. is Lowes. They have similar items. Try their website. Lowes.com

Not sure where in the US you are moving, but if it's minimally civilized in an reasonably urban area power should be stable enough. Over here I never add any incident and I simply use the typical power bar you can buy everywhere.

By the way, you can find 220v in most installation in North-America. It's normally used for the oven, heating etc.. so you could potentially have a dedicated circuit for your European instruments.

Likewise. I've never had any issues with damaging power surges.....although the possibility exists because in rural areas power is overhead and subject to wind/tree damage.

While almost all single family residences have both hot lines (220V) servicing the breaker box it is not necessarily true if you have an apartment. I have a gas stove and no laundry hookups for a dryer. My breaker box is 120V/100amp only. (One hot and a neutral) 

[Cerebus]

Canadians or Refugees this looks very tidy? eBay auction: #303887615917 Several other toys are worth a look from the same seller.

I wish people would stop posting boat anchor calibrators that are cheap/reasonably priced and for all practical purposes inaccessible from the UK. I think y'all doing it to taunt me. 

[BU508A]

No, we would never do such nasty and mean things.

[mnementh]

   Canadians or Refugees this looks very tidy? eBay auction: #303887615917 Several other toys are worth a look from the same seller.

That is tempting.... but I lease and my renter's insurance doesn't cover damages in the event of falling anvils, small moons or boat anchors. Oddly specific, that clause... 

mnem
How many volts am I holding up...?

[Cerebus]

I think it’s very optimistic. The SOA chart suggests that. As always you have to read the entire data sheet.

Aye, 'twas always the way. Once you get above ~10-20% of the rated V_ce or V_ds of a device the SOA limited power dissipation of a device plumets way below the headline figure from the front page of the datasheet, and that's typically at 25ºC T_c before you've derated the device for a realistic operating temperature.

Case in point I was looking at yesterday: FDH055N15A power MOSFET. Datasheet figures, front page: 150 V, 167 A, second page P_D 429W (T_c = 25ºC). Look at the DC SOA at V_ds=30V => I_ds = ~2.1A, therefore P_D = 63W only 15% of the headline power figure at 20% of the headline V_DS and 1.2% of the headline I_DS figure, and that's before derating for operating temperature.

Let's just see those figures side by side:
Claim - 150 V, 167 A, 429W.
Actual - 30V, 2.1A, 63W.

The front page (or two) of a datasheet is basically lies made up by the marketing department.

(And yes, I confess, looking at chunky MOSFETs is a tacit admission that I'm looking at doing a DC Electronic Load design, again.)

[mnementh]

I don't know who that is. This is the Rodney I mean.

That's him:

https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Meredith_Rodney_McKay

Stargate Atlantis

Geez, you guys take this stuff SERIOUSLY. 

Dood... it's Stargate fucking Atlantis. The respect vacuum is to be expected when you take that gig.

mnem
*fuel*

[Cerebus]

Here's some examples.

Why homedepot can not be accessed from europe?

Access Denied
You don't have permission to access "http://www.homedepot.com/" on this server.
Reference #18.955e6cc1.1614159297.a9b98ea

I don't know. Guess you'll have to go through a VPN. The other big box home center in the U.S. is Lowes. They have similar items. Try their website. Lowes.com

Probably just broken by some pimply faced 'agile' code monkey pushing a "move fast and break things" build out without actual testing. It's working right now from the UK.

[Cerebus]

Performance/accuracy check. Must keep things in tip-top shape. 

Was gonna say "calibration verify" but that's a dirty word. 

That counter is still one ugly mofo 

But I see a lot of zeroes so it’s excused 

Reminds me of a girlfriend I once had (an EE undergraduate as it happens), ugly as sin but boy she could [censored] like a [censored], and sne'd even [censored] while doing it.

[mnementh]

On the Bench Tonight: Altec Lansing MZW300 BT Headphones



Picked these up at the Thrift yesterday; only got them because aside from the missing earpads they are in near-mint condition. Generally positive reviews and I didn't have any actual BT headhones, so I caved on my no more headphones moratorium. That BT spooker module will be relegated to surround-sound duty when I get around to it.

Sound quality is.... well they're as good as they can be, but they're still fucking bluetooth. Wired, a little boomy on bass (40mm drivers, 20-20K, 93dB/mW), but vocals are crisp and  they are effing comfortable on my big head... even without pads.

That is a freaking achievement; and  I have some synthetic protein pads coming from AliEx for $7. So... aboot $15 US invested. Guess my HESH IIs will go in storage once the new pads arrive.

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

That counter is still one ugly mofo 

But I see a lot of zeroes so it’s excused 

I call that counter "Rodney". Don't get no respect. Even painting it blue didn't help. 

Maybe painting it blue is the reason you don't get any respect 

[Cerebus]

That counter is still one ugly mofo 

But I see a lot of zeroes so it’s excused 

I call that counter "Rodney". Don't get no respect. Even painting it blue didn't help. 

The similarity is unmistakable. 

I don't know who that is. This is the Rodney I mean.

There must be something about being a 'Rodney' that is universal. I thought, as did I suspect most Brits, of this Rodney from Only Fools and Horses: