Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tonyalbus]

Don't you just love some people on eBay...... 

crap seller.... for 1 or 2 dollar they loose a future long time customer... they just don't get it.

[tautech]

I gone right off ePay after a US twit cancelled my purchase of a Tek current probe last year. Prick, still a bit pissed about that.

[beanflying]

Don't you just love some people on eBay...... 

They had the listing up for a week ... with bids ... and then, after winning it, organising the funds and arranging a pickup address and time, I get this:



Bean found this guy - but I was the one who went in to play.

 

Report him for not following through the sale in particular if he relists the item. The fact that he was a muppet with a crap poorly described listing for item X is not your or the several other bidders problem. 

[Zucca]

...

Can you imagine a Thread "Tell your IT-Helpdesk story?"

I am the IT helpdesk. Or actually, 3rd level something behind.

Yes, always bypass the network print server, go LPD directly. That's been true since 1993 or so.

I would love to have the 3rd level phone number! Some people like us need to be able to bypass the 1st level immediately...

[Zucca]

There are some rumors about the new AMD µP line, from what I heard AMD right now is like the italian porn actor "Rocco Siffredi" when he was 25 years old...  is going to FUUU them all.
Apple M1 is still there. Intel RIP bye bye you miss the train.

[Brumby]

Report him for not following through the sale

Just done exactly that.

crap seller.... for 1 or 2 dollar they loose a future long time customer... they just don't get it.

Casual seller.  They probably couldn't care less.

[capt bullshot]

Oops, I did it again

[Robert763]

Hmm, in my watch list too

I will fight you for it 

You can have it, Much as I'd like it I don't have space.

[Brumby]

Now I have $61 in cash in my pocket.  This could be dangerous.  Normally, I don't carry cash as it disappears too readily.

[beanflying]

Now I have $61 in cash in my pocket.  This could be dangerous.  Normally, I don't carry cash as it disappears too readily.

$20.50 for that other item and some postage so far and you will have change  either that or a trip to Totaltools or Bunnings or .... will quickly sort your problem 

[Robert763]

Forgot to say. The Pro-Peak charger that Royal Mail said was delivered on Monday turned up yesterday. Looks like new and fully working. Charged a 24V 5AH Ni-Cad Clansman battery from a 12V supply.

[Brumby]

Now I have $61 in cash in my pocket.  This could be dangerous.  Normally, I don't carry cash as it disappears too readily.

$20.50 for that other item and some postage so far and you will have change 

Definitely postage for that one.  Quite the drive otherwise.

[Brumby]

 

It's now on my watch list.

[beanflying]

Now I have $61 in cash in my pocket.  This could be dangerous.  Normally, I don't carry cash as it disappears too readily.

$20.50 for that other item and some postage so far and you will have change 

Definitely postage for that one.  Quite the drive otherwise.

Some great spots East of there for Autumn camping or holidaying. I used to really enjoy a 'work' trip to the Hydro facilities in the area this time of year.

[bd139]

There are some rumors about the new AMD µP line, from what I heard AMD right now is like the italian porn actor "Rocco Siffredi" when he was 25 years old...  is going to FUUU them all.
Apple M1 is still there. Intel RIP bye bye you miss the train.

Yeah they’re pushing 45W TDP laptops out which burn your dick off  . Rocco wouldn’t be happy about that  . AMD/Apple 15W.

Got to be honest though this i5-10400 desktop I just threw together is pretty good. Intel are still well placed on the desktop because there is stock, they are cheaper (!), have built in GPU which is good enough for most tasks other than games and aren’t crazy TDP (65W). Few observations comparing to my older Ryzen build:

1. Their power management is much much better. Suspend/resume is instant on this.
2. Boot up is much faster. Clean boot to login on this machine is 4 seconds.
3. Single core speed is about the same as a 3600.
4. Multi core ffmpeg compile in a VM is about the same as a 3600
5. Turned it on and it worked. No futzing or arguing with BIOS upgrades.

i5-10400 was £148. Ryzen 3600 is £179 here at the moment and I’d have to spend £50 on a shit GPU just to get it working. There are no Ryzen -G suffix parts available here at the moment.

Intel won this one. Probably because they have their own fabs more than anything.

Edit: attach inevitable build photos.

[Robert763]

For example:
- some references: voltage reference, resistor reference, 10MHz lab refrence ...

A rubidium frequency reference! Dang, I knew that was something I was forgetting.   

And one-of-these-days I'll get a standalone frequency counter.

That's it. Two more items for my bench and I'm DONE. Really. I mean it. This time, for reals...

You need at least three counters. One to compare to the first, and a third as arbitrator. And, you need a GPSDO (and/or) a Cs normal to put some long-time disciplin into the Rb normal. If you feel that the difference between Cs and Rb is too small, there's always the hydrogen maser.

Time nuttery is a very beautiful nuttery, because it like its sibling Volt nuttery, breeds TEA.

You don't really need lots of counters, just lots of references. I only have about 6 counters (2 with 10811D OCXOs) but 3 GPSDO's (HP, Symmetricom, Trimble) running 24/7 with 3 more available.  In addition three Rb's (one GPS disciplined) and a few "good" OCXO's. Currently boxing up a 10811D as a portable reference.

[mansaxel]

Now I have $61 in cash in my pocket.  This could be dangerous.  Normally, I don't carry cash as it disappears too readily.

Here, it's the other way around. I usually end up with a few hundred SEK in my wallet that never get used -- because I tend to buy _everything_ with my card, and online if I can. Last few times I've been abroad I've not bothered with exchange and such; I just go and use my card. There are two countries that are dysfunctional in that scenario; southern Italy and rural Germany. I've been on several chases for ATM's in both countries, when the Gasthaus or the Camorra-run parking was unprepared to process card payments.

Edit: And for all those small things, we have a system in Sweden for mobile payments where you instantly can send small amounts of money between bank accounts as long as the participants have the app installed. Authentication is via the electronic ID system a company owned by most of the banks has issued. If I for instance want to buy a coffee at a street espresso stand, they typically have a QR code that prefills the app (which has integral scanning) with recipient, amount, etc. I just point my phone, approve the transaction, and done.

[med6753]

Decided to try zapping Q183 and see what happens. Read 16 ohms emitter to case before, infinite after zapping.  Installed and got a nice trace for a few seconds then back to no sweep as before. Checked Q183 again. Now reads 26 ohms emitter to case. Zapped it again. Now infinite. Installed again. Still no sweep. Checked Q183. Now reads 1.2M emitter to case.  Obviously this transistor is FUBAR. Apparently when power is applied the whiskers go ape so I'm fighting a losing battle. I'll have to wait until the replacement 2N2207's arrive.

Edit, the replacement transistors shipped yesterday. According to USPS they will be here Saturday. I don't believe it since they are coming from California.

[tautech]

Now hard did you  it Med ? More than 40V ? Woops, no that was the rating for the other 2. 

[med6753]

Now hard did you  it Med ? More than 40V ? Woops, no that was the rating for the other 2. 

I charged a 220uf capacitor to 6 volts.

[Specmaster]

Don't you just love some people on eBay...... 

They had the listing up for a week ... with bids ... and then, after winning it, organising the funds and arranging a pickup address and time, I get this:



Bean found this guy - but I was the one who went in to play.






 

Yep, crap seller for sure. If he didn't want to sell it for $61 then he should have either list it with a BIN price with offers set the starting bid at this lowest price he'd accept. I think you ought to report the seller to eBay.

[tautech]

Now hard did you  it Med ? More than 40V ? Woops, no that was the rating for the other 2. 

I charged a 220uf capacitor to 6 volts.

Hmmm, oh well at least you'll sleep better once the replacements are fitted instead of them blinking whiskers that might be growing.
Bad as tants ! 

[capt bullshot]

OK, status change to delivered:



Interesting detail - there's a printer in a drawer 



Have to continue @work, teams scheduled in 10min, so no more fun with fresh TEA ATM.

[tonyalbus]

Cool! 3phase power monitor 

[bd139]

Decided to try zapping Q183 and see what happens. Read 16 ohms emitter to case before, infinite after zapping.  Installed and got a nice trace for a few seconds then back to no sweep as before. Checked Q183 again. Now reads 26 ohms emitter to case. Zapped it again. Now infinite. Installed again. Still no sweep. Checked Q183. Now reads 1.2M emitter to case.  Obviously this transistor is FUBAR. Apparently when power is applied the whiskers go ape so I'm fighting a losing battle. I'll have to wait until the replacement 2N2207's arrive.

Edit, the replacement transistors shipped yesterday. According to USPS they will be here Saturday. I don't believe it since they are coming from California.

Well was worth a try 

When you’ve extracted it, make sure you try 115V AC just to be sure