Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Runco990]

I've been on a bit of a bidding/spending spree on eBay recently (I blame being stuck in during lockdowns)

One item I bid on arrived today, it was advertised as a "Basic Oscilloscope" - I had a look through the pictures and noticed it was a X/Y Vector Monitor.
I was quite curious about it and thought it was a bit different. I put a bid on it thinking if I win I can build a curve tracer or octopus type tester for it.
Maybe even have it playing "Oscilloscope Music" visuals.

I won the auction and it arrived today, it looks like it has never been used.
I powered it up and had a bit of a surprise, I could see the CRT has long persistence so slid out the orange filter.
It has a P7 (GM) phosphor CRT which I wasn't expecting to see. I'm not really sure what this would have been used for originally.

It is badged Visual Electronics which didn't bring much up on Google, but it seems later on they changed their name to Electronic Visuals and I found a few displays manufactured by them for the broadcast industry, but nothing like this.

I find the P7 phosphor fascinating, so not really sure what to use it for now. It might make a good visual prop for the workshop/house with some graphics or a clock on it?
I could even try some old SSTV with it!

I haven't fully checked the V/div on the X/Y axis, I did put 200mV on the inputs with a calibration device I had at hand and it didn't move by much. So I think it may be 1V/div or more (I should be able to adjust this if needed)

Pictures below and a quick YouTube Video:

Can always build a scope clock! 

[Cerebus]

In other news:

I've been meaning to measure the runout on my drill press for a while, and having nothing better to do this afternoon finally got around to it. (I was prompted by the nice non circular holes that my Dremel was making the other day. Different drill obviously, but it reminded me that I ought to get around to measuring the drill press proper.) Chucked up a bit of precision ground rod and got the dial gauge out. Result: 90 microns, 90 bloody microns! (That's about 3 1/2 thou for those still using measurements based on King John's foot). 'orrible.

But I got a nice surprise to go with the nasty one. I drifted the chuck off and measured the (circular) runout of the mounting taper. I couldn't. With a 10 micron/division dial gauge (Mitutoyo, naturally) the needle just wavered. So I haven't put the chuck back on. Now got an order in for an ER20 collet holder with a B16 taper and a set of ER20 collets (all 8 micron runout class). So, an idle "I really ought to get around to that" has set me back the best part of £100, just so's I can get proper round holes. Oh well.

The chuck probably ought to go in the bin, but will probably sit in the back of my tool chest gathering dust "just in case".

[Robert763]

One of the engineers at work took a Lecroy Wavesurfer off site in his car and smashed the screen    He didn't bother taking the front cover or packing it properly 

[bd139]

Ah a dumbass. No bonus for him.

[AVGresponding]

One of the engineers at work took a Lecroy Wavesurfer off site in his car and smashed the screen    He didn't bother taking the front cover or packing it properly 

Have you checked that his qualifications are genuine, and not printed off the internet?   

[AVGresponding]

@ the antipodean contingent, there's a poster asking about how/where to buy a Fluke T6 in down-under-land, if any of you can help:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fluke-t6-1000-pro/

[AVGresponding]

Oh just remembered, here's another one for Specmaster and factory to have a look at:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363448628974

[Robert763]

Looking at the Digiplan Differential Counter a bit more closely I recalled that I had a old  BT "Display Unit" (some kind of tone decoder, -48V supply, not working, paid £1 at a hamfest) that is in the same style case but not as tall. The height of the basic slim case is increased by adding one or two mouldings each side. The BT unit had one each side and still had the bail handle.
Eight screws and two panels swapped, and the counter no longer has a broken bezel or missing bail handle. It actually looks quite useful.

[Specmaster]

Oh just remembered, here's another one for Specmaster and factory to have a look at:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363448628974

Nah, it is already pricey, bound to go higher yet and the buyer has no history, fakespot guard already flagged the seller up needing extreme caution.

[bd139]

Oh just remembered, here's another one for Specmaster and factory to have a look at:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363448628974

Nah, it is already pricey, bound to go higher yet and the buyer has no history, fakespot guard already flagged the seller up needing extreme caution.

Seller is only down the road from me so I can go and smother dog shit all over their car and house if there’s a problem.

[factory]

Oh just remembered, here's another one for Specmaster and factory to have a look at:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363448628974

Nah, it is already pricey, bound to go higher yet and the buyer has no history, fakespot guard already flagged the seller up needing extreme caution.

That will probably make a lot more than the opening price, despite being from a low feedback/new seller*. Pictures are a bit shite too, haven't they got a higher-res camera? 

*Remembering the problems with new sellers & listing high value item(s) as their first item on ePay, I will be avoiding like the plague, plus I'm not keen on the 123 as previously mentioned.

[Robert763]

The 123B looks dodgy to me too. Virtually unused item, new seller 2 day listing 
Even if it's not a straight scam there is a good chance that the item is stolen.

For UK buyers wanting something different see
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255033154874

What is not obvious about this cable tv tester is that it includes a 5MHz to 1GHz spectrum analyserand AM/FM receiver amongst it's more obvious  functions. They are quite handy foe hunting down interference. 75R (a F female to BNC female will screw in place of the F connector saver to at least give a BNC)
You would have to sort out a battery charger. The screen looks a bit marked but it's polycarbonate and can be buffed up with a bit of work. No connection to or knowedge of the seller and I don't need another one, just enabling.

[bd139]

Just found some retard signalling out on my daily walk 

[Robert763]

Having bought a used Picoscope 2204A last week for £55, an OKish  price for a item that is £95 (inc tax) new, I noticed another used one for £115 which I thought as a bit much. I then did a search and found several new ones on sale for up to £297 
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264936654645 and www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264936654645
Note the similar user name and identical address. This is one of the leaches who drop ship from Farnell. Amazon etc at huge mark-ups. Strangly a lot of people buy from these sellers.

[Cerebus]

Just found some retard signalling out on my daily walk 

Yeah right. If our weather was being engineered who the fuck would choose to make it what it has been recently?

[Specmaster]

Just found some retard signalling out on my daily walk 

Another Bill Gates conspiracy theory?

[bd139]

Just found some retard signalling out on my daily walk 

Yeah right. If our weather was being engineered who the fuck would choose to make it what it has been recently?

Them! Who? Them! 

I had that discussion once with my father.

[Specmaster]

Having bought a used Picoscope 2204A last week for £55, an OKish  price for a item that is £95 (inc tax) new, I noticed another used one for £115 which I thought as a bit much. I then did a search and found several new ones on sale for up to £297 
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264936654645 and www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264936654645
Note the similar user name and identical address. This is one of the leaches who drop ship from Farnell. Amazon etc at huge mark-ups. Strangly a lot of people buy from these sellers.

WTF, do you really think people from them at those silly prices. Is there no way they can be shut down, that might help explain the stupid valuations some sellers place on their old beaten up crap.

[Robert763]

I did report it for "price gouging" but as it's not loo rools ar hans sanitiser I doubt ebay will do anything.

[mansaxel]

In the realm of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Elfa Distrelec wants 13 money($/€/£) for a 24V LED lamp, in midget groove.  The incandescent is only 3 money. They're crazy. But I guess the prospect of "won't burn out and be needing maintenance" is of value.

Found non-eao incandescents in Germany (it's a #334 lamp for those in the US) for 1 money a piece, which still is expensive but not insane.

[tautech]

Muntjac? that an't no deer, this is a deer....

Just surfacing and catching up and PC went into some boot loop......

Best type of deer and heading for the table 

[Specmaster]

My PC is driving me crazy at the moment, I tried to see if it would be suitable to run Windows 11 when it is released, and it failed, and now it is effing about. I had problems with audio on discord Saturday, since then installed new audio drivers, and it's completely screwed up the settings, and now it will no longer see the headset when plugged in, so no microphone and no headphones, only speakers 

I may have to wipe it clean and do a complete reinstall, if that happens, I may be gone sometime reinstalling everything 

[Specmaster]

The 123B looks dodgy to me too. Virtually unused item, new seller 2 day listing 
Even if it's not a straight scam there is a good chance that the item is stolen.

For UK buyers wanting something different see
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255033154874

What is not obvious about this cable tv tester is that it includes a 5MHz to 1GHz spectrum analyserand AM/FM receiver amongst it's more obvious  functions. They are quite handy foe hunting down interference. 75R (a F female to BNC female will screw in place of the F connector saver to at least give a BNC)
You would have to sort out a battery charger. The screen looks a bit marked but it's polycarbonate and can be buffed up with a bit of work. No connection to or knowedge of the seller and I don't need another one, just enabling.

Farnell are selling this scope for £1497.60 incl VAT, so based on that this one is certainly looking like a fraudulent listing. It could be stolen and if anyone wins it and has to send to Fluke at any point, they might impound it if its reported as stolen, or the winner may just pay for it but never receive it, and the seller slips away into the night 

[xrunner]

I may have to wipe it clean and do a complete reinstall, if that happens, I may be gone sometime reinstalling everything 

Good idea. Remember ... nothing can go wrong. 

[mnementh]

3DP Corner: 4x18650 Battery Box for Bicycle Headlamp

       
https://a360.co/3h3VOOI                         https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07QQ4CCXJ/

I picked this headlamp up for the boi's bicycle a few weeks back; it was approx $4 more than the one I got for my fatBike (which had gone up considerably since my purchase), and came with the battery pack, a charger and even a headband so you could use it for spelunking or whatever.    But (there's always a butt ) the stupid webbing pouch that came with it for the battery was simply abysmal, so I had to make something that actually works. 

For those who care, relevant fab & assembly details/3DP Nerds stats are here on the 3DP thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/3d-printing/3d-printer-yet/msg3596958/#msg3596958

mnem