Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

payload is one static linked C bin. All I'm doing is opening the UART, reading GPGGA messages and farting them into an SQLite database on the SD card.

Okay... how many SLOCs are you willing to burn for the sake of 29quid...?

Seems a lot of assache reinventing the wheel... 

I like reinventing wheels 

[mnementh]

Right... Law # 11.

Actually... ummm... now that I think of it... what you're describing  sounds a lot like what a Tile does all day long... 

mnem
 

[25 CPS]

Thanks for mentioning that.  I was using a bigger than typical hammer drill (120V, 6A).  It is not a SDS+ (I had to google the difference).  We have an even bigger Makita that is at SWMBO brother's house; will check this afternoon if that one is SDS+; it could be big enough to be SDS-MAX.  If not, then I have an excuse to go shopping.  Maybe not, $500+CAD is pretty steep for occasional use.  Oh wait, that sounds like TEA 
Update:  I can get a single-battery SDS+ drill reburbished from Makita Canada for $205CAD; only an hour drive away (but close to my office).

No chance of finding that sort of thing in a thrift shop.  I suspect certain individuals find good deals where there are affluent neighbourhoods.  Those neighbourhoods do not appear to be near here.  Also, affluence like that means they can afford to hire someone, rather than buying such a tool.  Around here in rural areas, you keep everything ... just in case.

I am absolutely certain there is no rebar.  I poured the cement myself.  It is a 8" tube footing which does not need that level of reinforcement.
From what I just read on SDS, that has a much greater chance of breaking through as you suggested, at least compared to a regular hammer drill.
I will try the sticky stick idea; if it works it will certainly make things easier.

Thanks!

The right neighbourhood is key.  Too low end, it's all junk.  Too high end, it's good stuff but there's not much selection of tools and equipment for exactly the reason you stated: they don't do it themselves.  The best results I've had are neighbourhoods where there's some DIY but what really helps is where there's a large population of people who do it professionally.  There you find tools and test equipment turning up in second hand shops or pawn shops as pros turn over their gear or sell off stuff they aren't using or cash stuff out if their businesses run into hard times.  Scarborough and Etobicoke in Toronto have been good for that, so has the Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula area, and, oddly enough, Peterborough.

Oakville's a total writeoff.  According to one real estate agent's advertisements I've been bombarded with online (I don't know why, at what I earn, I'm not this person's target market), Oakville is one of the wealthiest areas in the country and my experience with it has been that they get out the high end credit card, hire the relevant expertise to get whatever they need done, and collect the points on the card.  Tools and test equipment turn up rarely.  When it does, usually it's one of the businesses in one of the commercial areas selling.  Other than that, nothing.

[med6753]

But seriously... fuck that noize. For that and all the reasons Linus said in that video we shared a few days ago. 

Well you really picked a thing to fight there TBH. I would have left the bloody thing on the street  . Debian is really easy if you have plain old PC at hand. I did have to futz with the power management on this so it'd still stay awake when I closed the lid though.

So random project. I am working on a GPS tracker for taking out hiking. This is a complete replacement for the usual shit that's out there. It's a chuck it in your bag and forget it device. Well it would be but like hell I can get hold of the proposed target uC any more, which was a Raspberry Pi Zero W. They have disappeared off the face of the planet. Thus does anyone know an SBC or module that does the following:

1. Must run Linux. I don't want to fuck around with RTOS and low level stuff.
2. Needs Wifi as I want to get the files off without cables or SD card fluffing around.
3. Really low power. Under 100mA idle. Burst is fine. Will be hanging off a small LiPo and needs to last 18 hours approx.

I agree. A 10 year old Xeon server/workstation repackaged as a prosumer PC (previous owner was a video content creator, so yeah, lots of BW) is hardly a great test mule... but fuck. If you can't make a installer that works with a dual-Xeon machine that Windoze will install on out of the box, WTF are you doing? I shouldn't need to sit down with a checklist and a 6-pack of Vodka bombs and figure out which jigsaw puzzle bits I need to recompile every fucking install FFS. 

As to your problem:

Are these not what you're looking for? Did you try DigiKey UK...?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000693620101.html

https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/pi-supply/PIS-0900/1910-1103-ND/9522075

https://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?keywords=KIT-14298

mnem
 

Gee, I'm installing Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on an old Dell laptop with a dead battery (new one on order) as I write this and it's going along just fine. I dunno what your problem is pal. 

It's the Lady Cop's laptop that she loaned to her grand daughter for about 2 years. She finally got a school issued Mac so now I've got it to wipe W7 clean and make it a Linux box. Going to Win10 is just too much of a hassle and she really just surfs the web with Firefox so Ubuntu is a perfect fit. And less maintenance and hassle for me. 

     

[AVGresponding]

Just been cleaning out my youtube "watch later" list, and there's a couple I feel it's worth passing comment on.

The one Dave put up yesterday of the Flake Wristwatch DMM is quite amusing, and as I've mentioned in that thread I think it'd have made a good April 1st post, but I disagree with him on the complete lack of practicality.
I reckon you could have all the measuring and protection electronics in those chunky probes, and have the leads plugging in to the watch merely opto-isolated data lines. Would still be a bit of a toy/novelty though.

Secondly, just watched Paul Carlson's repair vid on yet another tube radio, and as usual it was quite good to watch until he as always starts banging on about his capacitor tester. Now, I'm not knocking his design or even the fact he wants to plug his patreon, that's fine. What annoys me is two factual inaccuracies he keeps repeating.
1. Normal meters can't measure such high resistances. Someone should tell him about the conductance modes on many modern meters, which measure well into the multi-GΩ range.
2. His meter does the same as a high-voltage capacitor tester, but more safely. Well, sorry, but if your leakage only happens at higher voltages due to dielectric breakdown, his meter isn't very likely to pick that up, at least not any more likely than any modern meter that does conductance.

/rant

[bd139]

Oh don't get me started on his capacitor tester bollocks 

[BU508A]

Nice Raspi Pi 4 server with integrated UPS and OLED stats display:



@bd139: Yes, I know you don't like the Raspi. That's why I'm posting it here. 

[bd139]

It’s fine if you want SD as primary storage. Which is wrong for 99% of the promoted use cases.

[bitseeker]

D'oh! I missed out on snagging a 34461A for $500. Not being one to totally blindly buy test equipment, after a few minutes examining pics, seller history, equipment service history, etc., someone else had jumped on it.

And that's my "big fish that got away" story for the July 4th weekend.

It's OK, though, as the 34401A still boots faster.

[bitseeker]

The one Dave put up yesterday of the Flake Wristwatch DMM is quite amusing, and as I've mentioned in that thread I think it'd have made a good April 1st post, but I disagree with him on the complete lack of practicality.
I reckon you could have all the measuring and protection electronics in those chunky probes, and have the leads plugging in to the watch merely opto-isolated data lines. Would still be a bit of a toy/novelty though.

Yep, that was pretty neat. How long until a first attempt at one appears on Banggood, AliExpress, or similar usual suspect distribution point?

I suppose one could have almost everything in the probes and further isolate them from the user by only sending the data to the watch via Bluetooth.

Someone had commented on the video about a watch with Bluetooth that simply acted as a remote display for an existing DMM such as the 121GW.

[jjoonathan]

wrong for 99% of the promoted use cases.

Oh man, if that isn't the pi in a nutshell -- I can't count the number of $100 engineer-hours I have seen wasted trying to get a $10 computer to stop being slow. Or worse. I have seen two different $1000000 conference outings that have featured an interactive demo on a pi and a literal schedule of salesmen taking shifts to intercept customers before they can play with it and realize what a dog it is.

[bitseeker]

bd is back? No wonder the thread backups got bigger.

[bd139]

Spammity spam. Sorry. Talking of which I need to finish the parsed backup scripts as well. Completely forgot about them 

wrong for 99% of the promoted use cases.

Oh man, if that isn't the pi in a nutshell -- I can't count the number of $100 engineer-hours I have seen wasted trying to get a $10 computer to stop being slow. Or worse. I have seen two different $1000000 conference outings that have featured an interactive demo on a pi and a literal schedule of salesmen taking shifts to intercept customers before they can play with it and realize what a dog it is.

Oh yes been there. I remember hiring some interactive signage a few years back for an exhibition ahcih consisted of a huge vertical LCD and it came with one of the commercial varieties of no brand ARM SoC module turd strapped to it that played h264 videos. We found the screen had an HDMI hole in it so it got wedged into a spare laptop and VLC fired up rather than futz with it. Had to kill a windows defender pop up though 

[bitseeker]

Spammity spam. Sorry. Talking of which I need to finish the parsed backup scripts as well. Completely forgot about them 

Hey, no need to apologize. I'm just pullin' your chain. It's all good and glad to see you back on the forum!

[med6753]

All done. 

[bitseeker]

Oof! Those disembodied tab buttons. What a horrendous UI "improvement". Just when I thought "modern" UIs couldn't get any worse.

[bitseeker]

GIVEAWAY: Rohde & Schwarz NGA102 PSU

Is it wrong that I find it hilarious how many people appear unable to both read and count whenever Dave has a giveaway?

[med6753]

Oof! Those disembodied tab buttons. What a horrendous UI "improvement". Just when I thought "modern" UIs couldn't get any worse.

Yes, it does look like they turned a 5 year old loose with a crayon. But don't care....if she's happy then I'm happy. 

[bitseeker]

Yes, "happy (wife, husband, significant other, etc.), happy life."

[Cerebus]

1. Normal meters can't measure such high resistances. Someone should tell him about the conductance modes on many modern meters, which measure well into the multi-GΩ range.
/rant

Modern? My Fluke 25 has a 32.00 nS range. It might not be quite vintage yet, but it's definitely veteran (in both senses of the word), the original Final Test report is dated 7 Apr 1998 and it came covered with desert sand and the unmistakable smell of tank.

[wolfy007]

I think the only exception to that rule is probably Brian May so far.

The whole band, not just May, for that matter.

I just collected that meter and straight away the screen is needing some attention, and I'd love to address that aspect before cracking it open and exploring its goodness. I have given it a quick functioning test, and it seems to be OK.

So as you can see from the photo, the screen is letting it down, so I'm asking you guys how to tackle this as I'm keen to resolve that before progressing further, any tips?

Brasso wadding aka Duraglit, and a lot of elbow grease.

I have used Meguiars  PlastX to polish up the screen of the last few multimeters I repaired or cleaned up.

PS: especially good if your going to wet'n'dry it to get rid of the deep scratches.

[Cerebus]

All done. 

"Recommended by Pocket": Nekkid women and grumpy looking ole geezers. Yup, looks like they've got your number. Kinda surprised that the third picture isn't the insides of a Tek 500 series instead of some kind of abstract.

[vk6zgo]

Just been cleaning out my youtube "watch later" list, and there's a couple I feel it's worth passing comment on.

The one Dave put up yesterday of the Flake Wristwatch DMM is quite amusing, and as I've mentioned in that thread I think it'd have made a good April 1st post, but I disagree with him on the complete lack of practicality.
I reckon you could have all the measuring and protection electronics in those chunky probes, and have the leads plugging in to the watch merely opto-isolated data lines. Would still be a bit of a toy/novelty though.

Secondly, just watched Paul Carlson's repair vid on yet another tube radio, and as usual it was quite good to watch until he as always starts banging on about his capacitor tester. Now, I'm not knocking his design or even the fact he wants to plug his patreon, that's fine. What annoys me is two factual inaccuracies he keeps repeating.
1. Normal meters can't measure such high resistances. Someone should tell him about the conductance modes on many modern meters, which measure well into the multi-GΩ range.
2. His meter does the same as a high-voltage capacitor tester, but more safely. Well, sorry, but if your leakage only happens at higher voltages due to dielectric breakdown, his meter isn't very likely to pick that up, at least not any more likely than any modern meter that does conductance.

/rant

Paul is a clever lad, but he does go off on flights of fancy sometimes.

To us OFs who "cut our teeth" on "vacoom toobes", a lot of the stuff that modern day tube afficiandos spout is "bollocks", but he is one of the least annoying.

The thing that gripes me most is the insistence upon running indirectly heated tube heaters off DC, "to reduce hum".
Back in the day when we could buy real, new ex factory tubes, not  repackaged "pulls", such shenanigans were unheard of except in the most exotic applications.

Guess what the number 1 reason for tube replacement, & factory rejection was back in the day?
Heater/cathode leakage!!   

Some "sharpies" seem to have discovered a treasure trove of replaced/rejected tubes (landfill mining?) & placed them on the market at premium prices!

[mnementh]

It’s fine if you want SD as primary storage. Which is wrong for 99% of the promoted use cases.

Spew and a half...   

mnem
 

[mnementh]

But seriously... fuck that noize. For that and all the reasons Linus said in that video we shared a few days ago. 

Well you really picked a thing to fight there TBH. I would have left the bloody thing on the street  . Debian is really easy if you have plain old PC at hand. I did have to futz with the power management on this so it'd still stay awake when I closed the lid though.

So random project. I am working on a GPS tracker for taking out hiking. This is a complete replacement for the usual shit that's out there. It's a chuck it in your bag and forget it device. Well it would be but like hell I can get hold of the proposed target uC any more, which was a Raspberry Pi Zero W. They have disappeared off the face of the planet. Thus does anyone know an SBC or module that does the following:

1. Must run Linux. I don't want to fuck around with RTOS and low level stuff.
2. Needs Wifi as I want to get the files off without cables or SD card fluffing around.
3. Really low power. Under 100mA idle. Burst is fine. Will be hanging off a small LiPo and needs to last 18 hours approx.

I agree. A 10 year old Xeon server/workstation repackaged as a prosumer PC (previous owner was a video content creator, so yeah, lots of BW) is hardly a great test mule... but fuck. If you can't make a installer that works with a dual-Xeon machine that Windoze will install on out of the box, WTF are you doing? I shouldn't need to sit down with a checklist and a 6-pack of Vodka bombs and figure out which jigsaw puzzle bits I need to recompile every fucking install FFS. 

As to your problem:

Are these not what you're looking for? Did you try DigiKey UK...?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000693620101.html

https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/pi-supply/PIS-0900/1910-1103-ND/9522075

https://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?keywords=KIT-14298

mnem
 

Gee, I'm installing Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on an old Dell laptop with a dead battery (new one on order) as I write this and it's going along just fine. I dunno what your problem is pal. 

It's the Lady Cop's laptop that she loaned to her grand daughter for about 2 years. She finally got a school issued Mac so now I've got it to wipe W7 clean and make it a Linux box. Going to Win10 is just too much of a hassle and she really just surfs the web with Firefox so Ubuntu is a perfect fit. And less maintenance and hassle for me. 

We were talking aboot Debian, not Ubuntu. Any caveman can install Ubuntu on a Dell... they're a perfect match.

mnem