Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

When people complain about the price you should look at the value you derive versus the ownership price.

Cost £1000 (that includes “being an idiot insurance” for 24 months). Get £400 back after two years. So total spend is £600. That works out at £25 a month over 2 years. Which isn’t a lot of money really considering the shite we all buy off eBay on a regular basis for more  . Realistically the average salary in the UK percentage of that is about 1.2%. Most people spend more on TV subs and alcohol.

For that you get a pocket supercomputer, decent camera, navigation device, music player, multi mode communication device, email client, eBay hawking device, calendar, alarm clock, contact manager and payment device. The phone bit isn’t that important these days.

Total bargain.

The only bad bit is the pocket Stasi.  . But quite frankly Apple are still the least bad at that sort of stuff.

I wouldn’t buy a bottom end handset myself. I have been there. There is only pain.

Edit: wrote this post on mine while taking a shit between meetings. See look at that value!

Which is worse such stasi functionality or the ability for a an advert from a cloud computer to break every computer in the world running one version of the operating system? Discuss.

For those unaware, Microsoft broke every Win11 in the world by downloading an advert for MS Teams!
https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/windows11-empty-taskbar.html

The problem wasn’t caused by an update delivered through Windows Update. (That would have been more understandable.) Instead, it was caused by a small file downloaded by a Windows component called IrisService. Iris is a part of Windows Spotlight (the Bing wallpaper of the day; and tips, promotions, and suggestions on the Lock screen).

Based on the Microsoft-provided workaround, I narrowed the problem down to a registry key that contained a serialized JSON blob. The blob contained an advertisement for Microsoft Teams... Teams

Clearly MS knows and understands how to design reliabillty into their products - not. What next?

Oh that's just terrible.

Then again they broke Alt+tab entirely a while back as well so anything is possible.

I had some fun with their staff on github about that.



My comment didn't age well 

Backing up my comment about software quality yesterday and worrying about who wrote what your bank does behind the scenes appears to have triggered Murphy as my bank's online services are all currently down (Santander)  . Apparently some people are reporting problems withdrawing cash and paying things but you can never tell if that's actually that side of things being broken or they are just broke and stupid.

There is a positive side to this. I still have the 200 quid in cash I got out of the bank and didn't spend at the hamfest the other day. The irony of this is I couldn't go and pay it back in because they just closed my nearest bank branch. Serendipitous outcome!

[tggzzz]

I have not had the pleasure of sampling goat and not sure I want to.

It is fine, but doesn't taste like the apocryphal chicken. Chicken used to be a nice treat, but modern farming practices have changed that.

Goat has a good flavour, more like beef or venison, and since it isn't intensively farmed it needs appropriate cooking to ensure it isn't too tough.

[med6753]

There is a positive side to this. I still have the 200 quid in cash I got out of the bank and didn't spend at the hamfest the other day. The irony of this is I couldn't go and pay it back in because they just closed my nearest bank branch. Serendipitous outcome!

And that cash is burning a hole in your pocket, isn't it? 

[BU508A]

Echoes from a distant past

Part two - The Two Transformers

Part one - Siemens Rel. send. 22b
Part two - The Two Transformers
Part three - The Rohde & Schwarz NGU laboratory power supply unit for vacuum tubes
Part four - The Rohde & Schwarz Vacuum Tube Meter URI BN 1050
Part five - The Rohde & Schwarz UVN BN 12001 NF Millivoltmeter
Part six - The Nordmende digital multimeter DIVO 3355 (with Nixie tubes!)


Hello,

as announced in the first part, today I'd like to show you the two transformers, one is an adjustable isolating transformer of an unknown brand (the RRTGL) and an adjustable power supply from PHYWE.

Front view: left the RRTGL, right the PHYWE 07475



As you can see, they are looking very nice and clean, nearly mint condition.

Let's start with the RRTGL
I haven't found any information online about the RRTGL, the only piece of information was this plate next to the type shield.
But we do have a date code: the device has been tested on January, 19th 1967. I hope, the test was successful.
What I do really like are the instruments. Aren't they gorgeous?
It seems, that somebody replaced the pair of binding posts on the right. I think, the new ones are Hirschmann PKNI 10
The mains socket is a clear hint for the isolating transformer inside, because it has no PEN connector. I'm not sure, but looking at those scratches I have the impression, that this socket has been added as a modification. Maybe the same is also true for the new binding posts. Mains switch, flip it upward for "ON".






Let's have a look in it's back. Backside of the mains socket and the old binding posts with some patina. The current collector.



All three outputs are in parallel, I've measured at 0%, 50% and 100%.





Now the PHYWE 07475. It is an unregulated PSU with  two AC and one DC outputs. One AC output is fixed at 6V~/5A which is good for vacuum tube tinkering.

On top there is a nice and useful handle. Clean up aid for the mains cable. Type plate.



Here are some details of what's inside.
Bosch capacitor with a date code of 02/68. Full bridge rectifier. Transformer with a detailed view to the non-isolated parts of the windings and a detailed view of the current collector.



Some measurements of the outputs. Please note: the mains switch flips upwards for "ON".
The 6V~ output. The 0V~ ... 25V~ output at 0V, 15V and maximum.



The 0V ... 20V DC output at 0V, 10V, 20V, maximum. Output is reading a bit high.



This is the manual which I got with the 07475.

Front cover, inside left, inside right, back.



I hope, you've enjoyed part two. Please stay tuned for part three - the Rohde & Schwarz lab power supply for vacuum tubes, type NGU.

Thank you for watching.

[Saskia]

great woe is me. Hubby spent his monthly allowance on Puukkos ...

Any recommendations for an INEXPENSIVE 10 gbit switch ? should have at least 4 usable 10 gbit ports for NAS and some experiments plus 8 additional gbit ports. Stackability or downlink port to 1 gbit switch would be a welcome plus ...
Use case: in house home office cabling. VLAN capability would be a plus (to separate work part from at home part)

[Saskia]

Echoes from a distant past

Part two - The Two Transformers

Part one - Siemens Rel. send. 22b


As announced in the first part, today I'd like to show you the two transformers, one is an adjustable isolating transformer of an unknown brand (the RRTGL) and an adjustable power supply from PHYWE.

Front view: left the RRTGL, right the PHYWE 07475



As you can see, they are looking very nice and clean, nearly mint condition.

Let's start with the RRTGL
I haven't found any information online about the RRTGL, the only piece of information was this plate next to the type shield.
But we do have a date code: the device has been tested on January, 19th 1967. I hope, the test was successful.
What I do really like are the instruments. Aren't they gorgeous?
It seems, that somebody replaced the pair of binding posts on the right. I think, the new ones are Hirschmann PKNI 10
The mains socket is a clear hint for the isolating transformer inside, because it has no PEN connector. I'm not sure, but looking at those scratches I have the impression, that this socket has been added as a modification. Maybe the same is also true for the new binding posts. Mains switch, flip it upward for "ON".






Let's have a look in it's back. Backside of the mains socket and the old binding posts with some patina. The current collector.



All three outputs are in parallel, I've measured at 0%, 50% and 100%.





Now the PHYWE 07475. It is an unregulated PSU with  two AC and one DC outputs. One AC output is fixed at 6V~/5A which is good for vacuum tube tinkering.

On top there is a nice and useful handle. Clean up aid for the mains cable. Type plate.



Here are some details of what's inside.
Bosch capacitor with a date code of 02/68. Full bridge rectifier. Transformer with a detailed view to the non-isolated parts of the windings and a detailed view of the current collector.



Some measurements of the outputs. Please note: the mains switch flips upwards for "ON".
The 6V~ output. The 0V~ ... 25V~ output at 0V, 15V and maximum.



The 0V ... 20V DC output at 0V, 10V, 20V, maximum. Output is reading a bit high.



This is the manual which I got with the 07475.

Front cover, inside left, inside right, back.



I hope, you've enjoyed part 2. Please stay tuned for part 3 - the Rohde & Schwarz lab power supply for vacuum tubes, type NGU.

Thank you for watching.

https://youtu.be/53N99Nim6WE

[tautech]

I have not had the pleasure of sampling goat and not sure I want to.

It is fine, but doesn't taste like the apocryphal chicken. Chicken used to be a nice treat, but modern farming practices have changed that.

Goat has a good flavour, more like beef or venison, and since it isn't intensively farmed it needs appropriate cooking to ensure it isn't too tough.

Not necessarily.
In another life I had 100's of them and for a local goat people doo we put a good sized kid (young goat) on the rotisserie spit and served it up to them not telling what it was where most presumed it was good old spit roast lamb. It was a little more bland than lamb and beautifully tender however.....when the real goat lovers got the word it WAS goat some left the party in horror ! 
Funny as hell it all was too as the old chap down the road where this doo was held was one of the most highly regarded in the local goat fraternity and no one was more in on the deceit than he was ! 
Miss him heaps and named our youngest in his honor. 

[Specmaster]

Get yourself a Caterpillar S62 for less than £500, and you've got a waterproof, mil-spec phone with a decent FLIR camera built in.

Worth it

At last!------A legitimate reason for thermal cameras!

Well it would be if only that video was not faked 

[tautech]

Yeah that's a proper scope.

I don't know why anyone would buy anything but those Siglents new now unless you need to go up a couple of levels of super-power.

True but not everyone needs the feature set of the 4ch X-E's so the somewhat cheaper SDS1104X-U has gained some traction .....of which we have a new inquiry for one right now. 

But then again when all the options were put in front of him ...$, specs, etc he wanted the more expensive X-E and its better feature set.
Sold, $ ka-ching ! 

[Specmaster]

Probably not, these scopes are too recent for that I think !

... have never taken mine apart (2 of them) though... because they " just work " ! ... which means they probably do NOT contains said blue caps ! 

No, they predominantly Brown caps in these. 

[Specmaster]

OK now for some more TEA. Maybe the grey beard will have a clue and give me some info on this little gizmo I just did a quick tear down of for you people.

The guy I bought one of my two Metrix nixie counters (not the one picture earlier, another one with only 6 digits, 10Mhz not 160Mhz), also gave me this little artifact as a bonus. Said it was so crap he didn't even find it worth the effort putting it up for sale as for sure nobody would want it.

I always wondered what it was for !  Seller had no clue either !

Looks old, looks military looking maybe... it's tiny, fits in the hand !

If I believe the scale on the galvanometer, it's an ohm-meter, with two ranges. There as switch on the side of the case to let you select that.
Also on the side there is a handle that you can crank to energize it.

So far so good, looks like your typical ancient mega-ohmmeter to measure earth resistance.

Problem is... the scale should read in the tens of Mohms..... whereas here, it's the opposite : it measures very LOW values : one scale for 0 - 50 ohms, other scale is 0 - 150 ohms !!!

There's something that feels very mining, possibly explosives related aboot that little device. Also, just because the current holder of that business name was founded in the 60s, does not mean it's the same company at all, or may even have been restructured, etc.

mnem
*idle thoughts of an idle fellow*

I forgot to reply to the original post.
It's basically just a low resistance version of a "Megger". Megger made them too, look identical to the high voltage versions. Has the avantage of nt needing batteries.
It does look a bit like an exploder but isn't. Megger did make a "Safety Ohmmeter" version for use with pyrotechnics etc.
http://www.richardsradios.co.uk/safety.html

From the design and ranges I'd posit that the French one was intended for testing field telephone lines.

EDIT, one just poped up on ebay:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224596459684

Almost identical ranges as well.

[tggzzz]

I have not had the pleasure of sampling goat and not sure I want to.

It is fine, but doesn't taste like the apocryphal chicken. Chicken used to be a nice treat, but modern farming practices have changed that.

Goat has a good flavour, more like beef or venison, and since it isn't intensively farmed it needs appropriate cooking to ensure it isn't too tough.

Not necessarily.
In another life I had 100's of them and for a local goat people doo we put a good sized kid (young goat) on the rotisserie spit and served it up to them not telling what it was where most presumed it was good old spit roast lamb. It was a little more bland than lamb and beautifully tender however.....when the real goat lovers got the word it WAS goat some left the party in horror ! 
Funny as hell it all was too as the old chap down the road where this doo was held was one of the most highly regarded in the local goat fraternity and no one was more in on the deceit than he was ! 
Miss him heaps and named our youngest in his honor. 

Young animals are normally more bland and tender than older ones that have had time to strengthen their muscles; veal springs to mind.

And that's a bit of a mean trick! I'd only play that kind of game on people that I thought were grossly hypocritical or deliberately and determinedly ignorant.

[tautech]

I have not had the pleasure of sampling goat and not sure I want to.

It is fine, but doesn't taste like the apocryphal chicken. Chicken used to be a nice treat, but modern farming practices have changed that.

Goat has a good flavour, more like beef or venison, and since it isn't intensively farmed it needs appropriate cooking to ensure it isn't too tough.

Not necessarily.
In another life I had 100's of them and for a local goat people doo we put a good sized kid (young goat) on the rotisserie spit and served it up to them not telling what it was where most presumed it was good old spit roast lamb. It was a little more bland than lamb and beautifully tender however.....when the real goat lovers got the word it WAS goat some left the party in horror ! 
Funny as hell it all was too as the old chap down the road where this doo was held was one of the most highly regarded in the local goat fraternity and no one was more in on the deceit than he was ! 
Miss him heaps and named our youngest in his honor. 

Young animals are normally more bland and tender than older ones that have had time to strengthen their muscles; veal springs to mind.

And that's a bit of a mean trick! I'd only play that kind of game on people that I thought were grossly hypocritical or deliberately and determinedly ignorant.

Was actually the old chaps idea having eaten all he'd grown over decades of being on the land...as one does.
I think he was getting a bit sick of all the molly coddling goat owners where he and I just saw them as livestock and sometimes dead stock such is the bitch nature can be.
The irony is they would have been quite happy eating baby lambie but not young delicious goat.
Some hypocrisy is in that for sure.

[AVGresponding]

   Turd alert: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144183943698

Well, sure they said it was connected to an 8Ω load... but not that both sides were connected. 

mnem
 

Perhaps the load blew the current and smoothing controls off the front shortly before this picture was taken

Or perhaps you should just look at the other pictures in the listing before you start insulting a well known and well respected fellow TEA member.

[bd139]

Yeah I did know who it is. “Used” and “working” is a generous description for something missing major functional pieces.

[AVGresponding]

It's clearly been modified, for sure. You can see the current limiting pot now has a flat-blade screwdriver slot for adjustment.
Whether this was done because the pot shaft broke, or just to make it tamper resistant, is just guesswork.

That doesn't mean it doesn't work. That current reading is what you'd expect for an 8 ohm load at 10VDC. I'd guess for a low cost item like this he just hasn't the time for more testing, or just has no knowledge of what the original appearance/functionality should be.

Maybe he can tell us himself?



@Ice-Tea, come and defend your honour!   

[Robert763]

Echoes from a distant past

Part two - The Two Transformers

Part one - Siemens Rel. send. 22b
Part two - The Two Transformers

As announced in the first part, today I'd like to show you the two transformers, one is an adjustable isolating transformer of an unknown brand (the RRTGL) and an adjustable power supply from PHYWE.

Front view: left the RRTGL, right the PHYWE 07475



As you can see, they are looking very nice and clean, nearly mint condition.

Let's start with the RRTGL
I haven't found any information online about the RRTGL, the only piece of information was this plate next to the type shield.
But we do have a date code: the device has been tested on January, 19th 1967. I hope, the test was successful.
What I do really like are the instruments. Aren't they gorgeous?
It seems, that somebody replaced the pair of binding posts on the right. I think, the new ones are Hirschmann PKNI 10
The mains socket is a clear hint for the isolating transformer inside, because it has no PEN connector. I'm not sure, but looking at those scratches I have the impression, that this socket has been added as a modification. Maybe the same is also true for the new binding posts. Mains switch, flip it upward for "ON".


Let's have a look in it's back. Backside of the mains socket and the old binding posts with some patina. The current collector.


All three outputs are in parallel, I've measured at 0%, 50% and 100%.


Now the PHYWE 07475. It is an unregulated PSU with  two AC and one DC outputs. One AC output is fixed at 6V~/5A which is good for vacuum tube tinkering.

On top there is a nice and useful handle. Clean up aid for the mains cable. Type plate.



Here are some details of what's inside.
Bosch capacitor with a date code of 02/68. Full bridge rectifier. Transformer with a detailed view to the non-isolated parts of the windings and a detailed view of the current collector.



Some measurements of the outputs. Please note: the mains switch flips upwards for "ON".
The 6V~ output. The 0V~ ... 25V~ output at 0V, 15V and maximum.

This is the manual which I got with the 07475.
Front cover, inside left, inside right, back.
I hope, you've enjoyed part two. Please stay tuned for part three - the Rohde & Schwarz lab power supply for vacuum tubes, type NGU.

Thank you for watching.

Very nice. The LV isolating variable transformer is as I expected, Nice to see they did actually make high voltage ones as well.

[Ice-Tea]

It's clearly been modified, for sure. You can see the current limiting pot now has a flat-blade screwdriver slot for adjustment.
Whether this was done because the pot shaft broke, or just to make it tamper resistant, is just guesswork.

That doesn't mean it doesn't work. That current reading is what you'd expect for an 8 ohm load at 10VDC. I'd guess for a low cost item like this he just hasn't the time for more testing, or just has no knowledge of what the original appearance/functionality should be.

Maybe he can tell us himself?

@Ice-Tea, come and defend your honour!   

Thanks for defending me I've been away for a bit, hardly have time to even lurk these days 

I saw the slotted turnpot and assumed that was how it was supposed to be. Never occured to me there was supposed to be a knob there, there are plenty of supplies out there that have a less accesible current limiter. Saw pictures of complete units and now it's obvious off course. So in general, you're spot on: I didn't have time to do more testing and I didn't have the knowledge what it should be.

Not sure what the commotion about the 8 ohm load is, though. That's obviously about the other picture (the one you linked to as well...)

[Specmaster]

It's clearly been modified, for sure. You can see the current limiting pot now has a flat-blade screwdriver slot for adjustment.
Whether this was done because the pot shaft broke, or just to make it tamper resistant, is just guesswork.

That doesn't mean it doesn't work. That current reading is what you'd expect for an 8 ohm load at 10VDC. I'd guess for a low cost item like this he just hasn't the time for more testing, or just has no knowledge of what the original appearance/functionality should be.

Maybe he can tell us himself?



@Ice-Tea, come and defend your honour!   

What about the damping button then? I also know who it is but other viewers and or buyers might not, and surely if the current limiting control had been modified to be a form anti-tamper device, then why not do the same to voltage controls and then make mention of it in the description 

[Andrew_Debbie]

All these page counts and not one budget mulitmeter.    I would have turned on the speakers for the photo but they are really terrible.

[xrunner]

All these page counts and not one budget mulitmeter.    I would have turned on the speakers for the photo but they are really terrible.

Damn you. Now I'm bummed because I nothing here that will do that!

[Andrew_Debbie]

The AN-888s is on special at Bangood.  They also have the newer AN-999s  which adds 19999 count and BT data.   

The 9999 count  888s only uses BT for the speakers   



The 888s is not bad, especially when it was $60.     Just don't expect it to do things like accuratly  measure mV of AC ripple on a +18VDC suppy line.    The manual specifically warns against measuring line voltage when it is charging.   To be safe,  I  alway run it on batteries

[BU508A]

Very nice. The LV isolating variable transformer is as I expected, Nice to see they did actually make high voltage ones as well.

I'm having a similar transformer, my Grundig RT5A (800VA, max. output 250V~) adjustable isolating transformer.



To me it looks like a common technique.

Grundig RT5A at the Radiomuseum - click here.

[mnementh]

   OK now for some more TEA. Maybe the grey beard will have a clue and give me some info on this little gizmo I just did a quick tear down of for you people.
(SNIP)

Problem is... the scale should read in the tens of Mohms..... whereas here, it's the opposite : it measures very LOW values : one scale for 0 - 50 ohms, other scale is 0 - 150 ohms !!!

There's something that feels very mining, possibly explosives related aboot that little device. Also, just because the current holder of that business name was founded in the 60s, does not mean it's the same company at all, or may even have been restructured, etc.

mnem
*idle thoughts of an idle fellow*

Yeah... we will soon find out.. I  e-mailed the last night, got no reply today. Maybe next week... but not holding my breath...

Looks like this cute little thing will soon end up in the scrappy along with the 8 CD players I just tore down to bits.

I can't think of a reason in the world to trash it... I'd think it would be fun to figure it out and make it work again, then put it on the shelf. Not like it should be hard to figure out...

mnem
moo.

[mnementh]

I wouldn’t worry about scope software. Every time you spend money, some code runs somewhere written by an outsourcer who bought his degree for three goats, was stoned and working up to his knees in fecal matter flooded from the Ganges. And he has several orders of magnitude more clue than the guys telling him what to do. Worry about that instead

I am rather concerned about the repeated and incessant occurrence of goats in your product lifecycles.
And the fact that those artiodactyls do not convince me of having the proper certifications does merely aggravate this.

I'd be much more concerned to find that the ungulates in question actually did have legitimate certifications in the appropriate field, myself... 

Also, probably not wise to delve too deep into bd's relationship with goats. 

mnem