Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Kosmic]

These little "maker's plaque" type markings are important for the day-to-day use of an item, as they convey what the maker feels is the core purpose of the product.

That definitely is more than just marketing wank.

This too. One could argue that the yellow "<" and the word "FARA" are "Jet engine marketing", but as having once been qualified to work on an civilian airport apron area, I promise there's another purpose 

This individual aircraft, a SAAB J32B Lansen, fvnr 32569, was delivered 1959 and served as all-weather interceptor at a few different wings. In 1972 it was rebuilt into a J32E ECM platform, and served in that rôle up to about 1998.

So... not "Fukkin'-A, Run Away!!!" then...? 

mnem

If you get too close it's bad
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/165878

Don't expand the thumbnail if you are squeamish.

With everybody running on the runway in Afghanistan, I was expecting something like that. It's a good thing the engines are somehow higher on the C-17.

[Saskia]

or a preheater

How many of you have a preheater? I never used it, and I feel the need to buy one now.
T E A 

Send you one ?

[mnementh]

So... not "Fukkin'-A, Run Away!!!" then...? 

mnem

If you get too close it's bad https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/165878

Don't expand the thumbnail if you are squeamish.

urrrk. Exactly as gruesome as I imagined. So... maybe "Fukkin'-A, Run Away!!!" really is the correct interpretation. 

mnem

[Zucca]

Send you one ?

I think shipping from D to USA would have been too much, no thanks

[med6753]

Suspending work on any big projects here until next week. I think next week I'll dive back into the Type 547. Been doing some research and I think I have a handle as to what the root of the trouble might be. We'll see. I also have that Heath V-5 VTVM pending plus the Type 1A2 plug-in that needs some attention.

Lady Cop coming up this weekend. Her birthday is Saturday. Yes, 9/11. She was on duty that fateful day at a school on the Lower East side. Unobstructed view of the towers. She witnessed the 2nd plane going in. She witnessed both towers coming down. She was part of the group of NYPD directing people across the Brooklyn Bridge off Manhattan into Brooklyn. She was on duty for 3 days straight before she could go home. In talking with her about that day the thing that sticks with her to this day is the smell. She says she'll never forget it. The smell of burning building material and human remains.

So I try to make her birthday special and avoid the obvious. Although it's difficult because it's in your face even 20 years later. (Gee, has it been 20 years already?). Got a cake even though neither of us are supposed to eat it.  Flowers, card...all that mushy stuff.  And a nice dinner Saturday night so I won't be on Discord.   

[BU508A]

Seems, some people are interested in this Sisytronix 547 cup.

Price: EUR 15 per cup plus shipping plus additional fees (customs, VAT etc.)



Picture is showing orientation right side. Other available orientations are: front side, left side

Btw, right side means "inside". Outside means "left side" - this can be seen by others while drinking coffee (right-handed people).
Please consider that and let me know if you want to change the orientation.

Nickname		number of cups		orientation		country
med6753		1		right side		USA
bd139		1		right side		UK
RolandK		2		right side		Germany
cyclin_al		2		right side		Canada
Henrik_V		1		left side		Germany

Please let me know until 6th of September, if you want a cup as well.

Today arrival:



Will prepare them for shipping after the Metrology Meeting 2021 in Stuttgart which is going to happen this Saturday.
I'm not on discord as well for the same reason.

[Zucca]

https://news.mit.edu/2021/MIT-CFS-major-advance-toward-fusion-energy-0908

 

[McBryce]

These little "maker's plaque" type markings are important for the day-to-day use of an item, as they convey what the maker feels is the core purpose of the product.

That definitely is more than just marketing wank.

This too. One could argue that the yellow "<" and the word "FARA" are "Jet engine marketing", but as having once been qualified to work on an civilian airport apron area, I promise there's another purpose 

This individual aircraft, a SAAB J32B Lansen, fvnr 32569, was delivered 1959 and served as all-weather interceptor at a few different wings. In 1972 it was rebuilt into a J32E ECM platform, and served in that rôle up to about 1998.

So... not "Fukkin'-A, Run Away!!!" then...? 

mnem

If you get too close it's bad
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/165878

Don't expand the thumbnail if you are squeamish.

Ooo, thanks for the reminder.... Put cranberries on the shopping list for Sunday dinner.

McBryce.

[tggzzz]

I like the old school Soldapullt DS 017.



Easy to use one-handed, good suction and draws in a high volume.

Maybe I need a better desoldering gun.

I thought that, and always wanted an "old skool" desolderer but couldn't afford it. Then I noticed the Soldermaster Mark 8 below in that auction I mentioned that was "good for buyers because of the nearby Pb and Cd in the soil", and decided to splash out.

It is thoughtfully designed, with a metal case, the schematic on the inside of the metal case, a foot pedal that opens a solenoid to allow it to suck, and a hole to rest the hot iron in. I haven't found any information on use or maintenance.

Yes, it works. I may end up using my metcal to melt the solder and that to suck it up.

[Specmaster]

These little "maker's plaque" type markings are important for the day-to-day use of an item, as they convey what the maker feels is the core purpose of the product.

That definitely is more than just marketing wank.

This too. One could argue that the yellow "<" and the word "FARA" are "Jet engine marketing", but as having once been qualified to work on an civilian airport apron area, I promise there's another purpose 

This individual aircraft, a SAAB J32B Lansen, fvnr 32569, was delivered 1959 and served as all-weather interceptor at a few different wings. In 1972 it was rebuilt into a J32E ECM platform, and served in that rôle up to about 1998.

So... not "Fukkin'-A, Run Away!!!" then...? 

mnem

If you get too close it's bad
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/165878

Don't expand the thumbnail if you are squeamish.

Yeh, don't mess with aircraft, be they propeller or jet, they take no prisoners. I'm sure that there will be an incident on the airfield that I go to quite often. There are 2 cafe's, both are open to the public and both are located very close to taxiways which the public have to use to gain access to the airfield and the cafe's. While there are no jet passenger planes of the size in the incident above, there are a business jets along with some ex military fighters jets and trainers, in use by flight training and display teams along with bucket loads of propeller planes, some of which are large C54, and often a pair of Dakotas. Added into this mix you also have a few helicopters, police and air ambulance and some military ones that come in for servicing.

So far there have a few cases of people not knowing how dangerous it is, walking across the path of these taxiing planes , one occasion causing the delay of the air ambulance launch because some idiot was standing in the middle of the taxiway photographing the helicopter trying to get airborne with the pilot frantically waving his arms at the photographer to get out of his way.

The airfield ops team tell me that they also get idiots riding bikes and driving cars on the actual runway, FFS.

Personally, I hope that I never have to witness anything like the above happening 

[mnementh]

https://news.mit.edu/2021/MIT-CFS-major-advance-toward-fusion-energy-0908

 

We're still a long ways away from being free of "burning shit for our electricity" and our dependence on big energy. Maintaining 20°K still requires a lot of energy and a very complex system, which is a big threshold to conquer for Q>1.

Now think aboot the explosive potential of a plasma core big enough to do that for even a few weeks. How far away from human settlements does that have to be for a reasonable safety margin...?

I really don't know if fusion is the answer, or a fool's errand. But odds are I will not live long enough to find out.

mnem
For my son and daughter's sake... I hope I'm wrong.

[mnementh]

Oh brother, here we go.  I think I'll go over to Home Depot and lick a dozen drywall knives. 

Can you pick me up a couple of pints of paint stripper and methanol while you're there?

Oh, and a bag of ice from the bodega?

I think I'm probably going to need a stiff drink. 

I got yer covered. 1 part terpin hydrate, 2 parts methyl hydrate, poured through crushed ice into a martini glass. olive or onion...? 

mnem
Oh, and Carmine from the bodega sez hi.

[Cerebus]

...Still, it's nice that someone thought well enough of us to forward a nomination but probably will keep our head down on this one....tall poppy's and all that.

Congrats on getting noticed; we all do appreciate the proactive attitude you personally have taken with regards to acting as intermediary between your customers and would-be customers and your manufacturing partners.

That said... you've been noticed. That means you are on somebody's RADAR...

Good luck!

mnem
...and now they are going to be coming out of the woodwork...

The suspicion in this case is not that he has been noticed in a good way, but that he has been noticed by a circling predator.  There are a whole bunch of these specious award companies out there (assuming these particular ones are wholly specious and not just partially) and it's just a more sophisticated, less grubby, version of the "business directory listing" scam.

If you look at the paltry amount of actual content on the apac-insider website it rapidly become clear that they are not truly a journalistic endeavour but that the published 'articles' are just a  thin veneer over a "money for specious awards" company. Vis, the 10th 'news' article has a 19th March 2021 dateline, so in almost 6 months they have published 9 news articles. Yup, 1 1/2 articles per month and a long one is only 880 words. This whole comment is 222 words. What a crushing workload for a 'journalist', not!

If you want to see a truly egregious example of the type look at worldbusinessawards.com and  their Australian arm australianbusinessawards.com.au.

This class of vanity awards isn't totally without merit. If a company proudly displays them it's an indicator that they are either dishonest enough to buy one, or stupid enough to get taken in by the scam. Either way its an "avoid these monkeys" marker.

[tggzzz]

Yeh, don't mess with aircraft, be they propeller or jet, they take no prisoners. I'm sure that there will be an incident on the airfield that I go to quite often. There are 2 cafe's, both are open to the public and both are located very close to taxiways which the public have to use to gain access to the airfield and the cafe's. While there are no jet passenger planes of the size in the incident above, there are a business jets along with some ex military fighters jets and trainers, in use by flight training and display teams along with bucket loads of propeller planes, some of which are large C54, and often a pair of Dakotas. Added into this mix you also have a few helicopters, police and air ambulance and some military ones that come in for servicing.

So far there have a few cases of people not knowing how dangerous it is, walking across the path of these taxiing planes , one occasion causing the delay of the air ambulance launch because some idiot was standing in the middle of the taxiway photographing the helicopter trying to get airborne with the pilot frantically waving his arms at the photographer to get out of his way.

The airfield ops team tell me that they also get idiots riding bikes and driving cars on the actual runway, FFS.

Personally, I hope that I never have to witness anything the above happening 

Entirely believable.

Where I used to glide there were frequently tyre marks found on the runway, and I've seen someone walk across the field, stepping over the steel hawser being used to launch gliders. At another airfield on top of a hill, I'm told they occasionally accidentally launched sheep by catching them under the horn.

[Cerebus]

This too. One could argue that the yellow "<" and the word "FARA" are "Jet engine marketing", but as having once been qualified to work on an civilian airport apron area, I promise there's another purpose 

FARA?
Fricking Arm Removing Apparatus?
Ferrets And Rodents (go) Arrrrrrggghhh?
Französische Arbeiter Reduktions Apparate?

Seriously, I've never seen (or at least noticed) the marking in question. Translation please?

[Cerebus]

I’m surprised anyone uses those things at all. They are horrible.

They are, but there's a huge continuum available from "Chuck it in the fukit bucket" to "pretty much works every time".

[med6753]

At another airfield on top of a hill, I'm told they occasionally accidentally launched sheep by catching them under the horn.

That I would like to see that just for the giggle factor. After all, we've had flying pigs. Why not flying sheep? 

[Cerebus]

Nice instrument for the one be able to do the pickup:
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/hp-8922f-hf-power-meter-oszi-hf-generator-keysight-agilent/1846063669-168-7251

From the same seller (NAWTS):
Some Galden (2.5kg) for 50 Euro:

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/schnaeppchen-galden-200-fuer-selbstbau-dampfphasenloetanlage/1848237506-168-7251

Bloody hell that's cheap. If I could figure out how to navigate ebay-kleinanzeigen.de and he was prepared to ship to the UK for a little more I'd buy that this second.

[mnementh]

...Still, it's nice that someone thought well enough of us to forward a nomination but probably will keep our head down on this one....tall poppy's and all that.

Congrats on getting noticed; we all do appreciate the proactive attitude you personally have taken with regards to acting as intermediary between your customers and would-be customers and your manufacturing partners.

That said... you've been noticed. That means you are on somebody's RADAR...

Good luck!

mnem
...and now they are going to be coming out of the woodwork...

The suspicion in this case is not that he has been noticed in a good way, but that he has been noticed by a circling predator.  There are a whole bunch of these specious award companies out there (assuming these particular ones are wholly specious and not just partially) and it's just a more sophisticated, less grubby, version of the "business directory listing" scam.

If you look at the paltry amount of actual content on the apac-insider website it rapidly become clear that they are not truly a journalistic endeavour but that the published 'articles' are just a  thin veneer over a "money for specious awards" company. Vis, the 10th 'news' article has a 19th March 2021 dateline, so in almost 6 months they have published 9 news articles. Yup, 1 1/2 articles per month and a long one is only 880 words. This whole comment is 222 words. What a crushing workload for a 'journalist', not!

If you want to see a truly egregious example of the type look at worldbusinessawards.com and  their Australian arm australianbusinessawards.com.au.

This class of vanity awards isn't totally without merit. If a company proudly displays them it's an indicator that they are either dishonest enough to buy one, or stupid enough to get taken in by the scam. Either way its an "avoid these monkeys" marker.

Yes, I get that; it was pretty much the entire point of the 2nd half of the post. As in he's on their RADAR, and now they will be coming out of the woodworks to try and leech off that success.

I was just trying to do the spoonful of sugar thing so my post wouldn't be 100% Downer, if you know what I mean.

mnem
keep up the good work, tt.   

[Cerebus]

or a preheater

How many of you have a preheater? I never used it, and I feel the need to buy one now.
T E A 

I don't, but have felt the need on occasion. I've been loosely keeping my eyes open for one that isn't overpriced for what it is.

Is this the start of a new round of mass enablement?

[Saskia]

I sold the last one for 60 quid.
still have one sitting here.
Reichelt returns is currently out of them.
If you tell me to do so I can keep my eyes open.
Retail is about 190€

[mnementh]

I have to admit to trawling for cheap IR preheaters a few times. Am I the only one...?

In here I'd find that highly unlikely.

mnem
 

[med6753]

RE: Desoldering tools

In most cases this has worked well for me. Replacement tips readily available. Although there have been times where it doesn't produce enough heat, such as on ground planes, so I have to use other methods. Then it's liquid flux and solder wick.   



Cord wrapped nice and tight just to bug mnem. 

[Cerebus]

Maintaining 20°K still requires a lot of energy and a very complex system, which is a big threshold to conquer for Q>1.

It's a very odd choice of temperature. (BTW I love that they are talking about a "high temperature" superconductor at 20K). The implication is that the advance is one of working at liquid hyrdrogen temperatures (~20K) instead of at liquid helium temperatures (~4K). Given that there's been a lot of advance in superconductors that work at liquid Nitrogen temperatures (~77K) one would have thought that would be the point they would aim for. Given that achieving ~20K at scale is still hard and that having a few tonnes of liquid hydrogen sloshing around is much more enervating than having a few tonnes of liquid nitrogen around I'm not so convinced that this is a particularly significant advance. Also liquid hydrogen, like liquid helium, is notorious for finding any tiny little leakage point (including through otherwise apparently solid materials).

Smacks more of the "Isn't MIT great! This is what you pay your kid's enormous tuition fees for." publicity machine rather than any significant step forward.

[Specmaster]

Today the Tek TDS210 arrived that bd gave the heads-up on, arrived. Very well-packed, essentially double boxed and wrapped in bubble wrap.

Very clean looking unit but the BNC sockets on both channels are wiggling slightly, so will need attention, but currently not causing any problems.

Hooked it up to my IG-4505 calibrator, fed it a 100uS square wave and it is well within specification and still has the calibration seal on it. That was a steal at £60 delivered.