Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

...I thought you preferred cows to human beings, and where trying to escape the city life every time you could ! 

bd only prefers cows to humans as neighbors... for everything else he prefers batshit crazy redheads.  And the city is where we keep most of those. 

For those, my local city has a famous zoo. But it is planning to close and move just outside the city.

So... like... a batshit crazy redhead game preserve...? How progressive!   

mnem

Where can I find such a utopia? 

   You would make it aboot 10 feet inside the gate before you died of a heart attack from sheer joy. 

mnem
"so... fucking... worth it..." ~bd's last words

[mnementh]

Ha. My suspicion is that it's shearing time and somebody grabbed you and had the job finished before they realised that they had a non-sheep upside down between their legs. 

I didn't realise they had Jacob and/or Herdwick sheep over there!

I'm just praying they shaved the right end. 

mnem
"...that cat ain't coming in, it's gooin' out!" ~punchline to some Benny Hill joke lost to the mists of time

[mnementh]

I wake up this morning and the birthday girl is already up and in the recliner drinking coffee with the TV on and those familiar accents. Latest episodes of "Vera" are streaming. And so the British invasion is in full swing. I still don't understand her fascination with all things British. I'll tolerate it for the weekend and disinfect the place after I take her home tomorrow. 

At least she ain't drinking tea. 

Yeah, I'm aboot to lose my wife for the whole weekend; Lucifer S6 is up on Netflix.

mnem
I just hope she remembers to feed my daughter while I'm away at the other house...

[tggzzz]

Yeah, I'm aboot to lose my wife for the whole weekend; Lucifer S6 is up on Netflix.

You could always sit next to her, and drool over Maze and Eve

S5 wasn't that good, and Amazon have just started wanting you to pay to watch their Lucifer episodes. Not a chance!

[Cerebus]

Ha. My suspicion is that it's shearing time and somebody grabbed you and had the job finished before they realised that they had a non-sheep upside down between their legs. 

I didn't realise they had Jacob and/or Herdwick sheep over there!

It can be difficult sometimes to tell whether you've got a Herdwick, or just a dirty sheep.

[med6753]

I wake up this morning and the birthday girl is already up and in the recliner drinking coffee with the TV on and those familiar accents. Latest episodes of "Vera" are streaming. And so the British invasion is in full swing. I still don't understand her fascination with all things British. I'll tolerate it for the weekend and disinfect the place after I take her home tomorrow. 

At least she ain't drinking tea. 

Yeah, I'm aboot to lose my wife for the whole weekend; Lucifer S6 is up on Netflix.

mnem
I just hope she remembers to feed my daughter while I'm away at the other house...

Now she's back on British history. Watching how Queen Jane became queen and then 9 days later things didn't turn out so well for her. 

[AVGresponding]

Where can I find such a utopia? 

https://gingerparrot.co.uk/calendar-of-redhead-events/

[mnementh]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/272805150270

For you guys from the UK... anybody ever done any business with these guys? Supposedly new pull, and the price is actually sane for a 5-year-old laptop. Looking at feedback, most of the negatives are as likely user error as a bad deal.

mnem
 

[ch_scr]

Could not resist, here is first light from one these beautifully over-engineered displays. Nicely sharp & bright for 14mA.

Using (to my shame) all of my clip leads, I measured the current and voltage of one of the segments on the dmm's. Also we see on the power supply that the MC14543 needs 13V supply to reach that current, and more than 6V on the logic input to register as "logic high". It also gets "as hot as a two dollar pistol" while doing so 

Also, please enjoy prerequisit mess on the table 
Edit: This neck exercise was sponsored by "Unturned Images" 

[bd139]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/272805150270

For you guys from the UK... anybody ever done any business with these guys? Supposedly new pull, and the price is actually sane for a 5-year-old laptop. Looking at feedback, most of the negatives are as likely user error as a bad deal.

mnem
 

Yeah have used them a few times. No issues here. I was using them as body parts suppliers when I was running FrankenPads.

[Cerebus]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/272805150270

For you guys from the UK... anybody ever done any business with these guys?

Not me, sorry.

[Specmaster]

Just got back from being at North Weald all day and had my data switched off as I have almost used my monthly allocation up, and as soon as I got within range of my home Wi-Fi, the phone went crazy with all the new incoming emails etc, and it seems as if I have snapped myself another Fluke 85. The seller is new to eBay, listed it badly and attempted to photoshop the photo to remove his hand from it. I won it for £10.57 delivered, what could possibly go wrong?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluke-85-Muiltmeter-/353658340226



He never showed it switched on, so it could be dead, the description states it is working, so I'm covered if it is DOA.

It even still has the screen protective film on it.

I asked the seller if they had any better photos of the front and he sent me this photo.

[Specmaster]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/272805150270

For you guys from the UK... anybody ever done any business with these guys? Supposedly new pull, and the price is actually sane for a 5-year-old laptop. Looking at feedback, most of the negatives are as likely user error as a bad deal.

mnem
 

No, never used them.

[0culus]

Pat, your floppy disk with a copy of the 4145B boot software is on it's way to you. I sent you the tracking number via discord. 

[AVGresponding]

Just got back from being at North Weald all day and had my data switched off as I have almost used my monthly allocation up, and as soon as I got within range of my home Wi-Fi, the phone went crazy with all the new incoming emails etc, and it seems as if I have snapped myself another Fluke 85. The seller is new to eBay, listed it badly and attempted to photoshop the photo to remove his hand from it. I won it for £10.57 delivered, what could possibly go wrong?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluke-85-Muiltmeter-/353658340226



He never showed it switched on, so it could be dead, the description states it is working, so I'm covered if it is DOA.

It even still has the screen protective film on it.

I asked the seller if they had any better photos of the front and he sent me this photo.

My guess is stolen... cross your fingers when you register it with Fluke!   

[AVGresponding]

Oh just remembered why I logged on the forum; discordification is in effect.

[Specmaster]

Its like bd says, most of us in the UK are limited on space, houses are so expensive here that they tend to be smaller to reduce the cost of them, even then, it is looking almost impossible for young people to be able to afford to buy their own and will be like me, renting for all their life.

To put it into context for you, my room where I spend most of my time is only 1.6M wide by 3.3M long with a door at one end and a window at the other and I sit next to the window, my back to one wall (in the 1.6M part) and in front I have my bench / desk with loads of wall shelves, which again like bd, used to be my work desk during the day and lab bench in the evening. Now that I've retired, its my lab bench 24/7 and also my dinner table apart from Christmastime when we all use the dining table, the rest of the year that is where SWMBO does her cake decorating (sugarcraft) making flowers from icing for cakes etc.

WHAT ?!   1.6x3.3m... 5m2 ?! That's a closet not a room !  Granted a closet with a Window but still 

It's a prison cell no more no less 

I don't know what to say, I sure gathered that London city center, like Paris or any big fancy City, is only for rich people, but BD is not in the fancy parts of the London City, he is near an Airport runway !   So even outside the city centers it's also so expensive ?! 

I guess if you were used to this life in the UK ever since you saw the light of  day, you find it "normal", everyone there endures the same shit so I guess people kinda accept it as the norm there. Still 

Kinda ruins the fun of TEA... knowing what condition you people live in in the UK, it's hard to be in a fun mood now 
I guess the proverbial British phlegm helps a lot with that, but still...... 

I have a bedroom. That's 2m X 3.5m but it's not all usable. One big wall is taken up with bookshelves shared with SWMBO, the doo opens inward which is dead space. Most of the other big wall has a large window so no shelves above the bench. And I have a lot of TE....

The latest issue is employers who having had people work at home for a year or so by making do, think it's OK for them to do so as normal business. I don't see why I should give up my space to save them office rent. We bought the house based on our requirements and that only included one home office (SWMBO's work is by default from home and always has been).

I have essentially worked from home for about 35 years and the thing that always bugs me it that apart from providing you with a laptop and phone, maybe a printer. They expect you to provide, desk, chair, heat light and power to do their business. They will not in my experience even spring for desk fan during some of the hottest summers, but for those who go into the office they provide all those and even air con and drinks and on some occasions they even treat them, them to lunch.

[Specmaster]

I wake up this morning and the birthday girl is already up and in the recliner drinking coffee with the TV on and those familiar accents. Latest episodes of "Vera" are streaming. And so the British invasion is in full swing. I still don't understand her fascination with all things British. I'll tolerate it for the weekend and disinfect the place after I take her home tomorrow. 

At least she ain't drinking tea.     

Oh dear, we'll just have to send you some more Yorkshire tea then. 

[Zucca]

I asked the seller if they had any better photos of the front and he sent me this photo.

run away 

[Specmaster]

Just got back from being at North Weald all day and had my data switched off as I have almost used my monthly allocation up, and as soon as I got within range of my home Wi-Fi, the phone went crazy with all the new incoming emails etc, and it seems as if I have snapped myself another Fluke 85. The seller is new to eBay, listed it badly and attempted to photoshop the photo to remove his hand from it. I won it for £10.57 delivered, what could possibly go wrong?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluke-85-Muiltmeter-/353658340226



He never showed it switched on, so it could be dead, the description states it is working, so I'm covered if it is DOA.

It even still has the screen protective film on it.

I asked the seller if they had any better photos of the front and he sent me this photo.

My guess is stolen... cross your fingers when you register it with Fluke!   

I must admit, that thought had crossed my mind, but either way, I won't be registering it with Fluke. Considering the price I paid for the new input blocks (well yes, alright, should have paid  I figured that if it is dead (claim will be going in for sure), then at the worst case, I could remove the input block and flip it as used and still make a profit on that part alone.

[Vince]

Just got back from being at North Weald all day and had my data switched off as I have almost used my monthly allocation up, and as soon as I got within range of my home Wi-Fi, the phone went crazy with all the new incoming emails etc, and it seems as if I have snapped myself another Fluke 85. The seller is new to eBay, listed it badly and attempted to photoshop the photo to remove his hand from it. I won it for £10.57 delivered, what could possibly go wrong?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluke-85-Muiltmeter-/353658340226


I asked the seller if they had any better photos of the front and he sent me this photo.

My guess is stolen... cross your fingers when you register it with Fluke!   

Yes that's also immediately what I though !  On our local website here we have a constant stream of NIB or prety much, FLuke gear !
Every one of those ads look shady, they all scream " I am drug dealer wannabe 15yo but I am starting small, for now I just steal stuff from shops and artisans vans ! ".

It's tempting but I don't want to see these low lifes prosper, so I made a point never to buy anything from them. If that means passing on a good deal well so be it. Principles are more important to me than getting a deal on some piece of gear.... 

[Specmaster]

The latest issue is employers who having had people work at home for a year or so by making do, think it's OK for them to do so as normal business. I don't see why I should give up my space to save them office rent. We bought the house based on our requirements and that only included one home office (SWMBO's work is by default from home and always has been).

Mention capital gains tax (when property sold), business rates, insurance - all might be relevant if you work at home.

It’s not. You can claim tax relief on expenses and some purchases though which I have done.

The trade off from working from home is not paying to commute. That’s a fair rebate. £2708 a year in my case. Not to mention the 17 odd (24 hour days) I don’t have to sit on trains or in traffic for.

Commute was / is (almost) free for me as I can charge the PHEV at work for free. Jut mileage based maintenance and wear.
As I don't have to do a tax return since I closed the limited company it's not worth starting for the small amount I could claim.

Well, strictly speaking it isn't free as you have to pay considerably more for your car insurance if you have declared that you use the car for going to and from your place of work.

[Specmaster]

Just got back from being at North Weald all day and had my data switched off as I have almost used my monthly allocation up, and as soon as I got within range of my home Wi-Fi, the phone went crazy with all the new incoming emails etc, and it seems as if I have snapped myself another Fluke 85. The seller is new to eBay, listed it badly and attempted to photoshop the photo to remove his hand from it. I won it for £10.57 delivered, what could possibly go wrong?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluke-85-Muiltmeter-/353658340226


I asked the seller if they had any better photos of the front and he sent me this photo.

My guess is stolen... cross your fingers when you register it with Fluke!   

Yes that's also immediately what I though !  On our local website here we have a constant stream of NIB or prety much, FLuke gear !
Every one of those ads look shady, they all scream " I am drug dealer wannabe 15yo but I am starting small, for now I just steal stuff from shops and artisans vans ! ".

It's tempting but I don't want to see these low lifes prosper, so I made a point never to buy anything from them. If that means passing on a good deal well so be it. Principles are more important to me than getting a deal on some piece of gear.... 

Well if thats whats going here, then he is not prospering on this deal, I'm laughing all the way to the bank 

[Cubdriver]

Pat, your floppy disk with a copy of the 4145B boot software is on it's way to you. I sent you the tracking number via discord. 

Much ass grassy ass - I’ll be on the lookout.  Of course now I’ll need to put more effort into getting the test fixture for it.

I’m currently getting myself in trouble at the museum; it looks like a somewhat crusty Tek 434 is going to follow me home today to join the repair queue.  At least this one’s relatively small and light compared to my usual fare...


It comes up, and both A and B traces are there, but it won’t do both at once.  There are definitely some dirty/gummy switches to be cleaned, and the channel 2 vertical position control is mangled and buggered.

-Pat

[Robert763]

The latest issue is employers who having had people work at home for a year or so by making do, think it's OK for them to do so as normal business. I don't see why I should give up my space to save them office rent. We bought the house based on our requirements and that only included one home office (SWMBO's work is by default from home and always has been).

Mention capital gains tax (when property sold), business rates, insurance - all might be relevant if you work at home.

It’s not. You can claim tax relief on expenses and some purchases though which I have done.

The trade off from working from home is not paying to commute. That’s a fair rebate. £2708 a year in my case. Not to mention the 17 odd (24 hour days) I don’t have to sit on trains or in traffic for.

Commute was / is (almost) free for me as I can charge the PHEV at work for free. Jut mileage based maintenance and wear.
As I don't have to do a tax return since I closed the limited company it's not worth starting for the small amount I could claim.

Well, strictly speaking it isn't free as you have to pay considerably more for your car insurance if you have declared that you use the car for going to and from your place of work.

Depends on the company. Mine does not charge extra for commute over SD&P (it always used to cover the commute anyway) I actually pay for "business" use which costs about £30  year. That allows me to use it for work trips and claim mileage. It does not take many miles to cover that.
It also saves any argument if I get stopped by plod or have an accident with TE in the car. Been down that road, both ways. When I had the Ltd company I had a small van and I was stopped one night by plod and thy had already checked and seen it was registered to the company. They wanted proof that I had permission to drive it for private use (I was coming back from a mates house and had had 1 small beer which I declared to them but did not even put the amber on their breathalyser). I
said don't be silly and they got all techey. Said I needed written permssion. I asked them for a bit of paper and wrote "Robert has permission to drive all company vehicles" on it. The said I could not give myself permission . I said why not, I just held a meeting of all directors and share holders in my head and we said it's OK.  He would not belive you could have a Ltd company with just one person. Had the same trouble with the bank who wanted the Company Secretary to sign something. My CS was another Ltd Co. run by my accountants. A CS just has to be a legal entity, it does not have to be a person.