Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Neper]

The apple harvest in high gear here now. Flat bed trucks all day long with crates full of apples headed for cold storage or distribution.

Not to forget pears. There are big orchards on the Belgian side of the border with those delicious Belgian Conférence pears.

In the last years, tons of those wonderful pears have been left to rot on the trees. Why? Putin has declared a boycott of Belgian pears in retaliation to the EU's sanctions against his occupation of the Crimean peninsula. The farmers couldn't even afford to have someone pick them.

[Saskia]

oh woe is me, the coinorhaging festo fever has taken hold of me.
Just spent 150 Pesos on a dust sucker hose ...

Wow that's dear !

I love woodworking but I will never be able to afford Festool stuff ! Maybe one machine, just one... bought second hand probably. But no way I could buy every power tool from Festool !   

Then probably best not to buy ANY of them.  I started with the track saw about ten years ago.   

-Pat

Will add 2 or 3 sanders to the collection ets ec 150/5, the es-ets125 and the dts400 ...

[25 CPS]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

[ch_scr]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

Eh, switch the neutral instead of the live. Gives the next one to try something funny something to remember. At least it's not 220V...

[Vince]

oh woe is me, the coinorhaging festo fever has taken hold of me.
Just spent 150 Pesos on a dust sucker hose ...

Wow that's dear !

I love woodworking but I will never be able to afford Festool stuff ! Maybe one machine, just one... bought second hand probably. But no way I could buy every power tool from Festool !   

Then probably best not to buy ANY of them.  I started with the track saw about ten years ago.   

-Pat

Will add 2 or 3 sanders to the collection ets ec 150/5, the es-ets125 and the dts400 ...

Yes please do that !

Once you have restored all your cabinets and have no use for all your Festool gear anymore, I can have it used for half price ! 
Granted, even half price is still a lot of money...

[Vince]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

Weird, do your neighbours hate you THAT much ? What the hell did you do to them ?! 

[Cubdriver]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

Any way of floating the circuit on an isolation transformer and connecting it to an electric fence power supply?  That might lead to some new conditioned behavior on the part of the vandals.  Scumbags.   

-Pat

[Saskia]

next time dip the cable into a polonium solution and just wait.

[tautech]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

Invest in a game trail camera so to get proof of the culprit.
Maybe a POE LAN security camera can get you the same result if the distance is not too far.

[mnementh]

Pretty tidy Vince, any signs of previous rework ?

And BTW to properly award the good Capt for his outstanding memory (or search skills) a visit to the TEA OP is needed to get the URL for this:

Where's the chocolate chips?

Yes Tautech, Captain is right, what you offer here is a jammy cookie, but the price was a chocolate chips cookie, not quite the same thing.... maybe we should get a pic for that as well...

mnem
Tell your friends.

[med6753]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

You got that nasty bitch neighbor, right?

I do like the idea of trail camera. Catch her in the act then call the cops.

[mnementh]

Hire LASER sharks. Big, nasty, shooty, bitey ones.

mnem

[Cerebus]

??

All I can tell is the Japanese "Green Tea" KitKat is darn delicious...

That's not green tea.



That's wasabi.



Yes, the Japanese have a horseradish KitKat!

[Neomys Sapiens]

On the matter of the HP8347A - I got curious before taking it to the company lab.
Here are the results.
Top view - the ribbon cable W6, which carries the signals for the AGC switch and the three auxiliary signal jacks, has only 2 wires instead of 6. Going to the switch only. On the PCB, there seem to be anything fitted, so that the signals would be available if needed.
Bottom view - totally different hardlines going to the rear-mounted SMA jacks. And they seem not hand-made or visibly improvised.
Huh.

[vk6zgo]

Med, are you really poking the HV innards of that scope with a 1x probe ?
The additional capacitive loading in 1x certainly could be effecting the stability of the circuitry and giving you false info.

Nope, 10X probe. I did not change the settings on the scope.

Ah OK all good then. 

So showing 1x input attenuation was just a test to see if we were being observant enough ? 

Wasn't my intention just didn't bother. If the sweep went intermittent it bounces all around so if that occurred (it didn't today) I was simply looking for a waveform that was unstable. That would have been the smoking gun. Besides...it's near impossible to put anything past you guys. 

In meantime I have disconnected the Siglent and done several power ups. That is when the fail is most likely to occur. So far, rock steady. Did that trimmer adjustment fix it? The jury is still out. I'll give it a few more days before declaring victory.

Settings on the 'scope? Bah! Humbug!
In my day, my child, we did the correction in our heads!

[tautech]

Med, are you really poking the HV innards of that scope with a 1x probe ?
The additional capacitive loading in 1x certainly could be effecting the stability of the circuitry and giving you false info.

Nope, 10X probe. I did not change the settings on the scope.

Ah OK all good then. 

So showing 1x input attenuation was just a test to see if we were being observant enough ? 

Wasn't my intention just didn't bother. If the sweep went intermittent it bounces all around so if that occurred (it didn't today) I was simply looking for a waveform that was unstable. That would have been the smoking gun. Besides...it's near impossible to put anything past you guys. 

In meantime I have disconnected the Siglent and done several power ups. That is when the fail is most likely to occur. So far, rock steady. Did that trimmer adjustment fix it? The jury is still out. I'll give it a few more days before declaring victory.

Settings on the 'scope? Bah! Humbug!
In my day, my child, we did the correction in our heads!

Me too but it's so quick to set the correct input attenuation and have correct levels displayed especially when you are wanting to show someone else and not do their head in.
Showing 1x input attenuation and actually using a 10x probe is poor form.   

[vk6zgo]

Oh dear. The weakness of my will is only to apparent.

I couldn't resist this diddy scope for £36+shipping - my second (and probably last) thing made by Sinclair/Thurlby.

Let's hope the trace still works when it arrives.   

To me, that thing smells like a junction tester looking for a place to happen. 

mnem
 

Non Linear Systems mini scope here. (No, not interested)   eBay auction: #174964350030

Ugggh. Did you see the heinous Vert and Time selector abortions on that thing? Only thing it really is good for is to run in X/Y mode.

But not a pig in a poke for US$170 to me in the GWN. 

Hell, I'd probably think twice aboot it for $20 at a hamfest.

mnem
 

It's "horses for courses!"

Many years ago, a workmate had a very small portable 'scope similar to that one or the Sinclair.
It was a great help when we were chasing up a 50Hz Mains noise problem on the video cables between the Link Hut & the main Transmitter building at my then job.

Lugging the 7000 series Tek up & down the stairs & into the undercroft would have "got old" pretty quickly.

In a later job, tracing & checking video cabling up on the catwalk above "Studio 1" at the TV Studio I worked at would have been much easier with such a small 'scope.
As it was, we did it "back to front" by carrying a portable pattern generator with us & plugging various cables into a monitor in the control room.

Of course, the cables "coulda, shoulda, woulda" had nice permanent markings, but in the words of the song "You can't always get what you want!"

[cyclin_al]

mnem
*slurrrrrrp*

The apple harvest in high gear here now. Flat bed trucks all day long with crates full of apples headed for cold storage or distribution.

*sigh*

The farm I grew up on had a very old apple grove in the south pasture... red delicious, and evidently later planting some golden delicious. Grand-dad and I spent part of a spring and summer tending the trees when I was still little enough to clamber around 'em like a monkey... sawed so many branches with a little bow saw my blisters had blisters.

He worked me hard those several weeks, but he was generous with praise and stingy with reprimand; one of the few pleasant memories I have of the old man. I wish I could remember half of what he was trying to teach me aboot why we were cutting this and not that... but heavens, how the trees flourished that summer; leaves brighter and greener than ever for not having to fight for sunlight and rain.

But the sweet, sweet reward was grand-momma's apple pies in the fall... hand-rolled crust with a million flaky layers, filling with too much brown sugar, cinnamon and a touch of molasses, and big candy-crystal sugar sprinkled on top of the buttered top crust before it all went in the oven so they stuck to the crust.


     *mnemories*

It was explained to me that apple trees should be pruned as a shade canopy, and should not get out of control tall.
That explanation was from the people at Upper Canada Village, a historic site on the St. Laurence River in Ontario.
You should consider taking the family there, when if things ever get back to some semblance of normal.
https://www.uppercanadavillage.com/

Previous generations of my family had a farm on the lakeshore in Oakville, but you will not find the remaining fruit trees.
My dad should have been a professional apple picker...
In my case, there is nothing better than Mom's apple pie 

[cyclin_al]

Pretty tidy Vince, any signs of previous rework ?

And BTW to properly award the good Capt for his outstanding memory (or search skills) a visit to the TEA OP is needed to get the URL for this:

Where's the chocolate chips?

I'm of 2 minds which you deserve more when I'm leaning to Jammy Git for getting it bang on first one up however Vince was offering Choc chips so maybe we need a gift cookie in the OP for times such as these.

Anyone got a nice one to get bitseeker to add into the OP ?
No apple pies allowed ! 

Getting it bang on like that is worth a whole stack of cookies!

Supposedly this is from a keto no-bake recipe:
https://kirbiecravings.com/keto-no-bake-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Disclaimer: I have not tested or reviewed the recipe.

[Zucca]

oh woe is me, the coinorhaging festo fever has taken hold of me.
Just spent 150 Pesos on a dust sucker hose ...

I told you...

[vk6zgo]

Oh no, forum is ultra slow here again !    Could not load all the Papa Smurf's pics ! Timed out halfway : I could see the top half of the pics, ie the function gen, but not the scope! 


Look what I just got today ! 

Guess what's in the box... winner gets a big cookie with lots of chocolate chips !!
In case Dwagon or Saskia win, sorry for you it's gonna be chicken soup instead ! 

I understand I am asking a bit much here, so I will be nice and give you a hint : #6.

Big box for one of these:-

[med6753]

Me too but it's so quick to set the correct input attenuation and have correct levels displayed especially when you are wanting to show someone else and not do their head in.
Showing 1x input attenuation and actually using a 10x probe is poor form.   

See that rope......

[tautech]

Oh no, forum is ultra slow here again !    Could not load all the Papa Smurf's pics ! Timed out halfway : I could see the top half of the pics, ie the function gen, but not the scope! 


Look what I just got today ! 

Guess what's in the box... winner gets a big cookie with lots of chocolate chips !!
In case Dwagon or Saskia win, sorry for you it's gonna be chicken soup instead ! 

I understand I am asking a bit much here, so I will be nice and give you a hint : #6.

Big box for one of these:-

(Attachment Link)

From my stashes of old shit....the real McCoy that at one time everyone had in their house for the old crank handle phones......shit I'm getting old !

[mnementh]

Pretty tidy Vince, any signs of previous rework ?

And BTW to properly award the good Capt for his outstanding memory (or search skills) a visit to the TEA OP is needed to get the URL for this:

Where's the chocolate chips?

I'm of 2 minds which you deserve more when I'm leaning to Jammy Git for getting it bang on first one up however Vince was offering Choc chips so maybe we need a gift cookie in the OP for times such as these.

Anyone got a nice one to get bitseeker to add into the OP ?
No apple pies allowed ! 

Getting it bang on like that is worth a whole stack of cookies!

Supposedly this is from a keto no-bake recipe:
https://kirbiecravings.com/keto-no-bake-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Disclaimer: I have not tested or reviewed the recipe.

Just one of those Play-Doh cookies is 11 grams of carbs. A whole day's worth for me is 10-15. So no, not Keto friendly.

And the ingredient list does not fill me with confidence that it will taste any better than a glass of protein powder. 

Thanks for trying to save me from the deprivation, tho!

mnem
 

[25 CPS]

I discovered this open circuit in my outdoor lighting in the back yard yesterday.  No test equipment necessary, visual inspection was perfectly adequate for locating the cuts and two inches of missing cable.  I’m not happy about this being vandalized again.

Weird, do your neighbours hate you THAT much ? What the hell did you do to them ?! 

This unhinged nutcase has it in for pretty much everyone on the street.

You got that nasty bitch neighbor, right?

I do like the idea of trail camera. Catch her in the act then call the cops.

That's the one.  I was tossing around the idea of burying a couple of trail cameras in the shrubs on my side of the fence out of arm's reach.  The other possibility I was thinking about was setting up a dummy plug at the far end of the Christmas lights to form a loop so that if they get cut again, the impedance rises from a dead short, it causes a noisy siren/speaker/something to go off.  The problem is, that takes it out on everyone else in the area as well so for now I'm leaning towards trail cameras and some printed out photos if the time comes for a serious talk with her husband.