Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Welcome back BD, you forgot item 5,

5. Dragged the Nikon out again and got photography practise in.

Ooh yes forgot about that one. Lots of photo fun being had. Hopefully decent quality pictures of TE coming up in the next few months rather than shitty smartphone snaps.

Credit card now paid off after that. Got a bit expensive that did very quickly 

I still have a 427A and you don't. Or do you?

 

I don't unfortunately. Eyes are peeled waiting now though 

[factory]

Foam Fun!

https://youtube.com/shorts/xOTbXFw-jrY?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/xOTbXFw-jrY?feature=share

EDIT: can't for the life of me figure out how to embed videos. 

I just copy and paste the YouTube link directly into the message - don't use the URL tags or anything.  It will just show as the text in the preview, but the video window comes up when the message is posted.

-Pat

Yup, that's the second link. Maybe because I set visibility to "those who have link only" or something 

Replace the shorts/  with watch?v= and it works.

P.S. I found that out the other day, after getting pissed off with the missing full screen option with this "shorts"

David

[factory]

Good morning, evening, afternoon or whatever the hell it is where you are. Decided my mid-life-crisis is now thoroughly over so back to the TEA thread and TE it is, my true home on this planet.

...snip...

Currently still working on moving house (it's been 3 fucking years now on this treadmill) so involvement will be small and not boat anchor sized for a bit. Excuse my lack of trying to catch up with the thread because quite frankly I'd be dead by the time I managed to read back to my last post and work out what the hell is going on.

Anyway, hello again

...snip...

Where do you think you will move to? Somewhere with trees and contours, or somewhere with lots of sky. The former is necessary for my sanity, as 6years on the edge of the Fens taught me.

Welcome back bd139.

tggzzz, I Doubt he would want to move anywhere with trees, after the tree murder comments a while back. 

Also still trying to move, but somewhere away from noisy people, just can't afford it, unless it's a tiny place with no space for TEA. 

David

[Specmaster]

They say that starting this summer, Europe is imposing on every new car sold, the fitment of flight driving data recorder ! Big Brother is watching you... FOR REAL !! 

Don't even get me started on this. I was planning my first insane rant to be at least a couple of days off but lets go with this one. I'm actually getting rid of my car in the next couple of months because they are becoming more and more difficult to justify keeping. With the extreme capital cost of a new vehicle, complexity, fuel cost and absolutely terrible treatment, the trade off is becoming untenable. Looking at the prices of EVs as well and all the logistical problems associated with them which aren't showing any signs of any real solutions other than death marching into the future through insane marketing, it's a rancid shit show. So if the EU wants to come and install surveillance kit into vehicles, which in the short term is bad enough but opens the doors to even worse things which they are getting a reputation for coming up with, then they can bugger right off. I'll get something with two wheels and pedals and fuck 'em.

You say that, but today I had to take my car in to have some error codes checked out in more depth and sorted out once and for all, it took just 10 minutes to drive to this new garage in town and because they don't offer a lift service, I had to rely on public transport, 2 buses later and 1 hr 10 minutes later I was back home. I have to do the same in reverse tomorrow to collect the car. Yep, my place may well now be an official city but like most places, we lack a decent public transport system, run to offer a proper service. On the bus there was now more than 10 people at anyone time, single decker, short wheelbase job. I get the feeling that it be will a long time before most of us can even consider giving up the car   

[factory]

This arrived today from the US, a hp 208A test oscillator.


I'm kind of glad I opened it before thinking about trying it, as the 115-230 voltage selector wiring has been omitted with the modifications by a previous owner. 



Looking at the back of the transformer board, I have high confidence that it can be corrected to use the original voltage selector, with a track cut & some rewiring.
And on the plus side the rechargeable leak-tubes are long gone. 


On the minus side it has several tin whisker cans installed.  Edit: These are 2N1516 with two different hp part numbers shown in the manual, the second is listed as both 2N1516 & OC170.


Rivet connections used for the original PCBs.



You might notice two more disconnected wires, flapping in the breeze below.



David

[bd139]

You say that, but today I had to take my car in to have some error codes checked out in more depth and sorted out once and for all, it took just 10 minutes to drive to this new garage in town and because they don't offer a lift service, I had to rely on public transport, 2 buses later and 1 hr 10 minutes later I was back home. I have to do the same in reverse tomorrow to collect the car. Yep, my place may well now be an official city but like most places, we lack a decent public transport system, run to offer a proper service. On the bus there was now more than 10 people at anyone time, single decker, short wheelbase job. I get the feeling that it be will a long time before most of us can even consider giving up the car   

Yeah you live in zombie badlands though rather than inside the wall . Usual advice out there is use the local taxi services where possible. Local busses are a nearly dead form of transport.

On that I managed to get from Twickenham to Winchester and then Petersfield to Twickenham via mix of trains and rail replacement busses last on Sunday. Wasn't too terrible and the busses were late so both tickets are being refunded 

[Vince]

This arrived today from the US, a hp 208A test oscillator.

Cute little compact cube.... that's in showroom condition ! 
Not a spec of dust, not a spec of corrosion on the screws or other H/W. Wires super clean and vivid colours...
it's a winner you have here..

[mansaxel]

I'm actually getting rid of my car in the next couple of months because they are becoming more and more difficult to justify keeping.

I'd love to follow you, but I've got habits. And we live where there's free parking and good public transport, so I can have it for transient uses. Also mine is old enough that it is a stupid car, no 3G modem or telematics.

But, in general, the notion that people should get into such contraptions and transport themselves autonomously without every effort made to keep them in check (much like the railways did realise they had to do 150+ years ago) is insane and should be abolished.

Sadly enough, there are several countries that have taken up the concept as some kind of national pastime that is holy and must not be questioned, so probably won't happen. 

I much rather have someone else transport me. Gives room for thought, reflection, and work.  As I went to work once a week during the recent medical unpleasantness I spent a mind-numbing 2h each day holding a fucking steering wheel. Complete waste of time.  But, it was done so that those who lack my choice could have more room in public transport.

Tomorrow evening, I'm off to Copenhagen on the night train. Going to present on a conference, and will, of course, show pretty pictures of and from TE. I hope I'll enjoy the trip; I usually do. Given that I travel for work, I'm entitled to single occupancy sleeper, which gives things like in-shite loo and shower, and my choice of breakfast at a hotel at the arrival station. Contrasted to getting up at 0400 and stumbling out to a taxi, only to be humiliated at the airport by cops for hire, and then getting stuffed in an aluminium tube for 40 minutes, trains are civilised.

[bd139]

This arrived today from the US, a hp 208A test oscillator.

Oh crikey is that some voltage doubling voodoo I see in there

[nfmax]

Good morning, evening, afternoon or whatever the hell it is where you are. Decided my mid-life-crisis is now thoroughly over so back to the TEA thread and TE it is, my true home on this planet.

Welcome back @bd139, we've missed you! Remember the secret of a long life is to keep on having mid-life crises 

[factory]

This arrived today from the US, a hp 208A test oscillator.

Cute little compact cube.... that's in showroom condition ! 
Not a spec of dust, not a spec of corrosion on the screws or other H/W. Wires super clean and vivd colours...
it's a winner you have here..

Can't help but notice the scale on the main dial... it's quite non-linear eh ?! 

There is a "flat spot" for want of a better term, at 20/25. Strange...

The missing Ni-Cd battery packs have helped with the lack of corrosion, I've seen this showing on the outside in some pictures, this one was a bit of a risk, as I didn't know if they were present or not, but as it looked good on the outside I bought it.

The non-linear scale is due to it being option 01, the regular one has a different switches for MV  & V and the meter scaled in volts, picture below stolen from ePay.

This arrived today from the US, a hp 208A test oscillator.

Oh crikey is that some voltage doubling voodoo I see in there

If yor referring to the replacement PSU then no, it's set for 115V only at the moment, but it looks to possibly have split primary windings for the transformer. 
The original PSU output would have gone directly to the batteries, for a +/- 12Vish supply.

Edit: just searched for the transformer part no. and yes it has a 115/230V primary. https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/Triad-Magnetics/FP30-200?qs=mZMNBqyh7oE4drYtFApydw%3D%3D&mgh=1&vip=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0vKY7JnE9wIVwrHtCh2dPgEkEAQYASABEgKFe_D_BwE

David

[tautech]

Welcome back BD, you forgot item 5,

5. Dragged the Nikon out again and got photography practise in.

Ooh yes forgot about that one. Lots of photo fun being had. Hopefully decent quality pictures of TE coming up in the next few months rather than shitty smartphone snaps.

No, we don't wanna see the pics of circles on your forehead ! 

Hiya buddy, how's the kids ? Wow, one at uni already ! 

[Specmaster]

You say that, but today I had to take my car in to have some error codes checked out in more depth and sorted out once and for all, it took just 10 minutes to drive to this new garage in town and because they don't offer a lift service, I had to rely on public transport, 2 buses later and 1 hr 10 minutes later I was back home. I have to do the same in reverse tomorrow to collect the car. Yep, my place may well now be an official city but like most places, we lack a decent public transport system, run to offer a proper service. On the bus there was now more than 10 people at anyone time, single decker, short wheelbase job. I get the feeling that it be will a long time before most of us can even consider giving up the car   

Yeah you live in zombie badlands though rather than inside the wall . Usual advice out there is use the local taxi services where possible. Local busses are a nearly dead form of transport.

On that I managed to get from Twickenham to Winchester and then Petersfield to Twickenham via mix of trains and rail replacement busses last on Sunday. Wasn't too terrible and the busses were late so both tickets are being refunded 

Yeah, taxi's nowadays require a second mortgage out here in the badlands, sitting there in heavy traffic nothing moving apart from the fare meter rapidly increasing the hefty charge all the bleeding time. On the other hand I could be sitting in the same traffic and not paying a penny with my senior citizens bus pass 

Better yet, when I have my wheels back, I can and do often take the longer route, and keep moving, buses can't do that and taxi's won't, being only too happy to talk their heads off, boring your arse off and let the meter count up, bastards.

[Specmaster]

One for the Mericans here, I'm told that the registration plates on your cars actually relate to you and not the car, so when you sell a car, you remove the plates and attach them to your new car is that right???

Here the plates remain with the car.

[Vince]

This arrived today from the US, a hp 208A test oscillator.

Cute little compact cube.... that's in showroom condition ! 
Not a spec of dust, not a spec of corrosion on the screws or other H/W. Wires super clean and vivd colours...
it's a winner you have here..

Can't help but notice the scale on the main dial... it's quite non-linear eh ?! 

There is a "flat spot" for want of a better term, at 20/25. Strange...

The missing Ni-Cd battery packs have helped with the lack of corrosion, I've seen this showing on the outside in some pictures, this one was a bit of a risk, as I didn't know if they were present or not, but as it looked good on the outside I bought it.

The non-linear scale is due to it being option 01, the regular one has a different switches for MV  & V and the meter scaled in volts, picture below stolen from ePay.


David

Oops no I was not talking about the scale on the galvanometer... non linear it is indeed but I didn't even pay attention to that to be honest... no I was referring to the markings on the main frequency dial .

I thought it looked very non linear with a couple weird spots at 10/12 and 20/25 but I edited my message before you even posted, because I then realized I was wrong, and it was just optical illusion because of the way HP marked the dial, in an inconsistent way. I got fooled.... my bad.

[tautech]

Good morning, evening, afternoon or whatever the hell it is where you are. Decided my mid-life-crisis is now thoroughly over so back to the TEA thread and TE it is, my true home on this planet.

Apart from here in TEA, after 4 months forum absence what does your Show new replies to your posts look like ? 

[tautech]

One for the Mericans here, I'm told that the registration plates on your cars actually relate to you and not the car, so when you sell a car, you remove the plates and attach them to your new car is that right???

Here the plates remain with the car.

Same here in NZ unless you own personalized plates.

[bd139]

Welcome back BD, you forgot item 5,

5. Dragged the Nikon out again and got photography practise in.

Ooh yes forgot about that one. Lots of photo fun being had. Hopefully decent quality pictures of TE coming up in the next few months rather than shitty smartphone snaps.

No, we don't wanna see the pics of circles on your forehead ! 

Hiya buddy, how's the kids ? Wow, one at uni already ! 

All good thanks. Yeah feeling old now. Going this year 

[bd139]

Good morning, evening, afternoon or whatever the hell it is where you are. Decided my mid-life-crisis is now thoroughly over so back to the TEA thread and TE it is, my true home on this planet.

Apart from here in TEA, after 4 months forum absence what does your Show new replies to your posts look like ? 

Bananas. Totally bananas. In fact I am actually ignoring it 

Although a lot of old threads have been necroposted to by 1 post wonders 

[tautech]

Good morning, evening, afternoon or whatever the hell it is where you are. Decided my mid-life-crisis is now thoroughly over so back to the TEA thread and TE it is, my true home on this planet.

Apart from here in TEA, after 4 months forum absence what does your Show new replies to your posts look like ? 

Bananas. Totally bananas. In fact I am actually ignoring it 

Although a lot of old threads have been necroposted to by 1 post wonders 

Anyways, it seems you survived the big tramp you planned on Sunday but maybe still too sore still to venture into any mischief other than TEA ? 

[mnementh]

...So if the EU wants to come and install surveillance kit into vehicles, which in the short term is bad enough but opens the doors to even worse things which they are getting a reputation for coming up with, then they can bugger right off. I'll get something with two wheels and pedals and fuck 'em.

Do try and keep up, will you old bean...?

Seriously tho... We had a big stink a while back; seems my attitude of tolerance is no longer acceptable so we're now a zero-tolerance thread re: Politics. Be forewarned, lest you get spanked by the Dave unit like I did.

mnem
 

[bd139]

Good morning, evening, afternoon or whatever the hell it is where you are. Decided my mid-life-crisis is now thoroughly over so back to the TEA thread and TE it is, my true home on this planet.

Apart from here in TEA, after 4 months forum absence what does your Show new replies to your posts look like ? 

Bananas. Totally bananas. In fact I am actually ignoring it 

Although a lot of old threads have been necroposted to by 1 post wonders 

Anyways, it seems you survived the big tramp you planned on Sunday but maybe still too sore still to venture into any mischief other than TEA ? 

Actually not in too bad shape after. My arse hurt for about a day but all good now 

Evidence attached of the level of stupidity involved in that one. Doesn’t include the 1km to and from the car park  . Also 878m elevation gain  .

[25 CPS]

One for the Mericans here, I'm told that the registration plates on your cars actually relate to you and not the car, so when you sell a car, you remove the plates and attach them to your new car is that right???

Here the plates remain with the car.

It's plate-to-owner there south of the border and here in Canada, instead of plate-to-car.  When my old SUV bit the dust back in the winter, I took it on two last runs.  The second last trip was to bring a barbecue that was destroyed and some other odds and ends to a charity scrap metal bin and the final run was into the dealership that sold me the replacement vehicle to trade it in.  The last thing I did was undo the bolts holding my license plates and take them with me.  The dealership made a mistake and plated the SUV with new ones instead of changing the registration on my existing plates to the new one and moving them over.  I might hang them up in the workshop downstairs, I don't know.

The replacement SUV just had its winter wheels changed out for summer ones.  Right now the winter wheel set is sitting in the back seat so there's no hauling large test equipment around in there until they're removed and put away.  That's going to wait for it to stop raining.  Unless something really compelling comes along, actually purchasing more test equipment in order to need to haul any around is going to wait until my bank account recovers a bit from purchasing a set of four rims, four tires, TPMS sensors, and installation.  That added up fast.

[med6753]

One for the Mericans here, I'm told that the registration plates on your cars actually relate to you and not the car, so when you sell a car, you remove the plates and attach them to your new car is that right???

Here the plates remain with the car.

It's plate-to-owner there south of the border and here in Canada, instead of plate-to-car.  When my old SUV bit the dust back in the winter, I took it on two last runs.  The second last trip was to bring a barbecue that was destroyed and some other odds and ends to a charity scrap metal bin and the final run was into the dealership that sold me the replacement vehicle to trade it in.  The last thing I did was undo the bolts holding my license plates and take them with me.  The dealership made a mistake and plated the SUV with new ones instead of changing the registration on my existing plates to the new one and moving them over.  I might hang them up in the workshop downstairs, I don't know.

The replacement SUV just had its winter wheels changed out for summer ones.  Right now the winter wheel set is sitting in the back seat so there's no hauling large test equipment around in there until they're removed and put away.  That's going to wait for it to stop raining.  Unless something really compelling comes along, actually purchasing more test equipment in order to need to haul any around is going to wait until my bank account recovers a bit from purchasing a set of four rims, four tires, TPMS sensors, and installation.  That added up fast.

That is true. The plates go with the owner. Except California. The plates stay with the vehicle. Not sure if that's true in any other state.

[bd139]

Ok I bought something already. It's cheap, it's shit, but it has LEDs and runs off 12V DC and has no unobtainium parts but it's Griefkit and I felt sorry for it . But has tinker value and can totalise...