Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

Bargain of a life time just popped up here, act quick if interested... probably won't be for sale for more than 30 minutes...

A Metrix MX54C DMM in good nick for only 20 Euros.

https://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/2176535064.htm

Pic doesn't show if it's alive or not, and it's missing the safety jack cover at the bottom... but still. Probably works just fine.

Would buy it in a heart beat but I am so broke I can't even spend 20 Euros on a TE or anything. I am now officially in survival mode, zero budget for hobbies or even food really, until I find a job.

Someone please buy it, you can always flog it later for 5 times the price.

How difficult would it be to show it powered up with a display? I am very skeptical and personally I wouldn't touch it unless seller provides the proper pictures. 

For 20 quid...? Who fucking cares? Do a sniff test when you go to pick it up and if it doesn't reek like self-destructed RIFAs, I'd go for it.

mnem
* Thrift Shop Survival Tactics 101 *

[med6753]

Bargain of a life time just popped up here, act quick if interested... probably won't be for sale for more than 30 minutes...

A Metrix MX54C DMM in good nick for only 20 Euros.

https://www.leboncoin.fr/bricolage/2176535064.htm

Pic doesn't show if it's alive or not, and it's missing the safety jack cover at the bottom... but still. Probably works just fine.

Would buy it in a heart beat but I am so broke I can't even spend 20 Euros on a TE or anything. I am now officially in survival mode, zero budget for hobbies or even food really, until I find a job.

Someone please buy it, you can always flog it later for 5 times the price.

How difficult would it be to show it powered up with a display? I am very skeptical and personally I wouldn't touch it unless seller provides the proper pictures. 

For 20 quid...? Who fucking cares? Do a sniff test when you go to pick it up and if it doesn't reek like self-destructed RIFAs, I'd go for it.

mnem
Thrift Shop survival tactics 101.

OK, then put your money where your mouth is. 

[Ice-Tea]

Schlumberger 4002.

I'm thinking perhaps this is textbook residual FM and I've just been spoiled by my IFR 2024

[TERRA Operative]

Hi Mnem,

I know that (also the part number).
The last one I came across went for 800 AussiPesos which is preposterously high for a used transformer.

The secondary outputs are generally 14 - 16 gauge wires ...
naturally I could check on the total electrical rating of the pb machine. Some of them blow a 16A circuit breaker (@230VAC) when switched on which is why more modern machines have a limiter built in.

If you could get to Akihabara, there are a couple transformer companies that can make custom transformers for much less than that...
Alas, logistics.... Postage would be a bitch for a transformer.....




On the Advantest R6144 front, I'm not so sure that the GPIB Bus Controller is the problem any more...
I had a deeper poke at the main board (that does all the actual voltage and current stuffs) and found a few blown transistors, so I'll hit Akihabara tomorrow and grab some 2SC1815L-GR transistors, and I'll pay for a handful of NOS 2SC1627-Y transistors from Yahoo Auctions that seem to be otherwise discontinued.

Creeping closer to getting this damn thing working... Fingers still crossed that the LT1021 7V voltage reference and LT1008 precision opamp are still good. 

[25 CPS]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

One of my friends works for an HVAC company and they've been increasing the truck charge line item on their invoices pretty much every month.  Everyone I know that's self employed or working for a small business and has to drive a service truck or van of some kind is being slaughtered and it's starting to get really ugly for some of them.  Of course, up here, Trudeau's still flinging a COVID-19 no questions asked tax credit at people working from home who are already saving massive commute costs and the same "essential" people who had to keep going to work at work during the pandemic and got nothing for that are being picked clean now while kitchen table laptop users continue to get free money.  It's disgusting.

High gas prices have also changed how I negotiate prices on equipment.  If it isn't selling and it's more than a short drive out of the way for me to pick it up, I try to negotiate down a bit on the basis of the fuel cost to come and get it from the person selling.

[Neper]

What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic

...which is about half of what we're currently paying across Western Europe.

Just one example:

https://carbu.com/belgique/prixmaximum

These are the maximum prices fixed by the Belgian government. No-one is allowed to sell above but stations may well go below. Lowest prices at the pump for 95 E10 are about 2.05 € per liter today.

The lower table is for domestic heating fuel.

[tggzzz]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

It would be ~£100 here. But our government has a plan: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/14/government-to-ease-petrol-prices-with-monthly-finance-packages-at-the-pumps/

[mnementh]

Now you're seeing the effects of the "instability" I was talking about when I posted the not-politics that got me spanked a while back. 

For certain groups of people, anything newsworthy means "ka-ching!"

mnem
that is all. 

[Zoli]

...
On the Advantest R6144 front, I'm not so sure that the GPIB Bus Controller is the problem any more...
I had a deeper poke at the main board (that does all the actual voltage and current stuffs) and found a few blown transistors, so I'll hit Akihabara tomorrow and grab some 2SC1815L-GR transistors, and I'll pay for a handful of NOS 2SC1627-Y transistors from Yahoo Auctions that seem to be otherwise discontinued.

Creeping closer to getting this damn thing working... Fingers still crossed that the LT1021 7V voltage reference and LT1008 precision opamp are still good. 

Since both LT's are unobtanium at the moment, drop me a PM if you need any of them(DIP-8 only).

[Specmaster]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

You may have worse to come yet, welcome to the UK, it cost £113 to fill mine up. I think Scotty is going to be getting lots of requests to be beamed up 

[bd139]

This is why I am getting rid of my car. Apart from the not using it bit, it's going to be fun watching everyone else paying for the fuel 

Anyway something else painful but at least TE related. Expensive cables arrived 

[Specmaster]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

It would be ~£100 here. But our government has a plan: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/14/government-to-ease-petrol-prices-with-monthly-finance-packages-at-the-pumps/

Is that for real  surely not

[Specmaster]

This is why I am getting rid of my car. Apart from the not using it bit, it's going to be fun watching everyone else paying for the fuel 

Anyway something else painful but at least TE related. Expensive cables arrived 

Ha, you might have trouble flogging a car right now, I saw the other day that diesel in central London was £2.50 a litre

[AVGresponding]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

It would be ~£100 here. But our government has a plan: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/14/government-to-ease-petrol-prices-with-monthly-finance-packages-at-the-pumps/

It would cost a lot less than £100, the tanks in those are only about 8 gallons (imperial, not sure about US, about 9 I guess).

NB: It's a good idea to only half fill your tank, as for every extra gallon of fuel you carry, your consumption increases.

[Specmaster]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

It would be ~£100 here. But our government has a plan: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/14/government-to-ease-petrol-prices-with-monthly-finance-packages-at-the-pumps/

It would cost a lot less than £100, the tanks in those are only about 8 gallons (imperial, not sure about US, about 9 I guess).

NB: It's a good idea to only half fill your tank, as for every extra gallon of fuel you carry, your consumption increases.

Yep, I have started to do that myself, you might also get the added advantage of getting a fill up with fuel if the price eventually drops.

[tggzzz]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

It would be ~£100 here. But our government has a plan: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/14/government-to-ease-petrol-prices-with-monthly-finance-packages-at-the-pumps/

It would cost a lot less than £100, the tanks in those are only about 8 gallons (imperial, not sure about US, about 9 I guess).

NB: It's a good idea to only half fill your tank, as for every extra gallon of fuel you carry, your consumption increases.

Extra weight, to a first order, only makes a difference when increasing speed or going up a hill. Weight is unimportant at a steady speed on the flat. Hence people in fenland won't care much (always presuming they could comprehend such arguments).

[tggzzz]

This is why I am getting rid of my car. Apart from the not using it bit, it's going to be fun watching everyone else paying for the fuel 

You'll pay, if only indirectly.

[AVGresponding]

Extra weight, to a first order, only makes a difference when increasing speed or going up a hill. Weight is unimportant at a steady speed on the flat. Hence people in fenland won't care much (always presuming they could comprehend such arguments).

They've discovered the wheel there now?

[tggzzz]

My world is shattered with a reality kick in the arse. I've pretty much accepted that to fill up the CR-V with gas requires a mortgage. What I didn't expect that today it cost me over $50 USD just to fill up the Civic. 

I know...."welcome to my world". Well, screw that. "Beam me up Scotty. I don't want to be here." 

It would be ~£100 here. But our government has a plan: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/14/government-to-ease-petrol-prices-with-monthly-finance-packages-at-the-pumps/

Is that for real  surely not

Everything on NewsThump is like the Gospel Truth. I have it my RSS feed so that I can quickly catch up with the news, albeit indirectly.

Another example: https://newsthump.com/2022/06/10/banks-confirm-they-will-happily-give-a-mortgage-for-a-250000-house-to-uc-claimants-on-350-a-month/

[TERRA Operative]

...
On the Advantest R6144 front, I'm not so sure that the GPIB Bus Controller is the problem any more...
I had a deeper poke at the main board (that does all the actual voltage and current stuffs) and found a few blown transistors, so I'll hit Akihabara tomorrow and grab some 2SC1815L-GR transistors, and I'll pay for a handful of NOS 2SC1627-Y transistors from Yahoo Auctions that seem to be otherwise discontinued.

Creeping closer to getting this damn thing working... Fingers still crossed that the LT1021 7V voltage reference and LT1008 precision opamp are still good. 

Since both LT's are unobtanium at the moment, drop me a PM if you need any of them(DIP-8 only).

Woo, thanks for the offer! I'll work my way across the PCB towards them and wish upon a star that they are ok....

My unit uses the DIP8 versions, here are the full part numbers on the parts for reference: LT1021BCN8-7 and LT1008CN8/NA

[tggzzz]

Extra weight, to a first order, only makes a difference when increasing speed or going up a hill. Weight is unimportant at a steady speed on the flat. Hence people in fenland won't care much (always presuming they could comprehend such arguments).

They've discovered the wheel there now?

Logs.

Whether for boats or à la Fred Flintstone is yet to be determined.

[AVGresponding]

This is still my favourite mug, if not my most used. I sometimes think about scribbling out the "Sorry I mean good morning"

[tggzzz]

There’s another 34401A appeared, this time a 2009 Agilent one, so I will attempt to obtain that, get it calibrated, check the HP 34401A against it and then lose that one. So keep your hands off with the competition 

Keep an eye out for  an Agilent 34410A? They are essentially the same, except the VFD has a second line with mean/min/max/stddev/count statistics. I find those stats to be a killer advantage, and wouldn't want a 34401.

Unfortunately not suitable for my requirements otherwise I would. No serial port and has a fan. The place I’m moving to I don’t want to run Ethernet around or futz with cabling so I am using a USB-serial bridge.

The USB bridge in the 34410A is unfortunately a complete unknown when it comes to Macs.

They also command a serious price premium over a 34401, of the order of 50% or so iirc. Don't see that many of them on the bay of fleas tbh.

Not sure what 34401s go for, but last week a 34410 went for ~£650+VAT at the MediaKind Systems auction. Rack mounted, probably in good condition.

[med6753]

Now you're seeing the effects of the "instability" I was talking about when I posted the not-politics that got me spanked a while back. 

For certain groups of people, anything newsworthy means "ka-ching!"

mnem
that is all. 

Oh I caught that back hand, loud and clear. You think I'm one of those sheeple who only care about things that affect my wallet. How wrong you are. 

[AVGresponding]

There’s another 34401A appeared, this time a 2009 Agilent one, so I will attempt to obtain that, get it calibrated, check the HP 34401A against it and then lose that one. So keep your hands off with the competition 

Keep an eye out for  an Agilent 34410A? They are essentially the same, except the VFD has a second line with mean/min/max/stddev/count statistics. I find those stats to be a killer advantage, and wouldn't want a 34401.

Unfortunately not suitable for my requirements otherwise I would. No serial port and has a fan. The place I’m moving to I don’t want to run Ethernet around or futz with cabling so I am using a USB-serial bridge.

The USB bridge in the 34410A is unfortunately a complete unknown when it comes to Macs.

They also command a serious price premium over a 34401, of the order of 50% or so iirc. Don't see that many of them on the bay of fleas tbh.

Not sure what 34401s go for, but last week a 34410 went for ~£650+VAT at the MediaKind Systems auction. Rack mounted, probably in good condition.

£300-400 depending on age and condition, and a bit less for problem ones. Mine was about £300 iirc, and is a late but not last Agilent version, in perfect condition.