Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[cyclin_al]

A quick heads-up for the North Americans in the thread, a couple of nice free + shipping instruments in the BSW sub-forum:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/free-leeds-northrup-k-3-universal-potentiometer/

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/free-wayne-kerr-b601-rf-bridge/

Thanks for the heads up on that.

The Ferengi in me really like this if my buddy from Victoria, BC has not yet left on his road trip, which includes a stop to visit me... 

[mansaxel]

For those who are into military aircraft, there is a live feed of the departing aircraft from RIAT on now with around 350 aircrafte departing back to the bases around the world.

And here they were terrified when a A400M did a low bypass at the beach of Travemünde. I remember the times as a kid where we had daily low-level flights with Lockheed F-104 (Starfighter) with nearly sound of speed, so you will not hear them until they pass you And often you heard the bang when they did supersonic over the sea.

I grew up close to an airbase. I know how it sounds when the daily Soviet provocation is doing something out of the ordinary, the afterburner flames of the Drakens growing as long as the planes and the idea of a sound nuisance adapted ascent is thrown out of the cockpit along with the coffee as the start order comes on the wire. (The planes, when at higher on-ground readyness states, have the pilot sitting in, and the plane wired to a party-line analog phone circuit with the Fighter Controller on, to not have a radio going off radiating. )

I think it is a sign of a better more peaceful world where people foster an innocence about these things.

Si vis pacem, para bellum. Though.

[mansaxel]

The G&T case is actually marginal as well: 25 ml shot of 40% gin - ~8gm alcohol - net fluid loss (80 - 15) = 65 ml to be made up with tonic water and ice. So as long as your G&T is 1:2.6 gin and tonic respectively you're not going to suffer dehydration, with any excess tonic over the 2.6 contributing to hydration,

And I make my G&T from 40 ml Hernö Gin and 80ml tonic, some ground black pepper and a lemon slice. I should probably serve them with a glass of water.

...but by the time you get any significant hydration from drinking it you're going to be pissed as an admiral.

And here I was of the impression that admirals drink gin and bitters.. That's an even more losing proposition, by the way,  since there's only the water in the gin to help with dehydration.

Edited to add: The ice probably saves the day; I forgot to count it.

[mansaxel]

Bottle of port -> worst headache I have ever had.

A whole bottle of port is probably a very stupid idea for a lot of reasons, first and foremost, that at 20% ABV if will get you pretty idiot-knackered really fast.

But it will be a tasty ride to purgatory!

*hic*

[Zucca]

Kind of counter-productive to trap so many motorists idling fuel away into exhaust fumes.......

This morning I parked at work at 08:15 in front a white BMW locked with the engine running.
Nobody inside.
I left at 15:50 and the very same vehicle was still idling locked.



PS: I asked my power company if there is a rebate since I installed a hybrid water hater.... they sent me a rebate to switch to gas. In 2022? Now go and watch the above again.... 

[cyclin_al]

umm, if you experience a Texan Mega Tunderstorm there is a certain probability that that cell will start to rotate. When it does you have a very high probability of it developing vorteces that would suck stuff up. Like in a tornado. I have a very healthy respect for such weather, and I have seen a sufficiently hideous storm just outside of Neo-Mogadischu (Minneapolis).


We had a pretty nasty storm (well, 3 consecutive storms) with up to 100 mph winds coming thru in february. The storms took the roof of my garden shed. Approx. 4k in property damage, me being somewhat unhappy with the situation as the bloody insurance stated that we could reuse some of the damaged and torn up roof ... yeah right ...

Who said anything about rotation being required?
If the storm winds are linear, and not rotational, it is known as a Derecho.
I did not know of this terminology or storm type until May this year:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/derecho-causes-havoc-in-canada-1.6464409

I heard what sounded like a fleet of turbofans over my head.  I ordered the family into the basement.  We came upstairs after and our place was fine.
One of the places half a kilometer down the street was not fine in any way whatsoever.

That weekend in May I helped a buddy replace his roof.  This is the buddy that helped finish my garage and kennel roof replacments following the 2019 tornado.

The Mother-in-laws farm (over 100km from the main storm track) is still missing the tin roofing from the workshop, and the barn roof structure has created a double-roof on top of the chicken coop...

[cyclin_al]

And a cockroach just landed on my desk !! 

Teach him how to solder and hold probes in tight places for you!!! 

mnem
or you could do that...   *hands you a paper towel*

Yes I opt for the second solution. No paper towel, but I have used old sticky notes that I recycle as cockroaches annihilators. I flattened the one I mentioned in my previous message. 2 minutes later another one landed on my forearm, I managed to get that one as well. 2 minutes later a third one again on my desk... but I failed to catch this one sadly * These buggers run SO FAST, can change direction so fast, and hide anywhere, under the computer case, under the printer, under the monitor stand, inside my wallet, under the keyboard, between paper documents, underneath my calculator, speakers....  it's difficult to get them ! 

It's the first time in my life that I see these bloody insects.... I guess that's what you get for living in the country side. I see them only during very hot summer nights, when I stay up late at night with the light on and all windows opened. Then I will se 2 or 3 per night. Drives me nuts.

I can cope with flies and mosquitos, but somehow these cock roaches, I find them disgusting, I can't stand seeing them... 

EDIT : finally managed to got that third bastard in the end, a second ago ! It was hiding under the K/B.... now it's flat and immobile, just like his 2 brothers.  I wonder if there is some chemical or other way to trap these bastards, so that I can attract them all in one place, so they don't run all around the house...
There are electrified UV lights to get the flies.. maybe there is something to get rid of cock roaches... I hate these things so much that I am willing to spend some time researching the subject on the web, and maybe even fork out a few dollars to buy whatever product or apparatus that might help me get rid of them...

If you see one cockroach, there are many more hiding in the walls....
You saw 3, time to go thermonuclear. You got a nest of them somewhere.........

Are we actually talking about the same insect here?

I live out in the country and have never seen a cockroach here.   

Back in the day, it was common to find cockroaches in large city apartment buildings where the population had little interest in cleaning chores (ie. large apartment building full of university student accommodations).  That is one thing I do not miss from those days...

EDIT:  +1 for diatomaceous earth for any insect of that sort.  As the dwagon indicated, it is also my understanding that it is mechanically injuring/killing the insects.  Not poisonous.  Then again, do take care with the stuff since I do believe that asbestos is bad in much the same way.

[Saskia]

After signing out last evening a toddy of vodka and dry was the plan and a few minutes in front of the goggle box before retiring however there was Callahan from '76 with his 44 Mag and not to watch it would've been plain rude.
So Monday nights are Dirty Harry nights for a few weeks here, ain't watched that stuff in years. 

The .44 Magnum. A truly insane cartridge. Having shot them from a genuine Dirty Harry S&W Model 29 revolver with the 8 inch barrel, I wouldn't think of using just one hand when firing it. The recoil is like stopping a train! It's quite easy to be accurate with it though, as long as you take single shots to allow some time to recover your senses before the next deafening explosion!

 

The contrast when shooting .45 ACP cartridges with the classic Colt M1911 pistol and its comparatively stubby 5 inch barrel couldn't be more striking. I could get good groupings at 25 metres standing with the Model 29. Hitting anything smaller than a barn door at 25 metres with the M1911 was a real challenge. Partly because of the short barrel, but also because despite the fact I'm right handed, I shoot left handed which means I end up dodging the cartridges as they get ejected from the side of the Colt and fly past dangerously close to my eye.

well, hubby and me used to double tap with the .44 Mag. I did sell my .500 S&W (the one with a 2.75" barrel, no comp, cuz nobody would let me try it on their range.

[Saskia]

cockroaches ? Nuke them from orbit. It's the only way to make sure ...

[BU508A]

Please, could we stop discussing those off-topic things and going back to more on-topic subjects?

Thank you.

[dl6lr]

I grew up close to an airbase. I know how it sounds when the daily Soviet provocation is doing something out of the ordinary, the afterburner flames of the Drakens growing as long as the planes and the idea of a sound nuisance adapted ascent is thrown out of the cockpit along with the coffee as the start order comes on the wire. (The planes, when at higher on-ground readyness states, have the pilot sitting in, and the plane wired to a party-line analog phone circuit with the Fighter Controller on, to not have a radio going off radiating. )

I think it is a sign of a better more peaceful world where people foster an innocence about these things.

Si vis pacem, para bellum. Though.

My sister is living in Jagel, 1km from the airbase. The end of the runway is abt. 200m from their house. There is less traffic than before, but still the training for pilots of the PA-200 Tornado.

[bd139]

Please, could we stop discussing those off-topic things and going back to more on-topic subjects?

Thank you.

Good luck with that 

On topic for a change … 10 miles from me:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185505328186

Not sure where I’d put it until I’ve moved though 
Maude it’s repairable but it’s the SMPS variety which can be a bugger to fix.

[McBryce]

Random spur of the moment TEA Acquisition... Just cos' I've always wanted one, the price was rather low and it seems to be in great condition.

McBryce.

your mileage may vary....but that is my least favorite piece of TE.

bought mine new in about 1993 and it gets very little use.

the little slide on clip ground leads on the probes are dogshit, unreliable, and mostly self destructed in the first couple of years.

had to replace the electroluminescent backlight panel about 10 years ago.  it was not too difficult but the color has never looked right since.

the banana jacks on top are used only for ohms, diode test, and mV up to 3V.  for any voltage test above 3V you have to switch to the bnc jacks and use a probe.  i always forget and it annoys the shit outa' me.

the connector on the power supply is dogshit and practically unobtanium when you have to replace it. and replace it you will.

but it is handy when you need to make isolated/differential measurements.  just slap in some batteries.  then it is for sure isolated and you are good to go.

why do i keep it?  because it is one of the things the evil one wanted out of the divorce in '94.....but i got it.

You'd have a fight on your hands if you tried to take mine away from me!   

I paid less than a set of fluke probes go for on ebay, so I thought I'd give it a go. I already have a Siglent SHS806, so I don't really (insert the forbidden n-word here) it.

McBryce.

[Saskia]

Thinking about downsizing my scope collection.

Anyone (Germany, northern Europe) interested in:
Keysight MSO 3054T w/MSO option, 4/16 channels, 4 500MHz probes, 1 active probe (N2795A), Ethernet interface (asking 5k€) rarely used, excellent condition
Keysight 2002A w/ adaptations and MSO cable plus 2 150 MHz probes, additional front panel (for adaptation to 4 channels) (asking 900€) ? rarely used, excellent condition

I still have enough scopes to afford selling of those 2. Offering them here, first.

[Robert763]

On topic,
Some TE I made last week for a private customer. Still can't tell you what it is though.

[Specmaster]

Getting worse here.... now 01H30, and it's still 30°C outside, 29 inside.... can't sleep with that kind of temperature...

Forcast says should decrease to 23°C in the morning when the sun rises... though it says it will feel like 28°C, probably because of humidity.. .so not sure that will improve things at all....

Summer sucks !

And a cockroach just landed on my desk !! 

I feel for you Vince. We were in the same situation a couple of weeks ago. The temperature was up in the mid 30s during the day and my well insulated, solid brick apartment just soaks up the heat during the day to release it once the sun goes down (or rather, dips slightly below the horizon for an hour or two, as it does up here). The AC is far too noisy to use in the bedroom when you are trying to sleep, so you end up just lying on top of the bed, sweating.

Thankfully, I don't think we have cockroaches here in Sweden. I've never seen one here at least.

That was me last night, even with a box fan on high all night. However, I did eventually drop off to sleep and when I woke this morning, the area of me that the fan could not reach just sweated all night and this morning I was lying on a very moist bed indeed.

[Specmaster]

And a cockroach just landed on my desk !! 

Teach him how to solder and hold probes in tight places for you!!! 

mnem
or you could do that...   *hands you a paper towel*

Yes I opt for the second solution. No paper towel, but I have used old sticky notes that I recycle as cockroaches annihilators. I flattened the one I mentioned in my previous message. 2 minutes later another one landed on my forearm, I managed to get that one as well. 2 minutes later a third one again on my desk... but I failed to catch this one sadly * These buggers run SO FAST, can change direction so fast, and hide anywhere, under the computer case, under the printer, under the monitor stand, inside my wallet, under the keyboard, between paper documents, underneath my calculator, speakers....  it's difficult to get them ! 

It's the first time in my life that I see these bloody insects.... I guess that's what you get for living in the country side. I see them only during very hot summer nights, when I stay up late at night with the light on and all windows opened. Then I will se 2 or 3 per night. Drives me nuts.

I can cope with flies and mosquitos, but somehow these cock roaches, I find them disgusting, I can't stand seeing them... 

EDIT : finally managed to got that third bastard in the end, a second ago ! It was hiding under the K/B.... now it's flat and immobile, just like his 2 brothers.  I wonder if there is some chemical or other way to trap these bastards, so that I can attract them all in one place, so they don't run all around the house...
There are electrified UV lights to get the flies.. maybe there is something to get rid of cock roaches... I hate these things so much that I am willing to spend some time researching the subject on the web, and maybe even fork out a few dollars to buy whatever product or apparatus that might help me get rid of them...

I don't have any cockroaches, at least, I'm not aware of any, but we get plenty of spiders, flys and wasps and I have a couple of these electronic bats around the house which make very short work of dispatching these pests, the only downside is that some of those critters can really stink as they get fried on the 3,000 volt grid plates.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BARGAINS-GALORE-ELECTRIC-ZAPPER-MOSQUITO-SWATTER/dp/B07PQT7HTN/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=electric+fly+bat&qid=1658218541&sr=8-3

[tggzzz]

If you see one cockroach, there are many more hiding in the walls....
You saw 3, time to go thermonuclear. You got a nest of them somewhere.........

I was under the impression that radiation was relatively useless with cockroaches

[Saskia]

also they tend to lay eggs the moment you kill them ...
Actually the poison method seems to be the most effective one to me. Even though I find poison sneaky.

[bd139]

Well that was a turn up for the books. My missing IC turned up!

RM 19 days for 2nd class signed for.

Seller has refunded already 

[BU508A]

Thinking about downsizing my scope collection.

Anyone (Germany, northern Europe) interested in:
Keysight MSO 3054T w/MSO option, 4/16 channels, 4 500MHz probes, 1 active probe (N2795A), Ethernet interface (asking 5k€) rarely used, excellent condition
Keysight 2002A w/ adaptations and MSO cable plus 2 150 MHz probes, additional front panel (for adaptation to 4 channels) (asking 900€) ? rarely used, excellent condition

I still have enough scopes to afford selling of those 2. Offering them here, first.

I'm tempted since Saturday about that MSOX3054T with all those add-ons, but I can't spend 5kEUR yet. That's really a pity.

Beautiful scope:

[bd139]

Until you need support 

[BU508A]

Well that was a turn up for the books. My missing IC turned up!

RM 19 days for 2nd class signed for.

Seller has refunded already 

Patience, little Padawan, is the key. 

[BU508A]

Until you need support 

Not a problem, I'm having the right VAT number.   

[bd139]

Until you need support 

Not a problem, I'm having the right VAT number.   

I have one too. Just it means I have to make it a company expense and that’s difficult on some items 

Edit: plus honestly I’d have a hard time justifying it for any purpose I have.