Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

LOL! I didn't know Ferengi had been verbed. I like it.

In which way: financial or earlobe way? 

LOL! The shrewd merchant way.

So... both at the same time then...?   

A friendly PSA reminder... RoA #40: S/he can touch your lobes, but never your latinum.  

mnem
RoA #235: Duck; death is tall.

[tggzzz]

re: ads If I want to watch a movie I will buy the dvd.

I tend to agree with that.

Unfortunately there is some very good stuff only available on Netflix and to a lesser extent Amazon. That annoying trend will continue and get worse as the "streaming universe" is deliberately fragmented into corporate walled gardens. It will only be limited by people's pockets and their ability to afford a long subscription because they want to watch one programme.

Hells teeth, Amazon even has something where I will tolerate the ads: a remastered version of Babylon 5.

Apart from that, Amazon has been very canny: lump TV programmes with delivery vans, so you can't sensibly work out the cost/benefit of each. Keep an eye out for Amazon to start boiling frogs its customers.

[mnementh]

Another one. But first pass appears to be a bunch of junk. And wants $400 USD for the tube caddy 

https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/ele/d/poughkeepsie-large-lot-of-electronic/7510678461.html

The Eico 460 and the Grid Dip meter caught my attention, mostly for sentimental reasons... but his prices are aboot double what any of that is worth even in a fluff market; with the economy in starvation mode right now, they're outright delusional.

Particularly the choob caddy. I curbed two of those in Peesborgh when I left; the school AV lab I donated them to only wanted the valves themselves for stock. And the caps...? Why the eff aren't they already in the garbage?

Maybe he doesn't care if he sells any of it. 

mnem
Another fool hatched every minute... 

[bd139]

re: ads If I want to watch a movie I will buy the dvd.

I tend to agree with that.

Unfortunately there is some very good stuff only available on Netflix and to a lesser extent Amazon. That annoying trend will continue and get worse as the "streaming universe" is deliberately fragmented into corporate walled gardens. It will only be limited by people's pockets and their ability to afford a long subscription because they want to watch one programme.

Hells teeth, Amazon even has something where I will tolerate the ads: a remastered version of Babylon 5.

Apart from that, Amazon has been very canny: lump TV programmes with delivery vans, so you can't sensibly work out the cost/benefit of each. Keep an eye out for Amazon to start boiling frogs its customers.

I won't buy any DVDs. They take up space and I'm only going to watch it once. Same with fiction paper books. Might as well stream / sub them and shrug when you're done. As for content, if it's not on Disney+, Amazon Prime or Netflix, the latter of which I only periodically subscribe to, then I'll just steal it until they work out how to syndicate content without screwing me for even more corporate silos.

tggzzz: if you have Amazon, you have to watch The Expanse. (yeah yeah I know I keep going on about it  )

On TE, clock watching DHL international from China at the moment. Need my stack of PCBs as I'm blocked on my Marconi 2022E repairs now. Grr. Arrival should coincide exactly with the "moving window" annoyingly which means that I'm not going to get to deal with it until mid September.

[mnementh]

re: ads If I want to watch a movie I will buy the dvd.

I tend to agree with that.

Unfortunately there is some very good stuff only available on Netflix and to a lesser extent Amazon. That annoying trend will continue and get worse as the "streaming universe" is deliberately fragmented into corporate walled gardens. It will only be limited by people's pockets and their ability to afford a long subscription because they want to watch one programme.

Hells teeth, Amazon even has something where I will tolerate the ads: a remastered version of Babylon 5.

Apart from that, Amazon has been very canny: lump TV programmes with delivery vans, so you can't sensibly work out the cost/benefit of each. Keep an eye out for Amazon to start boiling frogs its customers.

Ehhh... the assache of physical media is the killer there. Too much time and maintenance.

Remember the formula for the Velocity Factor of Wealth: Rate/Cost/Income divided by time equals profit.

This applies equally to leisure time... arguably, even more so.

mnem
 

[med6753]

Another one. But first pass appears to be a bunch of junk. And wants $400 USD for the tube caddy 

https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/ele/d/poughkeepsie-large-lot-of-electronic/7510678461.html

The Eico 460 and the Grid Dip meter caught my attention, mostly for sentimental reasons... but his prices are aboot double what any of that is worth even in a fluff market; with the economy in starvation mode right now, they're outright delusional.

Particularly the choob caddy. I curbed two of those in Peesborgh when I left; the school AV lab I donated them to only wanted the valves themselves for stock. And the caps...? Why the eff aren't they already in the garbage?

Maybe he doesn't care if he sells any of it. 

mnem
Another fool hatched every minute... 

EICO made decent stuff. Sometimes better than Heath. The 460 is an example of that. Was much better than any Heath offerings at that time. And EICO recognized the need for DC coupling early while Heath fumbled around with that. But no way is that 460 worth $150. Maybe $75. And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here. 

[Saskia]

just returned from my fav dealer.

oh woe eeez meee ...
my wallet eez on ze brinck of selff destruckt ...

Ryzen 9 5950
Uni-T 2052CEX (oh beautiful torrential rains of Ferenginar ...)
and a PV inverter / charge controller for 150 quid (just the controller, Ryzen / scope) came extra.

had a call with the authorities.
For a wind mill I need a building permit, but I am to officially ask and they will check if they will allow a 3 - 5 kW turbine
If I put PV onto the roof, I don't need a building permit. If I put it into the garden, I need a building permit, unless it is only temporary in which case they will tolerate it for the time being.
 

[BU508A]

And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here.

The smaller, the better? 

[mnementh]

The Eico 460 and the Grid Dip meter caught my attention, mostly for sentimental reasons...

EICO made decent stuff. Sometimes better than Heath. The 460 is an example of that. Was much better than any Heath offerings at that time. And EICO recognized the need for DC coupling early while Heath fumbled around with that. But no way is that 460 worth $150. Maybe $75. And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here. 

Yeah... my Eico was the first scope I owned; not sure if it was a 460 now, 40-something years later.

I remember mine having BNC on the front panel; not sure if it was original.  Picked it up dead at one of those Etsy-type antique/junque shops in Elmira, NY. It was the one which taught me a healthy respect for choobs and their operating voltages. 

mnem
tzzzzzzzt.

[med6753]

And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here.

The smaller, the better? 

Not necessarily. If a Type 515A, 502A, or 585A falls into my lap I will make room. Even if a 4th Type 547 happens to need a home.   

[Saskia]

if one of those fell into your lap, wouldn't you need an ambulance ?
just asking ...

[pcprogrammer]

re: ads If I want to watch a movie I will buy the dvd.

I tend to agree with that.

Unfortunately there is some very good stuff only available on Netflix and to a lesser extent Amazon. That annoying trend will continue and get worse as the "streaming universe" is deliberately fragmented into corporate walled gardens. It will only be limited by people's pockets and their ability to afford a long subscription because they want to watch one programme.

Hells teeth, Amazon even has something where I will tolerate the ads: a remastered version of Babylon 5.

Apart from that, Amazon has been very canny: lump TV programmes with delivery vans, so you can't sensibly work out the cost/benefit of each. Keep an eye out for Amazon to start boiling frogs its customers.

I won't buy any DVDs. They take up space and I'm only going to watch it once. Same with fiction paper books. Might as well stream / sub them and shrug when you're done. As for content, if it's not on Disney+, Amazon Prime or Netflix, the latter of which I only periodically subscribe to, then I'll just steal it until they work out how to syndicate content without screwing me for even more corporate silos.

tggzzz: if you have Amazon, you have to watch The Expanse. (yeah yeah I know I keep going on about it  )

On TE, clock watching DHL international from China at the moment. Need my stack of PCBs as I'm blocked on my Marconi 2022E repairs now. Grr. Arrival should coincide exactly with the "moving window" annoyingly which means that I'm not going to get to deal with it until mid September.

I use a satellite tv receiver with 4 tuners and a hard disk to record what I like to see. Sure it is a wait for the new series and films but there is enough to fill the hour and a half I watch per day. And the commercials they are easily skipped with VLC player on the computer or on the satellite receiver itself. Just a couple of pushes on the buttons to skip the 8 minutes or plus of crap (3, 6, 6, 6 on the key pad)

Watching it back via our fiber internet with the tv providers app is sometimes needed and then it is a drag to sit through the shit. Indeed the humor has left the building in the commercials.

[med6753]

if one of those fell into your lap, wouldn't you need an ambulance ?
just asking ...

  Funny girl. 

[Robert763]

Puts a whole new meaning on lap dance......

[pcprogrammer]

if one of those fell into your lap, wouldn't you need an ambulance ?
just asking ...

  Funny girl. 

See if Ed.Kloonk can lift it with his build in hydraulics

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/necrobotics-dead-spider-pick-and-place/msg4326097/#msg4326097

[Cerebus]

Back in the day, when men were men & sheep were frightened, we "didn't need no steenkin Flashback Arrestors"!

Ah yes, the early Aussie space programme. It was a shame you guys only achieved sub-orbital trajectories before you gave up. Just a few sheep and some bloke named Trevor? 

[tonyalbus]

Since becoming a fan of the Datron 1071 meters, I was initially quite excited when I saw one pop up in my eBay search list.

Send you DM.. i have one, need money and was starting to get bored with it.. to many DMMS in my lab.
(never thought i would ever say that.) 

[GreyWoolfe]

That's a good question for the group... How much dragon-fire do you keep on tap?

Soldering stations, any kind of jet-flame type torch (no, not flashlights you scone-eaters), hot air guns including hot air rework...?

On my bench right now I have 2 Hot-air rework, a big paint-stripper heat gun, my Ungar heat-shrink tubing gun, and the cheapie cylindrical hot air gun I bought to get by with in Canuckistan. I have My Aoyue soldering station (also Hot air rework #2), my T12-OLED station, my Metcal, my Weller GT7 in a drawer under the bench, a couple-three Bernzomatic propane and one of their oxy-propane torches, and a couple butane crack-pipe torches. That I know of right now.

I know I have a bin in back of the racks full of soldering iron bits; doubtless enough to make 2 more, plus there's my old Weller WTCPN, my old ATTEN, and at least a couple Radidio Shack type firestarters for travel. I would literally have to open up at least 3 bins and rummage to get a accurate count. 

I also have squirreled away ~90% of my once daily-driver Smiths Oxy-acetylene torches, but they needs new hoses and I can't find the threaded collar for the brazing tips. Prolly need the regs rebuilt by now.

mnem

I have a Metcal MX-500 with wand and Talon tweezers, Hakko FX-951, Quick 957DW, Zhongdi ZD-985, 2 small handheld butane torches, 2 propane torches and a heat gun.

As a ham myself, I take umbrage with the generalized descriptions of hams( even if they are true).  I shower and even change my underwear every day, never smoked a day in my life and pay pest control to keep little critters out of my house, so put THAT in your waveguide and smoke it!!!!!!   I have walked away from freebies due to nicotine crustiness.  Only thing worse than smoking is chewing tobacco.  Back when I was doing Dell warranty repair work, I would run into tower computers so gummed up with nicotine dust the fans couldn't turn.  I ended up keeping Lysol wipes in my car to clean my hands when I left.

[mnementh]

SQWEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

mnem
*scurries off badger-like into the dwagon-cave*

[Zenith]

And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here.

The smaller, the better? 

Small is good. That it should be to some extent a useful scope is also good. Being the 3rd example in the collection counts against it. Being interesting in some way counts for it. Having a service manual counts for it. The price is always important.

It's a difficult one, but gigantic Cossor scopes are definitely out.

[med6753]

And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here.

The smaller, the better? 

Small is good. That it should be to some extent a useful scope is also good. Being the 3rd example in the collection counts against it. Being interesting in some way counts for it. Having a service manual counts for it. The price is always important.

It's a difficult one, but gigantic Cossor scopes are definitely out.

Nah, go big or go home. 

[Zenith]

And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here.

The smaller, the better? 

Small is good. That it should be to some extent a useful scope is also good. Being the 3rd example in the collection counts against it. Being interesting in some way counts for it. Having a service manual counts for it. The price is always important.

It's a difficult one, but gigantic Cossor scopes are definitely out.

Nah, go big or go home. 

The thing is when you go home, it's sort of nice to be able to move in there.

[mansaxel]

Yeah horrible things. TBH as I lost my craft heat gun the last time I did heat shrink I used my trangia burner. It stank of meths for a couple of days. I’m sure that couldn’t put out enough energy to melt anything though as it takes two hours to cook some beans 

For Trangias the keyword is LPG burner. I bought one and have not looked back.

I also have a Milspec Optimus 111 kerosene stove, for when I'm "hiking with a car", since it comes as part of a 10-person "officer mess utensil" kit. Much easier to get going than the blowtorch, which makes me think I oughta service it... There is a service organisation still offering parts for the Optimus torch so I'm a bit tempted. Once lit, it packs serious punch.

[med6753]

And due to space I have to be real choosy about bringing any additional scopes in here.

The smaller, the better? 

Small is good. That it should be to some extent a useful scope is also good. Being the 3rd example in the collection counts against it. Being interesting in some way counts for it. Having a service manual counts for it. The price is always important.

It's a difficult one, but gigantic Cossor scopes are definitely out.

Nah, go big or go home. 

The thing is when you go home, it's sort of nice to be able to move in there.

Plenty of space to be used up and still be able to move.

Vacant area under bench 2.



Vacant area previously occupied by 2 400 series scopes which now are in the TE Equipment Cabinet.

[nixiefreqq]

my 2 year old crap prepaid phone was acting up (it would always go straight to voice mail).  checked the blocked list, and do not answer settings, and airplane mode with no resolution.  it turned out that in the contact list you can click a box for "go to voicemail".  who knew?  and how did that little block get checked?

but part of my troubleshooting was pulling the battery to reset the pos.  hey!  is it supposed to look like that?  took it to the at&t store where a very nice young lady said "if it spins on a flat surface it is bad".  then she proceeded to spin it like a top.  BUT the local store was unable to sell me a new one.

so.  as a believer in the principle of "function follows form"......all i really need to do is restore its form.  squeezing it back into shape in a vise seems a little risky.  maybe just lay it in the driveway and drive over it a couple of times with the truck?  now where did i put that fire extinguisher?