Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tautech]

Do both. Give her time to sweat it a little before she gets a answer. 

mnem
*dinner is lurking*

Oh yeah this ! ^^^
They need learn once adults your life ceases to revolve around them.

[tggzzz]

Do both. Give her time to sweat it a little before she gets a answer. 

mnem
*dinner is lurking*

Ah.

I was thinking of the hamfests,not sprocket!

[mnementh]

The two are not mutually exclusive.

mnem
 

[tggzzz]

Do both. Give her time to sweat it a little before she gets a answer. 

mnem
*dinner is lurking*

Oh yeah this ! ^^^
They need learn once adults your live ceases to revolve around them.

Actually she is stunningly independent, and hates being dependent on anyone. Her worst fear is having to move back in with me, which we've avoided with one month to spare. Self-financed herself around Oz for 6 months when 18yo, running her own business, and has overcome some significant other hurdles.

Now all I have to do is "persuade" her that her bedroom really is going to be cleared to make way for TE. So far I've applied "squatters rights", but she is content to walk around my preciouses. But in a few days/weeks I will be able to simply dump all her stuff on her doorstep without feeling bad about it. And my preciouses will be stored more sanely.



If that picture doesn't qualify as a demonstration of the consequences of TEA and GAS, I don't know what does. Yes, there is "invisible" stuff like my Agilent 53310A and one 2465 (etc) on the floor under the lowest bookshelf.

[Cubdriver]

Do both. Give her time to sweat it a little before she gets a answer. 

mnem
*dinner is lurking*

Oh yeah this ! ^^^
They need learn once adults your live ceases to revolve around them.

Actually she is stunningly independent, and hates being dependent on anyone. Her worst fear is having to move back in with me, which we've avoided with one month to spare. Self-financed herself around Oz for 6 months when 18yo, running her own business, and has overcome some significant other hurdles.

Now all I have to do is "persuade" her that her bedroom really is going to be cleared to make way for TE. So far I've applied "squatters rights", but she is content to walk around my preciouses. But in a few days/weeks I will be able to simply dump all her stuff on her doorstep without feeling bad about it. And my preciouses will be stored more sanely.



If that picture doesn't qualify as a demonstration of the consequences of TEA and GAS, I don't know what does. Yes, there is "invisible" stuff like my Agilent 53310A and one 2465 (etc) on the floor under the lowest bookshelf.

That looks like my, well...  pretty much whole house!  TEA, GAS and lack of SWMBO..

-Pat

[vk6zgo]

The two are not mutually exclusive.

mnem
 

My daughter usually goes to the local Hamfest with me as a Father-Daughter bonding thing!

Apart from urging me to "at least buy something", she happily wanders around, catching up with various people.
She knows some from meeting them at earlier Hamfests, others from other activities altogether.
(It is interesting that with amateur radio being a minority hobby, how many people you meet totally outside that circle, who are hams.)

Weirdos who collect TE are somewhat rarer, although there are "even stranger things", like my ex-workmate who collects old full sized Sony reel to reel video Tape Recorders.

[Specmaster]

Welcome to the dark side 

We have "="-keys? 

We have calculators with "natural display"    - So you can focus on the task at hand & don't have to translate "to" and "from" calculator

Yeah, already got my eye on some calcs at the right price (Ferengi mode on) with that natural display, they look far better when you can see the equation exactly the same as it is written, that way you should be certain to arrive at the right answer. There is always that niggling little bit of self-doubt when you have to pull the equation apart and work on inputting it in the correct sequence etc 

[Saskia]

3D printer refused to print due to my lack of proper filament care. had to go into hulk mode and force the blob out of the extruder by shoving in new filament.

Technically you might want to call that "gorilla"

It's now printing without permanent damage.

[Specmaster]

<snip>
Unrelated to that, all the house paperwork is now sorted so move is 100% signed off. All systems go. Will have limited participation in TEA activities from 22nd Aug to 10th September approx  . Will try to drop in on discord at weekends though.

Good luck with the move, hope it all goes perfectly smooth and you get back here quicker than you thought.

[Specmaster]

Unrelated to that, all the house paperwork is now sorted so move is 100% signed off. All systems go. Will have limited participation in TEA activities from 22nd Aug to 10th September approx  . Will try to drop in on discord at weekends though.

Daughters paper work is also sorted, exchanged today, completion on Monday.

I thought I was finally rid of her and that she was an independent adult. Doubly so since the car I lent her has just been totalled when legally parked. Clearly no fault, but still a major pain in the backside in the middle of "ice cream high season"

Oh no. I've been informed that there are Things she will want me to do on her house.

I'm pondering whether I will make it to the FRARS hamfest on Sunday, and/or the Rugby hamfest next weekend. Both are equally distant.

Any recommendations based on past experience?

Good luck there then, sorry to hear about daughter's car, though. Someone a couple of streets from me has had a minibus they used for charity work, (taking OAPs shopping etc) totalled and their car damaged while parked outside their house. Some scumbag driving a stolen Mercedes Benz smashed into them and also totalled the Mercedes in the process, and then legged it, we had the police chopper circling over head while searching for the driver, who is out there somewhere. 

[bd139]

Unrelated to that, all the house paperwork is now sorted so move is 100% signed off. All systems go. Will have limited participation in TEA activities from 22nd Aug to 10th September approx  . Will try to drop in on discord at weekends though.

Daughters paper work is also sorted, exchanged today, completion on Monday.

I thought I was finally rid of her and that she was an independent adult. Doubly so since the car I lent her has just been totalled when legally parked. Clearly no fault, but still a major pain in the backside in the middle of "ice cream high season"

Oh no. I've been informed that there are Things she will want me to do on her house.

I'm pondering whether I will make it to the FRARS hamfest on Sunday, and/or the Rugby hamfest next weekend. Both are equally distant.

Any recommendations based on past experience?

Congratulations and commiserations in equal amounts. Had the same problem with my old Fiat. Someone removed the side of it when it was parked outside the school. I didn't bother claiming because I was looking for excuses to get rid of it. It didn't die quite enough to write it off though.

As for the hamfests, I have not been to either yet. I will be attending FRARS tomorrow though on recommendation elsewhere. After I've loaded the car up with goodies, I hope, I will be mugged an extortionate fee for parking and lunch and go and have an amble around here with the older assistant:



Rugby is a no for me. Maybe next year. Next one for me will be MKARS (Milton Keynes) on the 28th, which is on my "half way through house move day off". Also dangerously close to TNMOC.

[bd139]

The two are not mutually exclusive.

mnem
 

My daughter usually goes to the local Hamfest with me as a Father-Daughter bonding thing!

Apart from urging me to "at least buy something", she happily wanders around, catching up with various people.
She knows some from meeting them at earlier Hamfests, others from other activities altogether.
(It is interesting that with amateur radio being a minority hobby, how many people you meet totally outside that circle, who are hams.)

Weirdos who collect TE are somewhat rarer, although there are "even stranger things", like my ex-workmate who collects old full sized Sony reel to reel video Tape Recorders.

Mine has started going as well. In line with "the other thread", it was slightly hilarious at Newbury when I was explaining what a "porcupine" is and to keep an eye out. One immediately swerved out of a side turn in front of us clearly trying to handle the talk-in and a car at the same time . Her facetious comment of the day was "St Johns ambulance are very busy today".

As for TE collectors we regularly bump into each other here

[bd139]

<snip>
Unrelated to that, all the house paperwork is now sorted so move is 100% signed off. All systems go. Will have limited participation in TEA activities from 22nd Aug to 10th September approx  . Will try to drop in on discord at weekends though.

Good luck with the move, hope it all goes perfectly smooth and you get back here quicker than you thought.

It will be a disaster. Moving house always is. Glass half empty. Better to be pleasantly surprised than unpleasantly surprised.

The big pain in the butt is as always juggling internet connections. I'm still working during the week because quite frankly I can't actually trust leaving the place alone for more than a couple of days so I'm going to be 4G tethered until they sort it.

[tggzzz]

Do both. Give her time to sweat it a little before she gets a answer. 

mnem
*dinner is lurking*

Oh yeah this ! ^^^
They need learn once adults your live ceases to revolve around them.

Actually she is stunningly independent, and hates being dependent on anyone. Her worst fear is having to move back in with me, which we've avoided with one month to spare. Self-financed herself around Oz for 6 months when 18yo, running her own business, and has overcome some significant other hurdles.

Now all I have to do is "persuade" her that her bedroom really is going to be cleared to make way for TE. So far I've applied "squatters rights", but she is content to walk around my preciouses. But in a few days/weeks I will be able to simply dump all her stuff on her doorstep without feeling bad about it. And my preciouses will be stored more sanely.



If that picture doesn't qualify as a demonstration of the consequences of TEA and GAS, I don't know what does. Yes, there is "invisible" stuff like my Agilent 53310A and one 2465 (etc) on the floor under the lowest bookshelf.

That looks like my, well...  pretty much whole house!  TEA, GAS and lack of SWMBO..

-Pat

That's only one room, unfortunately.

The backstory is that I dislike throwing out things that remind me of the past, so my house is full. Daughter inherited that affliction.
Then I succombed to TEA and GAS.
Then daughter started acquiring things while renting a flat, and the necessary overspill ended up in my house, e.g. catering "kettles" for making hot chocolate in the winter months, plus spare lumps from her 1972 ice cream van.
Then my parents died, so I've fitted in some furniture and things that I've been wanting for decades. And haven't managed to fit in all their family photos and paperwork for winding up the estate.

The only part that's under my control is getting her to take her stuff to her house, which will be possible after Monday (bliss!). Fortunately I don't publicise my address since that enables me to avoid buggers calling in the TV crews that make documentaries about people like me having their house cleared.

In the other bedroom there a lot of small stuff in a dresser that is a cargo cult homage to Jim Williams, plus a couple of HP/Tek 21Ghz SAs, the 19" rack on the floor waiting for me to gain enough courage to debug the 1kV supply with lots of exposed 4mm banana plugs and spade connectors, other cupboards, plus ...

[bd139]

If I’m lucky that’s exactly what my place is going to look like in 6 months 

[Saskia]

Fnort. I would be happy if in 6 months my place would no longer look like that ...

[tggzzz]

The two are not mutually exclusive.

mnem
 

My daughter usually goes to the local Hamfest with me as a Father-Daughter bonding thing!

Mine is wryly scathing about hams, much like bd. In my turn I'm mildly scathing about some of her activities. It is a good happy balanced relationship.

Bonding activities include her dog and my learning to be an HVAC technician creating a controller so that the large metal chest in her van doesn't get down to -31C. Surprisingly easy once I'd measured the spec of Freon-21 compressors using a 400MHz Fluke sampling scope plus differential probe and exposed 240Vac wires, found out what exists and where I could actually buy it. I knew that "unnecessary but desirable" TE would become necessary one day.

[tautech]

In the other bedroom there a lot of small stuff in a dresser that is a cargo cult homage to Jim Williams, plus a couple of HP/Tek 21Ghz SAs, the 19" rack on the floor waiting for me to gain enough courage to debug the 1kV supply with lots of exposed 4mm banana plugs and spade connectors, other cupboards, plus ...

And no cat ? 

[Zenith]

I'm pondering whether I will make it to the FRARS hamfest on Sunday, and/or the Rugby hamfest next weekend. Both are equally distant.

Any recommendations based on past experience?

Rugby has been good to me in the past, particularly for hard to find components I'd been looking for, but some TE. There are one or two things I regret not snapping up at the time.  I'd rate it slightly better than McMichael but not up to Newbury. It's always been boiling hot when I've been there, so definitely remember your hat and a bottle of water.

FRARS I've never been to because it's towards the edge of my rally radius and it's an awkward drive. I get the impression it's a lot bigger than a Chippenham type micro-rally, but it's no more than an impression. I've always wondered about it.

After a couple of years of rally deprivation, I shall go to both.

One I wonder about is MK. It's doable but I've always had a distaste for Milton Keynes. I'd go to that one if it was McMichael size or better.

[bd139]

I'm pondering whether I will make it to the FRARS hamfest on Sunday, and/or the Rugby hamfest next weekend. Both are equally distant.

Any recommendations based on past experience?

Rugby has been good to me in the past, particularly for hard to find components I'd been looking for, but some TE. There are one or two things I regret not snapping up at the time.  I'd rate it slightly better than McMichael but not up to Newbury. It's always been boiling hot when I've been there, so definitely remember your hat and a bottle of water.

FRARS I've never been to because it's towards the edge of my rally radius and it's an awkward drive. I get the impression it's a lot bigger than a Chippenham type micro-rally, but it's no more than an impression. I've always wondered about it.

After a couple of years of rally deprivation, I shall go to both.

One I wonder about is MK. It's doable but I've always had a distaste for Milton Keynes. I'd go to that one if it was McMichael size or better.

MK one depends on how rainy it is. I’ve seen it down to about 20 plots but up to 50 plots.

Here’s my 2018 haul from that: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg1775525/#msg1775525

Edit: I may do rugby as well. I have an excess of space coming up the following week 

[Zenith]

I'm pondering whether I will make it to the FRARS hamfest on Sunday, and/or the Rugby hamfest next weekend. Both are equally distant.

Any recommendations based on past experience?

Rugby has been good to me in the past, particularly for hard to find components I'd been looking for, but some TE. There are one or two things I regret not snapping up at the time.  I'd rate it slightly better than McMichael but not up to Newbury. It's always been boiling hot when I've been there, so definitely remember your hat and a bottle of water.

FRARS I've never been to because it's towards the edge of my rally radius and it's an awkward drive. I get the impression it's a lot bigger than a Chippenham type micro-rally, but it's no more than an impression. I've always wondered about it.

After a couple of years of rally deprivation, I shall go to both.

One I wonder about is MK. It's doable but I've always had a distaste for Milton Keynes. I'd go to that one if it was McMichael size or better.

MK one depends on how rainy it is. I’ve seen it down to about 20 plots but up to 50 plots.

Here’s my 2018 haul from that: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg1775525/#msg1775525

That's a reasonable bag. I've always had a soft spot for a bit of Heath-Robinson kit myself,  especially if I've seen nothing else. The Tek was nice, and from what you say there was lots of other interesting stuff.

Mind you, MK conflicts with Torbay. Torbay is an indoor event, so in the weather we've been having, it will probably be like a sauna. MK beckons.

[tggzzz]

In the other bedroom there a lot of small stuff in a dresser that is a cargo cult homage to Jim Williams, plus a couple of HP/Tek 21Ghz SAs, the 19" rack on the floor waiting for me to gain enough courage to debug the 1kV supply with lots of exposed 4mm banana plugs and spade connectors, other cupboards, plus ...

And no cat ? 

Daughter's dog. Sharp as a tack, as curious as a cat, knows what is his without having to be told, and remarkably biddable so long as squirrels aren't involved. Balls are never knowingly unchased and unretrieved. I'd love to take him to a rat-infested farm, sit back and watch.

[Saskia]

while I am in no way such a capable 3D print enthusiast as mnem is I am currently printing away on the missing knobs for the Yamaha KX260 tape deck I picked up at a flea market for a tenner. I do need a tape counter belt though to bring it fully back to life.

[tggzzz]

I'm pondering whether I will make it to the FRARS hamfest on Sunday, and/or the Rugby hamfest next weekend. Both are equally distant.

Any recommendations based on past experience?

Rugby has been good to me in the past, particularly for hard to find components I'd been looking for, but some TE. There are one or two things I regret not snapping up at the time.  I'd rate it slightly better than McMichael but not up to Newbury. It's always been boiling hot when I've been there, so definitely remember your hat and a bottle of water.

FRARS I've never been to because it's towards the edge of my rally radius and it's an awkward drive. I get the impression it's a lot bigger than a Chippenham type micro-rally, but it's no more than an impression. I've always wondered about it.

That's a reasonable appreciation of FRARS: worth going to unless it is tipping it down.

I'm undecided about FRARS. I'll probably choose Rugby since it is the vice I haven't experienced.

After a couple of years of rally deprivation, I shall go to both.

One I wonder about is MK. It's doable but I've always had a distaste for Milton Keynes. I'd go to that one if it was McMichael size or better.

Well, yes. But TNMoC beckons, and is always worth visiting. (Go to Bletchley Park once, if you must)

[tggzzz]

Edit: I may do rugby as well. I have an excess of space coming up the following week 

... and a full-to-overflowing car parked somewhere until then?