Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[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

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 ...

I can totally relate - I like to keep things with sentimental value, too, and have friends who often joke about calling Hoarders to do an episode on me, or threatening to rent a dumpster when I’m away on a work trip.  As for TEA and GAS, well, basement - test equipment.  Living room - test equipment. Dining room - test equipment. Other rooms - test equipment.  And to think that this slide into the abyss started around twelve years ago after a wiki walk reignited my interest in vacuum tubes and a desire to design and build some amplifiers.    

-Pat

[bd139]

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?

To be honest most of the test gear is "lurking" wherever it'll fit without anyone falling over it. I've become somewhat expert at this so I'm sure I can find some more places for it to lurk. The current half-packed situation...



i reckon I can get at least another two scopes in there somewhere...

[mansaxel]

I can totally relate - I like to keep things with sentimental value, too, and have friends who often joke about calling Hoarders to do an episode on me, or threatening to rent a dumpster when I’m away on a work trip.  As for TEA and GAS, well, basement - test equipment.  Living room - test equipment. Dining room - test equipment. Other rooms - test equipment.  And to think that this slide into the abyss started around twelve years ago after a wiki walk reignited my interest in vacuum tubes and a desire to design and build some amplifiers.    

-Pat

Here, there's actually a TDS520 in the living room, simply because it ended up there. High up on a bookshelf in same, my DDR resistance standards collection perches, together with the DMMCheck. And an Avo HD. Wife's got a Ericsson round volt meter in a wood casing too, bought at a ham rally, now on display for its looks. It works, IIRC.

Then, in what was supposed to be a study, but now is more storage, there are a few devices, the 200CDR most prominently.

Electronics workshop in garage is the main culprit. Most gear is stored there. Really need to get the 410b on the bench and swap out the Marconi TF one; the hp is in better condition and is the better instrument, IMNSHO.

Had some issues with the mixing desk yesterday evening. Must pull channel 9 and check it. Suspect it is going to need refurb or swap of its EQ bypass and polarity flip toggles. Also, it leaks signal, in mysterious ways. I ended up having reverb return (it with channel 10 was used as stereo reverb returns) in monitors, which is a big fat no-no.

To this, I suppose I'll go along and make either the 3552A telecoms test set (mine is beat up, but works!) or the 400H meter tools of choice. The stumbling block with the 400H is that one -- of course, once clue bat has hit -- must terminate the input correctly. Just signal and no 600Ω resistor will not proper dBm make. Big  there.

[Zenith]

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.

If it's absolutely bucketing down, that changes things. There's a chance this hot weather will end in torrential downpours.

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)

TNMoC is on the list of shrines to which I must make a pilgimmage. I'd rather pick a pleasant day in September or October and make a day of it, trying to pick a quiet day, rather than squeeze it into a trip to a rally. I'm sure you said before that Bletchley Park was a horrible tourist trap type place.

[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?

To be honest most of the test gear is "lurking" wherever it'll fit without anyone falling over it. I've become somewhat expert at this so I'm sure I can find some more places for it to lurk. The current half-packed situation...



i reckon I can get at least another two scopes in there somewhere...

If that's all you've got then you ought to slink off with your tail between your legs - and return when you've rectified that situation.

I know "generation rent" tends to prefer "experiences" over "acquisitions" (which isn't a bad thing), but my daughter seems to have succombed to the dark side.

[bd139]

TNMoC is on the list of shrines to which I must make a pilgimmage. I'd rather pick a pleasant day in September or October and make a day of it, trying to pick a quiet day, rather than squeeze it into a trip to a rally. I'm sure you said before that Bletchley Park was a horrible tourist trap type place.

I would definitely avoid TNMOC in hot weather. I went in August 2019 and it was blisteringly hot. But it's an excellent day out.

Motivational TEA optimised gallery: https://imgur.com/a/CdvfrkG 

[tggzzz]

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.

If it's absolutely bucketing down, that changes things. There's a chance this hot weather will end in torrential downpours.

Arguably continuous rain is worse than torrential downpours. The latter might be in the next field and there's the general rule that if the rain turns on quickly, then it will also turn off quickly.

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)

TNMoC is on the list of shrines to which I must make a pilgimmage. I'd rather pick a pleasant day in September or October and make a day of it, trying to pick a quiet day, rather than squeeze it into a trip to a rally. I'm sure you said before that Bletchley Park was a horrible tourist trap type place.

The other "TNMoC time" is after the DDARC hamfest in Luton, in the spring.

EDIT: given that TNMoC is in glorified nissen huts, bd's point is probably wise.

[bd139]

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?

To be honest most of the test gear is "lurking" wherever it'll fit without anyone falling over it. I've become somewhat expert at this so I'm sure I can find some more places for it to lurk. The current half-packed situation...



i reckon I can get at least another two scopes in there somewhere...

If that's all you've got then you ought to slink off with your tail between your legs - and return when you've rectified that situation.

I know "generation rent" tends to prefer "experiences" over "acquisitions" (which isn't a bad thing), but my daughter seems to have succombed to the dark side.

That's SOME of it. Here's some more...

Tektronix 465 and Farnell power supply lurking in the gap next to the bathroom:



And of course the cupboard of doom:



Edit: on "generation rent", it's worth noting that I'm only renting while I consolidate all the income from the last decade of divorces, deaths and disasters. Then I'm buying something nice

[Robert763]

FRARS was my local rally nearly 20 years but haven't been for several. for part of tha time I worked for a Flight Refuelling company but never joined FRARS as Christchurch (plessey / BAE) was much closer to me. The FRARS rally used to be mostly tented but the carboot area had taken over last time I went.
Too far and too hot for me this weekend.

[TERRA Operative]

Here, there's actually a TDS520 in the living room, simply because it ended up there.

As the resident TDS scope aficionado , I have to ask what version firmware it has and if you can hook it up via GPIB and rip a copy out for me.   

[Peter_O]

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

For TE and accessories it mitght the same as with all stuff:

Worst case is not having everything in boxes.
Helpers get tired at the end of the day
... and then there is this crazy stuff in the corners: Here a bag of cables, there a fancy holder of some thingy only the owner is able to remember, there a cactus, ...
... and then those 'few parts in the basement'.   

20 more boxes would be done in no time.

Simple formula: One big moving box per board.
Sounds plenty, but isn't. Double that number!

[Zenith]

FRARS was my local rally nearly 20 years but haven't been for several. for part of tha time I worked for a Flight Refuelling company but never joined FRARS as Christchurch (plessey / BAE) was much closer to me. The FRARS rally used to be mostly tented but the carboot area had taken over last time I went.
Too far and too hot for me this weekend.

I'll go partly because I've never been to it before, but I've always had the impression it was one of the better ones, so I'm curious about it, and partly because a couple of years with no rallies has sharpened the appetite.

[TERRA Operative]

Today's adventure involved a Tek FG502 TM500 function gen.
I replaced the broken fron panel plastic with a new part and of course it didn't work anymore... 

Turns out that, as I should have expected, a tantalum decided that this was the exact perfect time to spontaneously go dead short, pull down the +20V rail and turn two 2N3904 transistors into resistor networks...... (Note to self, add some 2N3904 and 2N3906 to the next Mouserkey order).


Anyway, with the liberal use of a soldering iron and a raid of the parts bin, it's all working happily again, and looks nice with the undamaged front bezel.

[tggzzz]

That's SOME of it. Here's some more...

That's far more plausible

Comment about "generation rent" related to our sproglets, not us.

[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?

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.

Never knew you were a flight refueller before 

[Robert763]

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.

Never knew you were a flight refueller before 

Who?

[bd139]

Not me.

That's SOME of it. Here's some more...

That's far more plausible

Comment about "generation rent" related to our sproglets, not us.

Trajectory is correct. The destination has not been reached and won’t be for a while yet.

Ah yes. Fair. On that I think she is having seconds thoughts about her degree choices after doing some research into the salaries you get paid as a code monkey around these parts. 5-7 years experience and some self clue nets you luxury mortgage in London territory.

[Specmaster]

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?

To be honest most of the test gear is "lurking" wherever it'll fit without anyone falling over it. I've become somewhat expert at this so I'm sure I can find some more places for it to lurk. The current half-packed situation...



i reckon I can get at least another two scopes in there somewhere...

If that's all you've got then you ought to slink off with your tail between your legs - and return when you've rectified that situation.

I know "generation rent" tends to prefer "experiences" over "acquisitions" (which isn't a bad thing), but my daughter seems to have succombed to the dark side.

That's SOME of it. Here's some more...

Tektronix 465 and Farnell power supply lurking in the gap next to the bathroom:



And of course the cupboard of doom:



Edit: on "generation rent", it's worth noting that I'm only renting while I consolidate all the income from the last decade of divorces, deaths and disasters. Then I'm buying something nice

With of course the moat filled with piranha and a drawbridge over it that you can pull up and keep mad redheads at bay.

[Specmaster]

More incoming calculators this afternoon, bagged this pair for a fiver, will collect shortly, they are that local. Tomorrow it should be that TTi dual power supply being collected. Its well worth looking at these local sales sites like Gumtree, FaceBook, Vinto etc., prices can be really keen there as folk don't fully understand what they have and just want it gone from their lives. You do need to be patient though as people are sometimes slow responding and also of course interesting stuff is few and far between.

[tggzzz]

Not me.

That's SOME of it. Here's some more...

That's far more plausible

Comment about "generation rent" related to our sproglets, not us.

Trajectory is correct. The destination has not been reached and won’t be for a while yet.

Ah yes. Fair. On that I think she is having seconds thoughts about her degree choices after doing some research into the salaries you get paid as a code monkey around these parts. 5-7 years experience and some self clue nets you luxury mortgage in London territory.

Uni ought to be about money to some extent, interest to a greater extent, and even then there are other excellent reasons for going away to uni. Daughter was extremely explicit it was to get away from her parents I said the same to my parents, but less forcefully. OTOH great nephew is staying at home, which I think is a mistake (he's doing well, though!).

If I was starting again, I'd be looking seriously at the life sciences rather than electronics/computing - more chance of making waves and for hacking.

[vk6zgo]

Rugby has been good to me in the past, particularly for hard to find components I'd been looking for

I was going to say "But don't you risk losing your components in the scrums?", but on second thought, felt it was a bit beneath me.
On third thoughts, I decided "Bugger it!---Never miss the cheap shot!"

[bd139]

With of course the moat filled with piranha and a drawbridge over it that you can pull up and keep mad redheads at bay.

To clarify it's to keep HMRC and pikeys out and the crazed redheads in.

Uni ought to be about money to some extent, interest to a greater extent, and even then there are other excellent reasons for going away to uni. Daughter was extremely explicit it was to get away from her parents I said the same to my parents, but less forcefully. OTOH great nephew is staying at home, which I think is a mistake (he's doing well, though!).

If I was starting again, I'd be looking seriously at the life sciences rather than electronics/computing - more chance of making waves and for hacking.

I went away for university. It was hell. Halls were an insecure, overpriced shit show of chaos, decay, rivers of actual human shit and no sleep. The property we rented after that was infested with everything possible. Fortunately some of the worst things it was infested with were eaten by the less bad things. We learned to appreciate those ones and even fed them. This one is staying at home and commuting as financially speaking it makes more sense based on the target universities at the moment. One of the motivations for this move is it's now possible to start your journey in TfL zone 3 and this significantly reduces the travel cost.

She's considered bioinformatics as an option if plan A doesn't go as intended. That spans biology and computing so there's an escape route in each direction. Time will tell. Results day next Thursday! Taking the day out to do admin and taxi work.

On to TE, I found one of my missing lots of test leads. It had disappeared down the back of my larger hiking pack and fallen behind the gas meter. That means I'm covered for SMA connectors, adapters and attenuators at least!

[mansaxel]

Here, there's actually a TDS520 in the living room, simply because it ended up there.

As the resident TDS scope aficionado , I have to ask what version firmware it has and if you can hook it up via GPIB and rip a copy out for me.   

I'd love to!

Issues blocking this:

• No GPIB h/w what so ever.
• Scope is quite sick with several bad caps suspected. Perhaps also some PCB damage.
• After running for perhaps 10 minutes, scope will start whining.
• Logical corruption is such so as to cause raster patterns on screen, blocking menu readability. One literaly drives blind.

Any year now.

[Saskia]

Print results out of the box after festooling away the infill ...

[TERRA Operative]

Here, there's actually a TDS520 in the living room, simply because it ended up there.

As the resident TDS scope aficionado , I have to ask what version firmware it has and if you can hook it up via GPIB and rip a copy out for me.   

I'd love to!

Issues blocking this:

• No GPIB h/w what so ever.
• Scope is quite sick with several bad caps suspected. Perhaps also some PCB damage.
• After running for perhaps 10 minutes, scope will start whining.
• Logical corruption is such so as to cause raster patterns on screen, blocking menu readability. One literaly drives blind.

Any year now.

Ooohhh, that sounds like fun! I bet there's leaky electrolytics all over that thing.
Also, replace the Rifa caps, and the C17 capacitor (47uf, 80V or more low-ESR electrolytic) in the PSU before it self destructs.

Are you sure there's no GPIB connector on the back? AFAIK, all the TDS500, 600, 700 series had GPIB, but the serial/parallel was optional on some units.
In any case, I have spare GPIB connectors, and spare serial/parallel option too if you are interested.
If you need any other spare bits, let me know and I'll see what I got.