Drag An Oscilloscope Through 6km of Mud?

[eV1Te]

Great initiative Dave, I am not from Australia but I donated a few bucks anyways just because I liked the idea, and I would very much like to see you run around with an oscilloscope on your back! 

[rollatorwieltje]

Sounds like a good excuse to do a rugged multimeter shootout.

[CrashO]

(White) Doc. Brown suit, "rugged" multimeter attached to each leg and an Old analogue scope strapped to your back. 
And to top it all of, after the run. Auction of the dirtied up suit and donate that too 

[Stephen Durr]

For my donation dollars I would enjoy seeing Dave tote an oscilloscope through the mud... but not one of those sissy little portables, how about nice 7904 mainframe full of plug-ins ?   

[Macbeth]

Dave, I hope you find a stray dog on your mud endurance. Every Engineers Lab should have a dog, perhaps a mutt with Labrador in its heritage? 

The Swedish multi-sport team picked up a little hobo nicknamed Arthur on their endurance race - Bawww!! 

[free_electron]

Mud ? That just calls for a CLEANROOM SUIT !!!!

and you'll be the cleanest guy at the finish once you peel it off

[Flump]

I think he would get some hate if he ruined a nice scope.

love the cleanroom suit idea 
but he needs to do some mud testing too
like see how consistent the electrons are
in it 

[EEVblog]

I'd love to do an analog scope, but the safety issues with a glass CRT are probably too much 

[marshallh]

Better use a TDS210, the world'll be a better place for it

[jucole]

A modern scope would be a waste - plus it's very light in weight;   why not take a cool retro scope and take the crt out, replace the screen with perspex, adds some leds for effect and then put back in the original weight;  that, i'd like to see!

[EEVblog]

A modern scope would be a waste - plus it's very light in weight;   why not take a cool retro scope and take the crt out, replace the screen with perspex, adds some leds for effect and then put back in the original weight;  that, i'd like to see!

Would have to do at least that, replacing the CRT.

[Chris_PL]

Mud ? That just calls for a CLEANROOM SUIT !!!!

and you'll be the cleanest guy at the finish once you peel it off

He'd probably pass out from heat stroke in the middle of run considering beautiful Australian summer with temperatures up to +40C  Or are those suits well ventilated?

[Yago]

Thanks Dave
My mum died of cancer in October ( the year from hell ), such a unique pain that is so common to us all.

Good on Ya mate. <3

[electronic_eel]

Hmm, I don't get this. Why drag (and potentially damage) a working scope on a charity run? What's the point of doing this?

Why don't you do the mud run without the scope, sell the scope and donate that extra money from the scope to the cancer fund too?

Or donate the scope to a school or similar where it helps educating kids in electronics?

[CrashO]

Hmm, I don't get this. Why drag (and potentially damage) a working scope on a charity run? What's the point of doing this?

Who said it had to be a working scope?  Defective analogue scopes aren't that hard to come by.

[electronic_eel]

Who said it had to be a working scope?  Defective analogue scopes aren't that hard to come by.

But I think repairing the defective scope live on cam, putting it on ebay and donating the revenue to the cancer fund would yield much more than dragging it through the mud.

[Shale]

I think it is a great opportunity to drag an oscilloscope with you, but not a bench scope. I think it would be great to take a portable field scope with you. Something like a Fluke 123 style scope. Could be a great testament to the possible durability of an instrument like that, and then with a follow up review and teardown of the scope.

[free_electron]

Come on guys and gals. There's still some money needed !

[EEVblog]

The Discovery Channel are very interested in covering this event, they say they have lots of Gopros! 

[EEVblog]

Ok, so it's seems to all be a go.
Discovery channel will be shooting some video of me doing the event, and they do have that angle about me doing reviews. So makes sens to make it a torture test of some gear.
So what gear?
A shootout of waterproof meters? Which ones?
I need to be able to get gear by the 6th as well, which is very fast approaching!

For rugged meters:
Klein MM500 http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/multimeters/auto-ranging-multimeter-0
Altronics: http://www.altronics.com.au/p/q1088-auto-ranging-ip67-rated-waterproof-digital-multimeter/ (is it an Extech?)
Extech 505: http://www.flir.com/instruments/emea/en/view/?id=47679

[pickle9000]

Take a non-waterproof meter as a control.

[EEVblog]

Take a non-waterproof meter as a control.

Which one?

[pickle9000]

Take a non-waterproof meter as a control.

Which one?

UT61E

[Muttley Snickers]

Looking forward to this adventure.   

I did come across a rugged mobile phone in ALDI today, in case you need to phone home during the event $45.

Keep the receipt for a refund.

Good Wishes

Muttley

[petrut_m]

How about a Fluke Scopemeter?
It's an oscilloscope, it's a meter, it claims to be rugged, and looks cool
http://www.fluke.com/fluke/r0en/products/ScopeMeters.htm
There's a good chance Fluke will give you one for destructive testing and promotion.
I worked with one of these and they really are a tough beast, but I never tried it's water-resistance.

[leppie]

How about a Fluke Scopemeter?

I recommended the Fluke 867B on Twitter

[Chris_PL]

How about a Fluke Scopemeter?
It's an oscilloscope, it's a meter, it claims to be rugged, and looks cool

Fluke's website says they're only IP51 rated, so obviously won't survive a mud run test. Dave needs something rated at IP67 I think.

[EEVblog]

I know it's not the usual EEVblog material, but how about a rugged waterproof mobile phone shootout?
Should be easy enough to get in time, and have a wide public appeal?

[ludzinc]

+1

Be nice to recommend something to my Plumber father in law.  Something that can survive a fall into a septic and a hosing off would be awesome.

[Chris_PL]

I know it's not the usual EEVblog material, but how about a rugged waterproof mobile phone shootout?
Should be easy enough to get in time, and have a wide public appeal?

Not a bad idea, but it may be that after a touch ( ) of Discovery's editing you'll be shown to the wide public as a consumer electronics reviewer/tester, instead of "real deal"? (Yeah, I know that a large percentage of current Discovery's audience have no idea on how a oscilloscope looks like, let alone works)

[mikeselectricstuff]

I know it's not the usual EEVblog material, but how about a rugged waterproof mobile phone shootout?
Should be easy enough to get in time, and have a wide public appeal?

ISTR you're short on action cams at the moment... maybe already been done to death already though.

[Pillager]

As for MMs, Chavin Arnoux seems to have some IP67-, and even some EX-rated ones.
http://www.chauvin-arnoux.com/produit/famille_liste.asp?idRub=1822&idpole=1
Also, there is a FLUKE.
http://www.fluke.com/fluke/auen/digital-multimeters/specialty-multimeters/fluke-28-ii-ex-intrinsically-safe-true-rms-digital-multimeter.htm?PID=74148
And AMPROBE has a few, I think.

As for the mobile phone idea, here are some companies that seem to specialize in rugged phones:
http://www.cyrus-technology.de/en/cm-15/
http://www.ruggear-europe.com/produkte/ruggear-rg500.html
http://www.catphones.com/en-gb/phones/
Bigger companies, such as SONY and SAMSUNG also have some IP67- or even IP68-phones, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[pickle9000]

Do you have a slingshot so you can shoot them 100 foot or so. Tie them together so the get roughly the same treatment. Rope with a rope to put them under water. Possibly a drag test.

Teardown (just case removal) to see water penetration. Can you hear them before and after. I wonder how the mics will hold up.

Should be fun anyway. Do take a non-waterproof one as well to see it die a horrible death.

[EEVblog]

ISTR you're short on action cams at the moment... maybe already been done to death already though.

The Discovery channel are loaning my a bunch of GoPros for the event.
I just got an WiFi SJ4000, and have a $24 cheapie.
But yeah, already done to death perhaps.

[EEVblog]

Rigol have said they want to be involved, any suggestions on how?
One idea is to simply donate gear and have a 99cent ebay auction, the proceeds of which go to the charity.
Having a hard time thinking how Rigol gear could be used at the event apart from just dragging it through and destroying a scope or something for kicks.

Problem now is I'm running out of time to get gear and decide on something...
The angle is really mostly about the Discovery Channel now, but I'd also want a footage I can put on my channel as well that is at least interesting to the EEVblog audience?

[EEVblog]

Not a bad idea, but it may be that after a touch ( ) of Discovery's editing you'll be shown to the wide public as a consumer electronics reviewer/tester, instead of "real deal"? (Yeah, I know that a large percentage of current Discovery's audience have no idea on how a oscilloscope looks like, let alone works)

That's the thing, most of the audience wouldn't care about a multimeter or scope.

[pickle9000]

- I think teardowns after the fact are suitable for the channel.
- A scope is a pretty big thing to drag along but... If you had a hard waterproof case or not it could survive and be used to show what's needed. Of course the scope could be damaged but that's TV. Call it the Fedex / UPS crash test. Auction or give away the scope after, maybe even repair it.
- A Rigol arm / headband and free stuff for the audience may be all that's needed for the on site crowd.

[G7PSK]

Take a Panasonic toughbook along for the ride all you then have to do is hose it off at the end.http://www.prismproducts.com.au/all-products/tablet-laptop-computers/panasonic-toughbook-cf-h2-field-detail
Get Panasonic to sponsor you as well, now where do I send my money.

[sparx]

Rigol have said they want to be involved, any suggestions on how?

I'm all for a 99p/c auction/s.

Could they provide a bare unit (I.e. front panel, but no electronics inside) in case it does get damaged (or you do want to drag one physically!)

[EEVblog]

He'd probably pass out from heat stroke in the middle of run considering beautiful Australian summer with temperatures up to +40C  Or are those suits well ventilated?

That's a possibility!
Yes, I foolishly will be running in the clean room lab suit!
I've had it all taken up from it's XXL size, so kinda fits me a bit better now.
If the heat doesn't get me, the weight of the mud caked onto the suit might just do it.

NEWS: The Discovery Channel have just said that they can't make it, some screwup with the Visas or some such.
That actually makes it a lot easier logistically for me now, as I only have to worry about getting my own footage.
But it's a bummer because that would have been fun, and my brother-in-law Phil was going to ride around in the 4WD with them recording them recording me. So that would have made for some nice behind the scenes shots.

I'm still waiting for that rugged mobile phone to test, and have ordered a Kein Tools MM500 rugged meter to take around and I hope that gets here in time but I won't count on it.
I was going to use a JVC waterproof camcorder on the run, but it went missing in the mail. Well, was signed for by someone who doesn't work for my storage unit company, and has since vanished.
So all I'm left with is a cheap SJ4000 action cam to shoot this with because I have lost both of my GoPros.

So it's all coming along nicely! 

[SeanB]

How much is a Gopro in AUS, perhaps we can crowdfund you a new one.

All who agree just use Paypal to send Dave $10-20 to help him out.

http://www.eevblog.com/donations/

Just click on the PP logo and send a once off.

[free_electron]

lug around a panasonic toughbook ...

[jancumps]

A nice sum collected on the mudrun! site  .

Just a warning: the blog entry has scrolled off of the EEVblog main page and is no longer visible by default.

[MagFlux]

Bunny suit fan ventilation may help to ward off heat stroke. May I suggest a cheap computer type cooling fan and a battery belt. The battery belt is something I've often seen mobile video crews using to power their shoulder mount video cameras in the past. The fan could be tie wrapped to the belt and to one of the holes you cut in the suit. The holes other than the one for the fan could be small slits to let air in to be exhausted by the fan. I realize that the fan is likely to clog with mud eventually, but it may operate long enough to get you through this.

[pickle9000]

Dave auction stuff:

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/alternatezone/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

The DMM916 is a great multimeter, I have had mine from new and use it as my main meter (thousands and thousands of hours on it). Never has any issues, highly recommended.

[rmartinz]

Rigol have said they want to be involved, any suggestions on how?
One idea is to simply donate gear and have a 99cent ebay auction, the proceeds of which go to the charity.
Having a hard time thinking how Rigol gear could be used at the event apart from just dragging it through and destroying a scope or something for kicks.

Problem now is I'm running out of time to get gear and decide on something...
The angle is really mostly about the Discovery Channel now, but I'd also want a footage I can put on my channel as well that is at least interesting to the EEVblog audience?

Hi Dave,

One of these could read a lot of data from you. http://www.rigolna.com/products/data-acquisition/

A LOT of sensors on you and displaying them in real-time could claim some attention.

[Mumme Tools]

Hi Dave

Mumme Tools in Adelaide here. We are the exclusive distributors for Klein Tools in Australia, and our friends in the USA let us know about your run on Saturday. We're getting an MM500 Tough Meter to you today via our NSW Area Sales Manager, just in case the one you ordered doesn't turn up in time.

Good luck with the Mud Run, and we can't wait to see how the MM500 fares!