Volt-nut meetings and gatherings?

[TiN]

Hi, fellow precision people

I think some members over here already had some meetup events in Europe, to talk about precision stuff, calibrate their gear, share some experiences. Since it's international forum, getting people together is usually rather problematic. So I thought this thread could be a point where upcoming events may be discussed.

And to more practical side. I'm located in Taiwan at time being, not much english-speaking volt-nut activity happening here, but I will be in Portland-area March 9 to March 11 or so.

Anyone around there, who might be interested to meet? I can bring some smallish sized gear with me for more fun.

Summary table:

Forum name -------------	------ Main location --------------	--------- Interests --------------
alanambrose	UK,London
DiligentMinds.com	USA,Las Vegas
TiN	Taiwan,Taipei	Mainly DC, embedded, HW design

[alanambrose]

Ah yes, good initiative - I'm interested in organising an 'Xnuts' meetup in the London, UK area. PM me if you're up for that.

Alan

[Squantor]

Hi all,

Any dutch people interested in a Dutch voltnut gathering? Maybe exchanging ideas or cold beers? The beers are to test the temperature hysteresis of the references .

[Andreas]

The beers are to test the temperature hysteresis of the references .

And of course to double the digits of your 4.5 digit instrument  O0

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Simply because we *don't* have enough continents represented yet. Sure.

Six to nine beers on tap most of the time ...

Bob

[SKPang]

I'm interested in a meetup in London. Just got myself a Keysight 34470A 

[Cerebus]

Another Londoner here.

I suspect I'm a proto volt-nut. I only own four LM399s and my resistor collection has got no tighter specifications than 0.005% 2ppm/C. Hmm, looks like I might be well onto the slippery slope however...

Ian

[SKPang]

There are 3 of us in London. Enough for a meetup? We can meet in a pub somewhere in central London?

[Cerebus]

There are 3 of us in London. Enough for a meetup? We can meet in a pub somewhere in central London?

Did I hear the word beer? 

Let's give it a little bit longer before making any plans; London has such a high concentration of people I expect we haven't heard from all the likely candidates yet. But, sure, I'm always up for a get together in a pub. Some of the most interesting things and people in my life have started like that.

[artag]

I'm up for London, too.
There needs to be lots of beer, though, to give the voltmeters time to settle down.

[uncle_bob]

I'm up for London, too.
There needs to be lots of beer, though, to give the voltmeters time to settle down.

Hi

Ok, London sounds fine ...

This of course is London Pennsylvania  right ... or maybe London, Ontario ...

(why did that DVM just come crashing through the window  ... hmmm ...)

Bob

[SKPang]

Wow so many Londons but there is only one real London 

[uncle_bob]

Wow so many Londons but there is only one real London 

Hi

Ok, so now would not be a good time to mention that I live in Carlisle and that's just up the road from York ...

(I believe that's a rather large rock and not a DVM ...)

Bob

[alanambrose]

OK London people, a good day of the week? Tuesday maybe? Anyone have a venue that might work? I'll post in volt-nuts also.

A.

[SKPang]

Tuesday sounds good to me. I know the Montagu Pyke pub in Charing Cross road. Nearest tube is Tottenham Court Road.

[Cerebus]

Tuesday sounds good to me. I know the Montagu Pyke pub in Charing Cross road. Nearest tube is Tottenham Court Road.

Past experience of London pub meet-ups suggests it's a good idea to pick somewhere that's quieter which often means a bit out of the way. So that's either a backstreet pub that's well known to one of us who will have a fair idea of when it's busy and when it's not, or one of the larger pubs that's in one of the quieter bits of town. In the latter category I can suggest Penderel's Oak on High Holborn (2-3 mins walk from Chancery Lane or Holborn tube stations) a largish Wetherpoon's that's in an area where's little natural passing foot traffic in the evening, so tends to be a bit quieter. It's at most a 15 minute walk from where you suggest but that's enough to get away from the crowds while still being pretty central.

[MrSlack]

Another Londoner here although I'm an unsociable sod

[Macbeth]

Tuesday sounds good to me. I know the Montagu Pyke pub in Charing Cross road. Nearest tube is Tottenham Court Road.

Past experience of London pub meet-ups suggests it's a good idea to pick somewhere that's quieter which often means a bit out of the way. So that's either a backstreet pub that's well known to one of us who will have a fair idea of when it's busy and when it's not, or one of the larger pubs that's in one of the quieter bits of town. In the latter category I can suggest Penderel's Oak on High Holborn (2-3 mins walk from Chancery Lane or Holborn tube stations) a largish Wetherpoon's that's in an area where's little natural passing foot traffic in the evening, so tends to be a bit quieter. It's at most a 15 minute walk from where you suggest but that's enough to get away from the crowds while still being pretty central.

For a pub meet you are totally correct. Sadly the backstreet pubs are in decline, but the likes of Wetherspoons in not quite prime locations are pretty empty during the day or early weekday evenings. Also, you can get some cheap grub with a free pint or some such 

Having said that I haven't "enjoyed" London in over a decade now. (Liverpool northwest England here) London is too far. I mean it's like a little back road journey to the post office to an American, but in the UK petrol costs as much as your first borns blood sacrifice and the parking and B&B costs are just there to kick you when you are down. 

[uncle_bob]

Tuesday sounds good to me. I know the Montagu Pyke pub in Charing Cross road. Nearest tube is Tottenham Court Road.

Past experience of London pub meet-ups suggests it's a good idea to pick somewhere that's quieter which often means a bit out of the way. So that's either a backstreet pub that's well known to one of us who will have a fair idea of when it's busy and when it's not, or one of the larger pubs that's in one of the quieter bits of town. In the latter category I can suggest Penderel's Oak on High Holborn (2-3 mins walk from Chancery Lane or Holborn tube stations) a largish Wetherpoon's that's in an area where's little natural passing foot traffic in the evening, so tends to be a bit quieter. It's at most a 15 minute walk from where you suggest but that's enough to get away from the crowds while still being pretty central.

For a pub meet you are totally correct. Sadly the backstreet pubs are in decline, but the likes of Wetherspoons in not quite prime locations are pretty empty during the day or early weekday evenings. Also, you can get some cheap grub with a free pint or some such 

Having said that I haven't "enjoyed" London in over a decade now. (Liverpool northwest England here) London is too far. I mean it's like a little back road journey to the post office to an American, but in the UK petrol costs as much as your first borns blood sacrifice and the parking and B&B costs are just there to kick you when you are down. 

Hi

The exact same thing (and darn near the same drive) applies to me if somebody suggests we do a meet in New York city. Gas is cheap, but by my standards, everything else (even the beer) is out of sight cost wise.

Bob

[artag]

A big old London pub can be OK. The nicer ones tend to be overcrowded. Unfortunately, good beer & surroundings exclude quietness and spaciousness. Wetherspoons are a reasonable compromise for a meeting, I think.

If we can't find a suitable pub, I could book the classroom at London Hackspace (given enough notice).
https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Classroom BYOB, or finish up at a local pub.

[Cerebus]

A big old London pub can be OK. The nicer ones tend to be overcrowded. Unfortunately, good beer & surroundings exclude quietness and spaciousness. Wetherspoons are a reasonable compromise for a meeting, I think.

If we can't find a suitable pub, I could book the classroom at London Hackspace (given enough notice).
https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Classroom BYOB, or finish up at a local pub.

Probably a bit out of the way for many folks. Again, past experience suggests more central venues are usually more successful for this kind of thing. Selfishly it would suit me, as I'm in Stratford so Hackney counts as local.

Furthermore, the East is often terra incognita for a lot of Londoners and suburbanites - not as wild and woolly as south of the river, obviously - but still marked with "here be dragons" on the map. 

[Alex Nikitin]

I've lived in London for almost 24 years before moving North last summer. I would however come to London for a meeting (and to see my son and grandson there too). As I don't drive it is a nice train journey for me (about 1h 40m) from Crewe to London Euston.

Having said that I haven't "enjoyed" London in over a decade now. (Liverpool northwest England here) London is too far. I mean it's like a little back road journey to the post office to an American, but in the UK petrol costs as much as your first borns blood sacrifice and the parking and B&B costs are just there to kick you when you are down. 

You are not much further from London than me. Perhaps you can also take a train!

Cheers

Alex

[artag]

Furthermore, the East is often terra incognita for a lot of Londoners and suburbanites - not as wild and woolly as south of the river, obviously - but still marked with "here be dragons" on the map. 

Is it ? I thought it was the trendy centre now. I'm not a londoner, but I find the western wastes far harder to get to. And central is overpriced and full of accountant types, wouldn't go there unless someone has contacts at UCL or Imperial to get some free space.

Might be able to beg a room at the IET, but I see this as more of a friendly meeting than a corporate session. A pub would be an excellent start unless we want to bring equipment, when it gets a bit awkward.

Cambridge also a possiblity - nicer than London but harder to get to.

[Cerebus]

Is it ? I thought it was the trendy centre now. I'm not a londoner, but I find the western wastes far harder to get to. And central is overpriced and full of accountant types, wouldn't go there unless someone has contacts at UCL or Imperial to get some free space.

No, Hoxton and Shoreditch are the newly trendy bits - full of Nathan Barley types (i.e. Hipster media sorts). Hackney is a fair ways east of those parts, only another couple of miles until Hackney starts, but east enough to still be genuinely rough around the edges.

For those watching from a distance but who understand Manhattan references, Hoxton and Shoreditch have undergone the same sort of changes as the Lower East Side or Hell's Kitchen morphing into the East Village or Clinton only here nobody's tired to change the names.

[MrSlack]

Can't stand hipsters. Had a flat off the rough bit of city road but sold it ~2004 when they turned up as it started getting worse. They would use our entry porch to smoke crack in. Now it's all about bitching about gentrification on their iPhone 6+'s while the few natives left wonder what the hell is going on. Ugh.