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[BravoV]

Camelion brand, D sized Ni-MH cells at 7000 mAh

Good alternative, since Eneloops don't exist in C and D, what they have is adapters from AA to C and D

Although they had sometime ago:

C type with 4xAAA inside.

It's cheaper for the manufacture, since most of the uses are for AA/AAA (Panasonic says in the ad around 85%) but at the same time you are limited by the reduced rating of available mAh from the AAs.

Yep, they (when it was Sanyo) manufactured C & D, I managed to snag few pairs of them, work like charm.

The D type Eneloop uses 3 X AA cell.

Too bad they're now discontinued.

[CalMachine]

Right, dust caps.
My equipment has dust-tolerant BNCs, I'm slow enough at any job without having to fight with dust caps that will roll away and short something expensive later.
The keysight video was interesting, I do see there can be some point in such caps but will carry on believing BNC is inherently ESD safe as the signal is very unlikely to be exposed before the ground is.

For me, it's more about protecting the outer ground rim of the BNC input.  And you can easily set them down on the flat surface to prevent anything from rolling away xD

[artag]

The pip on the end is sometimes fitted with a chain or cord, so they can be anchored to the instrument.

[cncjerry]

lot of my more sensitive gear wants 50ohm caps for some reason.  The 20gig sampling module I have coming is a good example.  they don't even want anyone walking near it without caps on it.

[TerraHertz]

The metal BNC covers come with and without a central shorting pin.
Though most instrument BNCs are not significantly static sensitive, and the plastic push-on dust covers are more convenient and *much* cheaper. See for eg on ebay:
  New BNC Female Cap Plugs Caplugs Lot 250 Yellow New Protection Caps Dust Cover  US $20.99 seller: eastcoastassets
They have covers for BNC-female, BNC-male (cable ends),  N-female, SMA-female.


Lots of test gear that doesn't get used all that often, and anyway many of their BNCs will *never* be used, equals a need to buy these by the hundreds.

[Gixy]

I print mines in 3D. You'll find STL models on Thingiverse, exactly as metal models, with lock. I put them on all my BNC connectors, in particular those at the rear of gears, quite never used.

[beanflying]

With a Kite making and selling past I have some left over baggies from 1K lots of spar caps like Terrahertz Right most bin in all sorts of sizes.

These guys are one of the suppliers used in the past. https://www.stockcap.com.au/

3D printed would be where I would go now if I needed a different size.

[Muttley Snickers]

I've been after one of these for a while and at fifteen bucks I didn't have the heart to leave it there. 

[tautech]

I've been after one of these for a while and at fifteen bucks I didn't have the heart to leave it there. 

Nice play on words Muttley  and may it always measure on the safe side for you mate.
Best wishes buddy.

[TerraHertz]

I know someone with a blood pressure monitor. They measure, see a slightly elevated value, get stressed about that sending their BP higher, measure again, it's worse, they freak out, next measurement is even worse, and so on.

Hope you take a relaxed attitude to it Muttley.

[Muttley Snickers]

I know someone with a blood pressure monitor. They measure, see a slightly elevated value, get stressed about that sending their BP higher, measure again, it's worse, they freak out, next measurement is even worse, and so on.

Apparently a similar condition is known as white coat syndrome and for an Aldi product the instruction booklet was extremely well detailed and included a reference to that particular scenario.

Hope you take a relaxed attitude to it Muttley.

I'm as cool as a cucumber so not an issue for me at all, I just needed one to keep tabs on a hypotension condition where my blood pressure often drops resulting in a syncope or blackout episode.

[Larryc001]

Today on eBay I bought a plugin extender for the Tektronix 580 series of scopes, and a time base extender for the Tektronix 555 time base plugins. Both items I already have, so I don’t know why the hell I purchased them. Still out of control in 2020. Happy New Years.

[TerraHertz]

A HP 9000 - 226 aka 9826A. Nearly 40 years old.  (The broken key is being dealt with, and yes it does have a top cover.)
A freebee (loan really) once again causing a lot of expense.
Since now I'm buying original manuals and software, for historical completeness.  Including:

98613-90040  Hewlett Packard BASIC 3.0 User's Guide  1984
98613-90092  Loader Utility for 9000 Series 200/300 Computers
98613-90042  Basic 5.1 Install Discs (qty 7) & "Installing and maintaining the BASIC 5.0/5.1 System"
  Including disks for HP 9000 Series 200/300:
  BASIC 5.1  system disk          rev 5.13  98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10210
  BASIC 5.1  Language extensions  rev 5.13  98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10211
  BASIC 5.1  Drivers disc         rev 5.13  98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10212
  BASIC 5.1  Utilities 1          rev 5.1   98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10203
  BASIC 5.1  Utilities 2          rev 5.1   98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10204
  BASIC 5.1  HSF Utilities        rev 5.1   98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10205
  BASIC 5.1  Manual Examples Disc rev 5.1   98616A Opt 042  PN 98616-10206
98613-90022  BASIC 5.0/5.1 Interfacing Techniques, Vol I   
98613-90022  BASIC 5.0/5.1 Interfacing Techniques Vol 2 Specific Interfaces HP
98616-90007  BASIC 5.0/5.1 Programming Techniques Vol 1: General Topics + Graphics
98613-90012  BASIC 5.0/5.1 Programming Techniques Vol 2: Porting Information HP 9000 Series 200/300
98613-90052  BASIC 5.0/5.1 Language Ref Vol 2  O-Z   Nov87 (begins at page 387)

Still missing:   BASIC 5.0/5.1 Language Ref  Vol 1  A-N   Nov87  (Should end at page 386.)

One new year resolution was to finally buy myself a PCI HP-IB card. DONE! (Assuming it works.) I'd buy another couple to be sure, if only they were not so absurdly expensive. What is it about HP-IB cards that makes the ebay prices so unreal?
My list of 'chores to do' involving getting data off old recording media, for which I needed a PC with HP-IB, was getting ridiculously long.

Also bought a bunch of HP App notes, including:

[unknownparticle]

That  is as CAF!!!

This is my latest arrival.  I've wanted a Phase Linear amp for decades, actually, the 700 is the one I REALLY want.  Problem is, Phase Linear stuff is exceptionally rare here in the UK.  This will more than suffice for now though, all 200 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms of it! 

[GreyWoolfe]

Bought a cheap tone and probe set to keep in the van.  It does mapping, cable testing and NCV.  It works surprisingly well.  I tested it and not only is there a tone but the receiver lights up as well.  It came with a short jumper cable, another short cable with croc clips, some cheap 9V batteries and cheap headphones for noisy environments, though the tone is quite loud at full volume.  It is something that will very rarely be used so I didn't feel like spending a bunch, $36 USD shipped.

[Mortymore]

Finally a DE-5000 

Bought a DE-5000 (meter only) @ Evilbay for aprox. €75 but had to pay €32 in taxes. I was expecting that. And because of taxes, I bought the TL-22 probe from another Evilbay seller, since it costed less than €22, and below that, import taxes won't be charged in my country, so it was a better move to split the items.

I had a FTDI IR-USB board that worked with the DE-5000, just had to build some sort of support out of foam (like the one that came with the DE-5000 covering the IR port). For this, a 3D printer would do wonders. 

Next on the "to do list", is learning Japanese to RTFM that came with the meter

[Nominal Animal]

I ordered an adjustable PCB holder from fleabay,

as I'm always trying to find a better way to hold the boards I'm trying to "solder".

My "soldering" is more like a monkey poking a thing with a hot stick than anything else..  But since having a thermally controlled iron stopped me from ripping pads out, I'm hoping that having a way to position the board solidly, or at least better than with el-cheapo helping hands with alligator clips and a small tilty base, helps my "results" even more.

[McBryce]

Finally a DE-5000 

Bought a DE-5000 (meter only) @ Evilbay for aprox. €75 but had to pay €32 in taxes. I was expecting that. And because of taxes, I bought the TL-22 probe from another Evilbay seller, since it costed less than €22, and below that, import taxes won't be charged in my country, so it was a better move to split the items.

I had a FTDI IR-USB board that worked with the DE-5000, just had to build some sort of support out of foam (like the one that came with the DE-5000 covering the IR port). For this, a 3D printer would do wonders. 

Next on the "to do list", is learning Japanese to RTFM that came with the meter

http://benholmes.co.uk/files/DE-5000_manual_english.pdf

McBryce.

[Mortymore]

Thanks McBryce.

Actually, I posted a link to a different English manual than you provided for the DE-5000, "hidden" in the "RTFM" acronym.
I believe this meeter has been sold worldwide by thousands by now. They could have provided a "Japenglish" manual.

Appreciated nonetheless

[McBryce]

I've owned a DE-5000 for the last few years and I'm extremely happy with it, but I also have a Peak ESR70 which is better for in-circuit testing.

McBryce.

[Mortymore]

I was looking for more than a capacitance/ESR meter. I wanted an LCR meter and the DE-5000 acquisition was decided long ago, but being delayed for some unknown reason. There was always some other "thing" jumping ahead.

As an ESR meter I've been using one that I built from an Elektor magazine article 

[McBryce]

I remember reading that Elektor article. Is the meter any good?

McBryce.

[Mortymore]

I remember reading that Elektor article. Is the meter any good?

McBryce.

That is something to be seen when confronted with the DE-5000. 

Is has served me well enough to troubleshoot some old school boards that were used in our local water control system, and with caps in motherboards and such, were the accuracy was not the main concern, only to separate the good from the bad was really needed.

[kripton2035]

the elektor meter is quite protected against charged caps, the de5000 is really not.
after that you can't compare an lcr meter with an esr meter !

[beanflying]

Ordered lets just say 'last year' and purchased today $280 of Edwin Pettis finest Resistors including a calibration report on the 0.005% ones 

Longer term TEA builds 

No.     Nominal Value   Deviation

 16     500Ω                    +12.1 PPM
 17     500Ω                    +16.0 PPM
 18     1K                      +20.8 PPM
 19     2K                      -12.8 PPM
 20     3K                      -5.2 PPM
 21     3K                      -10.1 PPM
 22     10K                     -4.0 PPM
 23     10K                     -4.1 PPM
 24     10K                     +0.4 PPM
 25     30K                     -11.6 PPM
 26     30K                     -9.9 PPM

Temperature: 19.05°C

Uncertainty: ≤0.5 PPM


Primary Standard: ESI SR-104, Deviation: +2.67 PPM, Uncertainty 0.15 PPM, TCR: 0 PPM/°C

Primary bridge: ESI 242D

Readings valid at the time of calibration, subsequent readings may vary due to changes in conditions and time.