Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread (Read 14787508 times)

mnementh · « **Reply #50525 on:** February 23, 2020, 02:34:12 pm »

Quote from: Specmaster on February 23, 2020, 12:11:09 pm

All this talk of class reminds me of this.

https://youtu.be/9tXBC-71aZs

I rather liked the end bit better...

mnem
be kind. I haven't made a gif in over a decade...

mnementh · « **Reply #50526 on:** February 23, 2020, 02:45:48 pm »

Quote from: mansaxel on February 23, 2020, 02:28:14 pm

Never in my life have I been called "Sir" so frequently as when I was visiting the ex-colonies. (the German "Sie" and the French "Vous" are used much more democratically, IMNSHO. The "Sir"'ing in the US feels like a strange mix of salesman servility and professional contempt.

You have it EXACTLY right, too. That is EXACTLY how it is meant; along with the smile as sweet as honey to distract you from the knifepoint slipping between your ribs...

mnem
The definition of "conservative" in the US is that person who is much more offended that someone said the word "asshole" in their presence than concerned about the fact that they might actually deserve to be called such.

mansaxel · « **Reply #50527 on:** February 23, 2020, 02:49:18 pm »

It is antenna weather, and moving the GPS receiver was the order of the day.

Time nuttery starts with a GPSDO, or so I'm told. Got a quote for an Anritsu IEEE1588-2008 tester (and OTDR, Ethernet load tester, etc) for work. Oh, dear, TE is expensive... The boss was, shall we say, hesitant.

bd139 · « **Reply #50528 on:** February 23, 2020, 02:52:19 pm »

I just taped mine to the living room window.

mnementh · « **Reply #50529 on:** February 23, 2020, 02:58:47 pm »

Same with my XM antenna. I get a solid 5 bars, so who cares if it's sideways...?

mnem
"Wheel of Morality, turn, turn, turn... Tell us the lesson that we should learn..."

"Never buy a ITV Box with less than 32GB ROM, even if they're GIVING it away."

Specmaster · « **Reply #50530 on:** February 23, 2020, 03:22:02 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on February 23, 2020, 02:52:19 pm

I just taped mine to the living room window.

Why not, gaffer tape is such a cool look, it goes with the territory

bd139 · « **Reply #50531 on:** February 23, 2020, 03:23:10 pm »

Hahaha. That’s what I used

Hounslow innit!

Currently up a gigantic hill where there are no humans and 5 bars of 4G glory here. All I need now is power and a lair.

Specmaster · « **Reply #50532 on:** February 23, 2020, 03:25:45 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on February 23, 2020, 03:23:10 pm

Hahaha. That’s what I used

Hounslow innit!

Currently up a gigantic hill where there are no humans and 5 bars of 4G glory here. All I need now is power and a lair.

Glad to see you survived gammon central this morning

bd139 · « **Reply #50533 on:** February 23, 2020, 03:28:42 pm »

Ugh yes it was a gammon fest

Right back to walking. 2 hours to go... $:=\$

mansaxel · « **Reply #50534 on:** February 23, 2020, 03:32:29 pm »

Next antenna project is getting the stubby broadband 400-470MHz Sirio up on a pole. My fire dept. radio (Danish Niros C55, UHF with lots of options.) needs to get on the air as well. And perhaps finish the T2FD for HF so I can get on those bands again. But then I need to invade the trees in the forest as well, to get length and height. That of course means the suspension must be elastic, because trees move. The remnants of the storms that've been hitting the UK these last weeks toppled a flag pole and filled the roads with pine clippings, in addition to causing a power cut yesterday. Good time to plan antenna suspension, that. No cheating possible.

mnementh · « **Reply #50535 on:** February 23, 2020, 05:13:53 pm »

TETRIS - Adulthood Edition:

Damned IKEA; their demon-spawned flat-pack hardware has infected even hand-made furniture & cabinetry.

I guess I shouldn't complain; this thing is heavy AF, and that hardware made disassembling/reassembling the thing to get it safely up a narrow spiral staircase about an 80 minute job all told.

mnem
March of Progress... mumbledy-grumbledy...

Martin.M · « **Reply #50536 on:** February 23, 2020, 05:15:05 pm »

I have a european SWOB problem in UK

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1219732#post1219732

Martin.M · « **Reply #50537 on:** February 23, 2020, 05:35:11 pm »

done

Specmaster · « **Reply #50538 on:** February 23, 2020, 06:16:27 pm »

Quote from: mnementh on February 23, 2020, 05:13:53 pm

TETRIS - Adulthood Edition:

Damned IKEA; their demon-spawned flat-pack hardware has infected even hand-made furniture & cabinetry.

I guess I shouldn't complain; this thing is heavy AF, and that hardware made disassembling/reassembling the thing to get it safely up a narrow spiral staircase about an 80 minute job all told.

mnem
March of Progress... mumbledy-grumbledy...

simples, I love flat packs

mansaxel · « **Reply #50539 on:** February 23, 2020, 06:55:56 pm »

Quote from: Specmaster on February 23, 2020, 06:16:27 pm

Quote from: mnementh on February 23, 2020, 05:13:53 pm

Damned IKEA; their demon-spawned flat-pack hardware has infected even hand-made furniture & cabinetry.

simples, I love flat packs

Once you get the hang of it (and a torque screwdriver with a 4mm Allen / Inbus tip, alternatively a small electric, like the USB-charged Bosch) it's mostly painting by numbers. OTOH, I probably think so because I've been raised around IKEA furniture and helped to assemble it for 40 years.

If you're going to shop furniture from a chain you can do a lot worse than IKEA, especially if you stay away from their cheapest series.

bd139 · « **Reply #50540 on:** February 23, 2020, 07:17:09 pm »

Finally got home. Managed 16km. Absolutely dead.

On a positive note something cool turned up on eBay. Now I just have to not be too cheap

med6753 · « **Reply #50541 on:** February 23, 2020, 07:47:57 pm »

More electrolytic capacitor replacement on the 535A.

This time the 2 cans in the back of chassis by the power transformer. And while it doesn't look like much from the pictures it represents over 2 hours work. Extremely tight back there. I wound up pulling one of the cans so I could install one terminal strip above the chassis and one underneath. There just wasn't the room on the bottom side to install both and be able to wire them up. But it's finally done and it turns out these are the filter caps for the -150V reference so if I screwed them up I'd have a dead scope. But all is well and have exactly -150VDC. No adjustment was required.

So, there is 1 more can to do. This one by the vertical amp. And it's going to be a bitch to get the can out. Plus it's a 3 section can which means have to be very mindful of correct wiring. That's tomorrow when I'm fresh as a daisy.

mnementh · « **Reply #50542 on:** February 23, 2020, 09:15:25 pm »

mnem

bd139 · « **Reply #50543 on:** February 23, 2020, 09:19:54 pm »

Hahaha.

Mr. Scram · « **Reply #50544 on:** February 23, 2020, 09:23:35 pm »

Quote from: mansaxel on February 23, 2020, 06:55:56 pm

Once you get the hang of it (and a torque screwdriver with a 4mm Allen / Inbus tip, alternatively a small electric, like the USB-charged Bosch) it's mostly painting by numbers. OTOH, I probably think so because I've been raised around IKEA furniture and helped to assemble it for 40 years.

If you're going to shop furniture from a chain you can do a lot worse than IKEA, especially if you stay away from their cheapest series.

Those little Ikea "drills" are great fun. Not much torque but having one saves enough time and torqued wrists to pay off on almost any single assembly job. After that it's just a free toy. A Hilti it is not but within its modest limits it's perfectly serviceable. I never get how some people struggle assembling Ikea or similar furniture. It's designed to cater to the lowest common denominator so if you struggle the conclusion isn't great.

Cubdriver · « **Reply #50545 on:** February 23, 2020, 10:00:00 pm »

Warning - Bill's language is rather salty.

-Pat

med6753 · « **Reply #50546 on:** February 23, 2020, 10:17:10 pm »

Quote from: mnementh on February 23, 2020, 09:15:25 pm

mnem

Cute.

mnementh · « **Reply #50547 on:** February 23, 2020, 10:51:58 pm »

Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 23, 2020, 09:23:35 pm

Quote from: mansaxel on February 23, 2020, 06:55:56 pm
Once you get the hang of it (and a torque screwdriver with a 4mm Allen / Inbus tip, alternatively a small electric, like the USB-charged Bosch) it's mostly painting by numbers. OTOH, I probably think so because I've been raised around IKEA furniture and helped to assemble it for 40 years.

If you're going to shop furniture from a chain you can do a lot worse than IKEA, especially if you stay away from their cheapest series.

Those little Ikea "drills" are great fun. Not much torque but having one saves enough time and torqued wrists to pay off on almost any single assembly job. After that it's just a free toy. A Hilti it is not but within its modest limits it's perfectly serviceable. I never get how some people struggle assembling Ikea or similar furniture. It's designed to cater to the lowest common denominator so if you struggle the conclusion isn't great.

MAKITA 6019D/DW/DWE

This is quite possibly the most nearly perfect drill/driver ever made; at least for any work that doesn't REQUIRE the power of a 18-24V drill. Perfect balance, weighs 2lbs soaking wet, and 2-speed gearbox with 0-200/0-600RPM speeds. But the single GREATEST thing about this drill is the clutch; it is the ONLY ONE I've ever seen... and I've bought oodles looking for something similar... that you can turn the torque down low enough to NOT strip out screws in plastic or even m3 screws in sheet metal. Crank it up to lock and it'll drill up to 1/4" on HI and 3/8" on LO. And, if you're lucky enough to find one in unmolested OEM condition, it came with a 0-10mm Jacobs Keyless chuck special-made with approx 20% smaller outer dimensions for close quarters work.

You can STILL buy the replacement Makita # 125050-5 gearbox (US$20-30) and the 7000-series batteries ($10-30 depending on brand) it uses; the drill is pretty much grenade-proof so buy a spare gearbox when you get it and you should be good til the grave. If you're feeling froggy, you can easily mod the pack with 2S2P 18650 cells (requires an external Li-ion charger) and lose about 4 oz in the handle. OR you can mod your Makita charger to output regulated 8.4V, then mod your pack for 2S1P 30C 18650s and a BMS/Charging PCB and lose about half a pound. I like the "charge it once a month whether it needs it or not" functionality of REAL 6600mAH capacity and the 10-20% increase in top RPM.

mnem
Or, you cahn keep buyink produkt design't by Moose ahhnd Sqvirrel.

Specmaster · « **Reply #50548 on:** February 23, 2020, 11:08:31 pm »

This is more like the Ikea experience I reckon.

Mr. Scram · « **Reply #50549 on:** February 23, 2020, 11:12:36 pm »

I prefer to buy top quality tools but at $25 the Ikea "drill" is essentially disposable. Chuck it in the cart for your current project along with the meatballs and have a toy you can lend to people without worry. They ain't touching my good stash.


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Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread (Read 14787508 times)

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