Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[nixiefreqq]

hmmmmm.  who just said:


"Bitch, imo break my foot off in yo ass if you jinx me."


karma.  do not mess with karma.

[Saskia]

@med:

fixing those 2 tweeters is 130 € each.

The 2 crossovers, if I send them in: 250€. I guess I'll just source the parts ...

The woofer: have to ask how much my friend wants for reconing and recentering.
but tbh I think the crossover is dead as the tweeter fuse was blown in this speaker and the capacitors are well beyond EOL (about 15 years).

Bloody hell.
2 MKTs 70 uF, 250V, 5%, 2 MKPs 4.2 uF, 250V, 1 MKT 56 uF 250V per crossover.

All somewhat unobtainium.
This does not at all match the drawing I got for this crossover ...

Thinking of: 2 MKPs 68uF, 2 MKPs 4,2 uF, 1 MKP 56uF.

Does it matter if you substitute MKTs with MKPs ? 2x 68 uF seems to be not too far off the beam when looking at the schematic which states 130 for the woofer ...

I need to call the manufacturer.

also, those larger caps are 20 € a piece.
I am starting to think: why bother and just send it in for service and spit out the 125€ incl. parts ...

Now I hate that I do not have an LCR meter right here next to me.

[nixiefreqq]

Similar. I did consider hauling my arse up to Brum to pick up that Telequipment CT71 curve tracer but after running the fuel numbers through my calculator I stopped looking at it when it went above 20 quid. It ended at 185 which is quite frankly insane.

When I made the 8 hour round trip to Gettysburg in July it was just about $50 USD in gas. Plus a toll which I forget how much. Considering what I got (The 2 HP counters, B&K counter,  and a Type 561B) it was worth it.

Edit....Dummy me. I got to meet Nixiefreqq. 

and i can confirm that med's avatar is 99% accurate.  (put a pink floyd t shirt on papa smurf and you could not tell them apart).

[Specmaster]

@bd139,

Saw this and thought you might appreciate it 

[bd139]

Hahahahaha thank you 

One down, 20 million to go 

[bd139]

@med:

fixing those 2 tweeters is 130 € each.

The 2 crossovers, if I send them in: 250€. I guess I'll just source the parts ...

The woofer: have to ask how much my friend wants for reconing and recentering.
but tbh I think the crossover is dead as the tweeter fuse was blown in this speaker and the capacitors are well beyond EOL (about 15 years).

Bloody hell.
2 MKTs 70 uF, 250V, 5%, 2 MKPs 4.2 uF, 250V, 1 MKT 56 uF 250V per crossover.

All somewhat unobtainium.
This does not at all match the drawing I got for this crossover ...

Thinking of: 2 MKPs 68uF, 2 MKPs 4,2 uF, 1 MKP 56uF.

Does it matter if you substitute MKTs with MKPs ? 2x 68 uF seems to be not too far off the beam when looking at the schematic which states 130 for the woofer ...

I need to call the manufacturer.

also, those larger caps are 20 € a piece.
I am starting to think: why bother and just send it in for service and spit out the 125€ incl. parts ...

Now I hate that I do not have an LCR meter right here next to me.

Those horrid crossover networks is why I’m designing a fully active system and doing the filtering upstream. Still trying to work out where I can get nice cabinets.

[Saskia]

seems that the intertechnik capacitors are prone to failure. Hrmpf. I'll swap them out first.

[tggzzz]

So bd... when are you moving to Cambridge...? 

Last I heard he had seen sense, and was thinking of somewhere with a noticeable amount of ink (any/all colours) on a 1:50000 OS map

Cambridge is a fun place (or was when I was there in the 80s). But the countryside is dismal, perhaps a smaller version of Saskatchewan.

[tggzzz]

Urrrkkk... just slipped & fell down the stairs on my way back down after moving a shelf unit up to the bedroom. Think I broke a toe. 

Ouch.

There's a significant difference between breaking a bone and buggering a joint. Bones heal. Soft tissue doesn't. I've done both.

Find walking boots with wooden (i.e. stiff) sole, but don't sleep in them in case the foot swells

[bd139]

So bd... when are you moving to Cambridge...? 

Last I heard he had seen sense, and was thinking of somewhere with a noticeable amount of ink (any/all colours) on a 1:50000 OS map

Cambridge is a fun place (or was when I was there in the 80s). But the countryside is dismal, perhaps a smaller version of Saskatchewan.

Correct

They replaced all the fun things in Cambridge with traffic and community support officers. Attempts to recreate good memories there usually result in one or the other scuppering the master plan.

[tggzzz]

Yes in the Cattle Market. 20 years ago they had all sorts of stuff. Then the MOD changed the disposal process and it all went a bit weird. Heard a rumour that one of the owners/managers whatever got locked up for dodgy dealing. The burn down in the cattle market fire a few years ago.

I remember H Gee's in Mill Rd in the 80s.

I bought a meter there ti use as my Landie's fuel guage. Fun to think of fuel capacity being measured in Roentgens/hour

[tggzzz]

Attempts to recreate good memories there usually result in one or the other scuppering the master plan.

Never attempt to "go back".

You are now a different person, and you can't recreate your past. Cue the lyrics to the theme tune of "Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads".

The best outcome is that you remember what compelled you to leave in the first place.

[bd139]

Yes I’ve learned that these days. Took enough years to work it out 

What compelled me to leave was lack of cash which restricted choice to living in the badlands 

[0culus]

@bd139,

Saw this and thought you might appreciate it 

Extra crispy!

[25 CPS]

Some brief test equipment repair before bed:  My Agilent U1242A bailed out on me the other day when I went to do some work on the car.  Not a problem, I grabbed another DMM (throw back to the post I made about how I think having more than one is absolutely necessary) and did most of what I needed to get done.

Most likely culprit is the batteries but this is my most frequently used DMM since I got it several months ago and I don’t recall seeing a warning indicator come on.



And there.  Third terminal from the left.



Frig.  Frig.  Frig.   I thought GPs were supposed to be good about not leaking. I don’t know if they’re original to the meter or installed at its last calibration or not since Keysight ships new handheld gear with them.  Luckily it didn’t get bad before I found it and I was able to lightly run over the junk on the contacts with a small flathead screwdriver and get it off.



A new set of batteries later and the cover screwed back down and I have a happy U1242A again which means I’m happy again.

[Cerebus]

...
Frig.  Frig.  Frig.   I thought GPs were supposed to be good about not leaking. ...

They are, leastways I've never had a problem with them. I have, however, a sneaking suspicion that they have gained a good enough reputation, and a high enough profile, that someone may have started counterfeiting them. My latest batch of GPs, bought from a different source than I usually get them from, have exhibited suspiciously low capacity.

[mnementh]

On Driving, 2 hours each way is about my limit these days. I used to do regular runs from the south coast to Yorkshire hitting Anchor Surplus, M&B Radio, John's Radio and a radio rally. All gone now (well technically Anchor are still trading but not what they used to be and no TE).
About 18 months ago I did a run up to Edinburgh, not picking up, delivering. I'd put a Schaffner transient generator on ebay as "collection only". It was 3 6U 19" cases each about 30-40kg. So it sold for £2500 and they buyer wanted it delivered . I said £0.60 a mile each way plus cost of a hotel for the night and they said OK
I did OK on the deal overall. The Fiat Croma 150hp  turbo diesel averaged 55 MPG on the run. Profit on the unit was pretty good. I'd bought it on ebay for 99p including a dual remote controlled variac, High speed highvoltage relays, 6' rack, Shaffner voltage pick-up clamp, bunch of quality coaxial cables, etc which I kept  .

I've driven to Aachen in Germany, no not to visit Helmut Singer, to pick up a gas turbine engine, one of my other hobbies is small jet engines. I did visit Singer while I was there and picked up a couple of heavy items from his clearance list and some geiger counters agin in heavy boxes. Not surised singer went bust, his prices were far too high.

Yeah... that's exactly the kind of deal I was talkin' aboot. But you know...

I don't run into those deals near as often since I stopped bein' the guy who'd      at the drop of a hat... you think there might be a correlation there...? 

mnem
Carpe' Diem/Crappe' Diem - flip sides of the same coin. ~me

[mnementh]

@bd139,

Saw this and thought you might appreciate it 

Y'all missed the photo op 5 minutes later... 

mnem
Oh.... goood meds...

[mnementh]

@mnem get better soon

Thanks dearheart... and all the rest of y'all well-wishin' the tore-up ol' dwagon. 

I Found a few Vicodin, taught my son how to do a co-phalangeal "Buddy" tape splint, plopped my sorry achin' arse in the couch and nodded off while watching Fullmetal Alchemist with him. Overall, I think the good outweighed the bad.

Every experience is a learning opportunity.

mnem

[mnementh]

hmmmmm.  who just said:   "Bitch, imo break my foot off in yo ass if you jinx me."   karma.  do not mess with karma.   

Karma? Sweet girl; dated her all through college. Twice. 

mnem
Married her the second time.

[tautech]

@mnem get better soon

Thanks dearheart... and all the rest of y'all well-wishin' the tore-up ol' dwagon. 

I Found a few Vicodin, taught my son how to do a co-phalangeal "Buddy" tape splint, plopped my sorry achin' arse in the couch and nodded off while watching Fullmetal Alchemist with him. Overall, I think the good outweighed the bad.

Every experience is a learning opportunity.

mnem

Get well quick mnem, they shoot horses don't they....injured dwagons are next ! 

[mnementh]

I'm 99% positive this is exactly what happened; it took 2 days to get to me once sent. That is why I was trying to call eBay Customer Support; a problem like this would take but a jiffy with someone on the phone as their records should show I paid for eBay GSP but didn't get it. They may or may not even involve the seller in a dispute process as a result.

But since January, every coprolite entity in the world has been taking advantage of the COVID fustercluck to eviscerate customer service; I guess I should not be surprised at this development.

Since fleaBay is playing absentee landlord here, I guess I'm going to have to go to PayPal and climb their support structure; they probably still have a direct line to fleaBay support. Hopefully PP still has people on the phones.

mnem

"This is PayPal support, how may I help you?"....skip....pop
"This is PayPal support, how may I help you?"....skip....pop
"This is PayPal support, how may I help you?"....skip....pop...   

I decided to try the     first; I've messaged AllTest a scan of the FEDEX invoice, explained politely that I already paid for eBay GSP which includes all duty and tariffs, and and asked him to make it right.   We'll see what happens next.

mnem
 

Welp, some progress; not sure if it's positive.

First off, fleaBay has changed the way they deal with phone support, but evidently they do still have it. You have to actually bother to go through their maze of customer support articles (I checked out one about eBay Global Shipping), and at the bottom you will find a link to "Call Me" at the number registered to your account.

I guess this is to weed out the wingnuts & douchebags who can't read (or can't be bothered to read) a short article and just want to call and bitch eBay out for whatever reason, whether real or imagined. I suspect it does at least cut down on the number of drunks & stoners they have to fend off.   

Anyhoo... I contacted the seller, and after a couple days of conversation, he tells me it was due to me me sending a request for total and asking if there was any way he could offer a repeat customer discount. He claims that somehow this automagically booted me off the eBay GST program. 

When I checked out through my dashboard, the eBay checkout specifically stated I was paying for eBay GSP, and that there would be no further charges for duty, HST, etc. It even gave me a breakdown of shipping, duty and local sales tax that I was paying for.

So... I went through eBay's Support pages, clicked on the link, and in approx 12 minutes, I received a call back from a woman with a thick Paki accent, who confirmed my identity and took my information, and then waited patiently while I explained what had happened, and that I had no idea how to proceed since it was now more than a month after the transaction concluded.

She explained that I would receive an eMail from them shortly, and that they would do an investigation and let me know their determination.

Not sure how I feel about this in general; I really don't have time for this petty BS right now. But at least I did SOMETHING to resolve it, so it'll stop niggling at me. 

mnem
*toddles off to do some schoolwork with the daughter unit*

AllTest Shipping Hoopla Update:

I thought I was toddling off to ded, but I just received a You've got money! jingle from PayPal. I thought we'd reached an impasse in our discussion, but Jody at AllTest refunded me the difference between the shipping portion of the eBay GSP bill and what he charged me for just shipping; US$26. As that is only about $7 less than the FEDEX bill, I decided best to give him the benefit of the doubt & just chalk it all up to miscommunication. 

TL/DR: I am now a happy repeat customer again! w00t! w00t! Alltest w00t!   

mnem
"Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy...?"

[mansaxel]

Edit: footnote. Never live in Nottingham City area. Total fucking shit hole of a place.

I spent Easter 2011 in Nottingham. I've been worse places. Actually went back 2018 during our Interrail family trip because it was a convenient stop between York and Bletchley Park. 

Milton Keynes, OTOH. That's an incomprehensible "town". Since the target for the day after was the Turing shrine and Bletchley proper is too small for hotels I'd done some research on perhaps staying in MK.  Which has no center. And probably requires a introductory course for visiting like some places I've worked, where you weren't allowed to be alone anywhere unless you'd taken a full day's course in getting out... Conclusion: We found a hotel 25 meters from Nottingham Central station, and went to "Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem" for dinner.

Now, I do understand the urge to not recreate the old worst city/suburb experiences for the new people of the 50s and 60s. Let's say they did not succeed everywhere.

And as a matter of fact, while we in Sweden were mostly untouched by that regrettable city renovation pre-phase event of 1939-45, our planners felt we had to keep up with the aftermath and tore down a lot of old houses in the 50s to make room for malls, offices and concrete, too. Some of it was good, some less so. But we've got our Neubauten / New Cities!

[psykok]

You know, every time I get an eMail from AutoDesk/Fusion360, it's to tell me about more features they're taking away. As they still refuse to offer a reasonably-priced nonprofit/personal use subscription, I'm beginning to wonder how long before all that's left is the advertising. 

mnem
Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

that is exactly why I moved to FreeCAD.
I'm definitively missing SolidWorks but as home user the license is too expensive.

[bd139]

Edit: footnote. Never live in Nottingham City area. Total fucking shit hole of a place.

I spent Easter 2011 in Nottingham. I've been worse places. Actually went back 2018 during our Interrail family trip because it was a convenient stop between York and Bletchley Park. 

You must be one of those people who the pianos falling out of the sky usually miss 

So today I wake up to iOS 14 which I can’t actually find any notable differences other than widgets which I don’t actually give a fuck about.