Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread  (Read 14563856 times)

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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13025 on: July 10, 2018, 07:00:02 pm »
That Fluke looks pretty damn good for the money. You can’t lose. Intermittent also tends to mean switch cleaning time on older flukes. My 77 got proper wonky after a decade.

I had a thinkpad 380 back in the day. Totally nuclear bomb proof those things!

 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13026 on: July 10, 2018, 08:39:43 pm »
Yup... and IIRC, it has a tiny little subwoofer in a ported bandpass box under the keyboard, and bidirectional IR comms. I miss IR on a laptop... Freaky that it still works like that; I'm seriously going to nuke it and donate to a museum.

I also unearthed a InFocus LP210 from one of my corporate gigs... thing is of similar vintage with 78 hours on the lamp. A little pale color-wise but native 1024x768 resolution, 1000 lumens and both VGA/DVI capable all in a package the size of a carton of Camels. Sitting here next to me happily projecting Kung Fu Panda III on the wall. Crazy. Think I'll keep that one handy.


mnem
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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13027 on: July 10, 2018, 08:46:10 pm »
I also had a Thinkpad 380 running WIN95 issued to me at work after being upgraded from a PS/2 MOD80 running OS/2 Warp.

The current generation Lenovo Thinkpads are just as stout and reliable. We have dozens of them at work running 24/7 in IBM Z mainframe test. Other than an occasional HD taking a dump they never break.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 02:27:26 am by med6753 »
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Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13028 on: July 10, 2018, 08:47:08 pm »

Oh poop... I remember someone saying that Doug was going to do another run of DMMCheck Plus sometime around now... so I went to his website to see if i could get in on it, and I found that starting July 1st, they're going on extended vacation thru SEPTEMBER!!!

 |O

I guess I'll have to muddle through with my collection of resistors and cheap AD584 reference for now. I hate to bug the guy while he's "away".

mnem
*Looking for the website of the local computer museum*
Whats wrong with a AD58-M then thats surely good enough to check a meter against?
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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13029 on: July 10, 2018, 08:51:08 pm »

Oh poop... I remember someone saying that Doug was going to do another run of DMMCheck Plus sometime around now... so I went to his website to see if i could get in on it, and I found that starting July 1st, they're going on extended vacation thru SEPTEMBER!!!

 |O

I guess I'll have to muddle through with my collection of resistors and cheap AD584 reference for now. I hate to bug the guy while he's "away".

mnem
*Looking for the website of the local computer museum*
Whats wrong with a AD58-M then thats surely good enough to check a meter against?

And if you don't trust what it's telling you buy 2 of them. They're cheap. That's what I did as a "check for the checker" and guess what? They all match.
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13030 on: July 10, 2018, 08:59:45 pm »
Might just order one!

The current generation Lenovo Thinkpads are just as stout and reliable.

Yep got a T440 here as my backup machine.
 

Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13031 on: July 10, 2018, 09:45:54 pm »
My most accurate DMM is the Fluke 8800A. Other than repairing the power supply when I bought it I haven't done anything else to it. So it's last calibration comes from an unknown source. Here's how it measures against the 2 AD584-M's:


AD584M -1  9.99691V     8800A   9.9968V - 9.9969V

AD584M -2  10.00096V   8800A   10.0009V - 10.0010V

Don't think you could ask for much better than that.

In other news. The 2465 undergoing a burn-in after it's PSU cap surgery. Looking good!  :-+

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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13032 on: July 10, 2018, 09:50:35 pm »

Oh poop... I remember someone saying that Doug was going to do another run of DMMCheck Plus sometime around now... so I went to his website to see if i could get in on it, and I found that starting July 1st, they're going on extended vacation thru SEPTEMBER!!!

 |O

I guess I'll have to muddle through with my collection of resistors and cheap AD584 reference for now. I hate to bug the guy while he's "away".

mnem
*Looking for the website of the local computer museum*
Whats wrong with a AD58-M then thats surely good enough to check a meter against?

And if you don't trust what it's telling you buy 2 of them. They're cheap. That's what I did as a "check for the checker" and guess what? They all match.



It's not the DCV reference; that I trust pretty well. It's the 5-Digits-Plus documented reference resistors, oscillator, DC current and ACV standards that the DMMCheck Plus also provides.  :-+ It truly is a full-service reference standard; capable enough for any hobbyist bench for both meter and scope setup.

I have a collection of 1% resistors and the AD584. I can muddle through with them in leiu of a proper calibration; I was just annoyed I'd missed the boat on the DMMCheck Plus. AGAIN.


mnem
"Back, Back you fiends; back to the depths that spawned you!!!" ~ heard from my garage some time this afternoon
« Last Edit: July 10, 2018, 09:52:36 pm by mnementh »
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Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13033 on: July 10, 2018, 09:51:15 pm »
but in all honesty I'd rather stand in a busy intersection and drill screws through my feet than be an AT&T rape victim customer again.

I concur. Been there. Done that. Still sore.
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13034 on: July 11, 2018, 01:15:15 pm »
This is tempting. Cortland Manor is in Westchester County just above NYC. About 1.5 hours away...give or take traffic which usually sucks down there.

But a close up of the photo shows the LCD for the DMM to be fubar and probably unobtanium. And why would a friend just "give it to you"? Sounds fishy like it's stolen or something shady. But it would be a nice piece and they are not very common.

Gonna pass.  :--

The Tek 2337 is no longer listed. Guess it was sold. Oh well. Can't win them all.  :-//
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 01:16:57 pm by med6753 »
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13035 on: July 11, 2018, 01:29:26 pm »
At least you can do the traditional thing and tell great tales of the one that got away :)

Currently rewiring phones in my house because I’ll be fucked if I’m paying OpenReach to do it  >:D ... it appears that telecoms companies are universally hated.
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13036 on: July 11, 2018, 01:34:11 pm »
I've just pulled the trigger on one of those Brymen TBM867s 50,000 count meters that bd139 recently purchased, the lure of those extra digits snared me, even though they don't glow but they can be backlit which is almost as good. Thanks to the sale of a couple of boat anchors, the cost has been more than met  :-+
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13037 on: July 11, 2018, 01:36:39 pm »
Currently rewiring phones in my house because I’ll be fucked if I’m paying OpenReach to do it  >:D ... it appears that telecoms companies are universally hated.

Took care of that problem a long time ago. Got rid of the house phone. Cell only.
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Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13038 on: July 11, 2018, 01:37:55 pm »
How do you get your broadband then, cable?
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13039 on: July 11, 2018, 01:45:17 pm »
How do you get your broadband then, cable?

Yes, cable TV provider is my ISP. I pay for 60Mbps download but typically get about 80Mbps. Uploads typically 35Mbps.

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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13040 on: July 11, 2018, 02:10:48 pm »
Capacitor in my old master socket was dated week 17 of 1980. About time that was replaced. Got a fancy new OpenReach branded one  :-DD

We have cable or DSL here. I refuse to use cable though as Virgin, the only provider, are shite.

Expecting 61 down 19 up here after upgrade instead of 12 down 1 up.
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13041 on: July 11, 2018, 02:52:44 pm »
How do you mean, Virgin are shite? I have had them for years and no problem whatsoever, before that it was Sky and they were problems and so also were all the other copper providers, but Virgin and their fibre optic service are brilliant, currently getting 108 down and 15 upload speeds today.
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13042 on: July 11, 2018, 03:05:33 pm »
My cable ISP is all copper. Fiber is the responsibility of the phone company (Verizon). But it's not available here. Too far out in the "boonies" and they won't spend the money to install it.
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13043 on: July 11, 2018, 03:13:16 pm »
How do you mean, Virgin are shite? I have had them for years and no problem whatsoever, before that it was Sky and they were problems and so also were all the other copper providers, but Virgin and their fibre optic service are brilliant, currently getting 108 down and 15 upload speeds today.

You are so far lucky. All ISPs should be rated at how they handle a problem when you do have one. Virgin are dire. Really just the worst. We have clients who have had drop outs and connection problems spanning a decad even with business connections. A lot of big name DSL providers are too (Sky and Talk Talk being by far the worst). Most people we advise migrate to A&A or Zen. I’m with Zen myself as they are slightly cheaper.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 03:14:51 pm by bd139 »
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13044 on: July 11, 2018, 04:33:06 pm »
I've had a broken fibre, had a distribution amplifier in the street go down and also a home hub fail with Virgin but they have all been fixed within a few hours, so I can't complain. Perhaps its like everything in life, often comes to the people who you are dealing with and if the manager etc of your area couldn't care less then the rest of staff will follow suit, get a good manager who does care and that culture gets transposed to the engineers as well for fear of getting a bollocking.
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline Cerebus

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13045 on: July 11, 2018, 04:34:09 pm »
For years *I* was my ISP, or more accurately I was head technical honcho for the ISP that I used at home. It might suggest something about A&A that when I was forced by circumstances to become the customer of an ISP that I didn't manage, I chose A&A.
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13046 on: July 11, 2018, 04:45:28 pm »
Yes A&A know how to handle OpenReach for a start. Plus RevK actually knows arse from elbow. We’ve not had a single complaint related to them ever.

I did consider migrating to them myself but Zen was cheaper and I don’t care enough about it to push it the last 2% as I can quite happily work off a 4G tether.
 

Offline Zucca

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13047 on: July 11, 2018, 06:50:27 pm »

eBay auction: #183300399315

Metcal PS-800 set for 130,99€ shipped to my door. Not bad.

Yeah it's not a PS-900 but it will be soon my battery portable iron, so it must be just a small Metcal puppy.
I could not touch the TS OLED chinesium irons... brrrrrr.....

I will do a teardown soon I hope...

 ;D
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 07:06:58 pm by zucca »
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13048 on: July 11, 2018, 06:52:44 pm »
That’s a pretty damn good deal that :-+

Looks identical to the PS-900.
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #13049 on: July 12, 2018, 01:48:21 am »
The PS-800 is the "consumer" baby brother to the PS-900. The 800 is 35W EDP, the 900 is 50W EDP. Mind you, with the SmartHeat setup, 35W is equivalent to 60-70W resistive. The 800 has a plastic housing and cheaper build on the handset; which means of course that it's still like filet mignon compared to the China T-12 clones.



In other news...

I just found out one of my old RC Model flying buddies from San Antonio passed away this morning; I was just talking with a mutual friend of ours yesterday and intended to call him this afternoon. Weird thing... I contacted that mutual friend out of the blue after not speaking with him for over a year because I'd found some old analog camera lenses and thought of him; guess I should've been thinking of ol' Rick. I've spent all afternoon looking through my videos from the time; it's crazy but all I could find of him was a few off-screen comments and a brief blurry pan where he's on screen for half a second.  :palm:

He was a good friend whose great joy was flying big gliders for hours on end; he was kind but fearless, soft-spoken and a true christian, and a proper, unabashed liberal. A rare thing here in Texas; his company was well-met and the world feels much smaller knowing he's no longer in it.

Wishing you clear skies and plenty of thermals, my friend. You've earned it.


mnem
"There's a bird on the wing;
flying high, flying high.
From a place, to a place...
Changing skies, changing skies..."

« Last Edit: July 12, 2018, 02:11:15 am by mnementh »
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