Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[BravoV]

A HP 5347A with lots of dead and stuck LCD segments, and a dead Tektronix 2465 as it doesn't power on, both still sealed by cal sticker and never opened, dirt cheap. 

Curious as to what you find is wrong with the 2465. 

  That should be the full list, unless it was operated by a grad student sometime in its life. 

mnem
*Currently doing a teardown on a $40 1000W computer PSU*

Hoping its that easy, as I travel alot, no time to tinker with yet. 

[LapTop006]

Binary page number again :-P

Second last one for a while.

[bitseeker]

bitseeker

Thank you for creating this place and unleash the best of us. Since then I feel less alone in my Lab.

How did you come up with the TEA idea?

After the millenium it's time for some documentary background BBC planet earth style.

Hi zucca! Glad to hear that our "therapy" is yielding good results for your state of mind and your lab.

So, where did TEA come from? China. Oh, no, wrong kind of tea.

Well, it all started back on January 14, 2017 (Pacific Time) in the "List your test equipment scores" thread where xrunner and mtdoc were talking about the GW Instek GDM 8251A bench DMMs from the ITT liquidation that they had recently scored on eBay. xrunner said, "Do I need it ... Um, well, ...  What if I told you yes ..." and I replied, "I'd say, 'Welcome to TEA (Test Equipment Anonymous).' So glad you could join us."

After that, mtdoc asked about the 12-step program for TEA, I started a list, Cubdriver built on top of it, VK5RC stood up and declared he was a "test equipment-aholic," tautech went next and told his story of woe and addiction, and it continued for many posts thereafter.

The following evening, having seen how many people also enjoyed acquiring, using, tinkering with, and fixing test equipment, I started this thread. It was partially meant to be facetious, rather than about an actual medical condition, but that lighthearted tone about what, for some (most? many?), could be considered an actual addiction, enabled folks to feel free about their particular flavor of electronics passion, even if outsiders might otherwise consider them abnormal or crazy. After all, everyone's got their own kind of crazy. We just created our own name for ours.

And here we still are, two years and over 25,000 posts (1010 pages) later. Just as crazy as ever and enjoying every minute of it.

[bitseeker]

Binary page number again :-P

Second last one for a while.

Binary, a nice pattern, and a round number.

[bitseeker]

It arrived today - I liked the sender name   

SWMBO saw it and gave me a casual version of "the look". 

LOL! Nice touch, Bean. Brumby's heart probably stopped momentarily upon receipt of "the look."

I turned that into a little more interest when I mentioned it was the same person who sent me that (pointing to the Hantek) and she remembered me commenting about Bean's coffee storage.  She is one of these people that tells you to go away until she has had at least her second cup in the morning.  (Maybe there are some bribery opportunities if we have any further business!)

Good recovery!

...

This bit of kit also marks a milestone - and a confession: it's the first bit of HP test gear I have ever owned.  I've had HP calculators, but they don't count.  As a result, I really want to get this up and running properly - and I don't want to rush it.

My TEA has entered a new era .... or is it a new rabbit hole?

Welcome to the HP family, Brumby! I must say that their gear tends to multiply, at least they seem to gravitate to my bench, and under it, too. I suspect it won't be your last.

[bitseeker]

Especially considering what you lady does, I imagine your ears are also open.

She's NYPD and I'm at minimum 75 miles north of NYC so unfortunately too far away to pick up. And I'm just running the whip antenna anyway. But it's good enough to pick up all of my county. Especially since one of the repeaters is only 2 miles away. 

When you can't be within range (or atmospheric conditions aren't in your favor), there's broadcastify.com.

[bd139]

Careful or you'll slide down that slippery slope like my gamer neighbor. And that's a giant rabbit hole with no end. You'll stay up all night conversing loudly with your gamer buddies. Twinkies will be your meal of choice. Don't work. Don't shower. Waddle on the scale at about 400 pounds. Belly so huge you don't know if the family jewels still exist. The model of our new society. 

Yeah definitely. Been there albeit not that bad. Got to top ten in UT99 ngworldstats for a bit which was way too deep in.

Then one fateful night I discovered floozies and never played a game again 

(Although I have been playing fortnite on my phone when I’m having a shit recently)

[beanflying]

Think I am becoming a more of a sheetmetal worker. Bottom end of my 10 decade 25W Vishay's the other decade in the box will have paralleled 3W 200 for 6W for the 100  decade. Waiting on a 3 layer rotary switch instead of the two shown to share the current a bit better on the low range.

It is now Little Creatures O'Clock and 25C in the shack

[tautech]

It is now Little Creatures O'Clock and 25C in the shack

We got to 29C today which is bloody hot for Auckland.......had to have a Poppa nap from repairs and painting the house. 

I've heard Little Creatures was bought out by the Kiwis and also we're to have one of their brewing plants not 20 minutes from me. 
Of course we'll have to sample their wares. 

https://littlecreatures.co.nz/

[med6753]

Careful or you'll slide down that slippery slope like my gamer neighbor. And that's a giant rabbit hole with no end. You'll stay up all night conversing loudly with your gamer buddies. Twinkies will be your meal of choice. Don't work. Don't shower. Waddle on the scale at about 400 pounds. Belly so huge you don't know if the family jewels still exist. The model of our new society. 

Yeah definitely. Been there albeit not that bad. Got to top ten in UT99 ngworldstats for a bit which was way too deep in.

Never got into gaming. I tried, way back in the days of simple Pong. Concentrating on the screen literally gave me a intense headache. Quickly realized it wasn't for me.

   

Then one fateful night I discovered floozies and never played a game again 

Women have always been my downfall. 

[bd139]

Think I’m going down the same route as you 

[med6753]

Especially considering what you lady does, I imagine your ears are also open.

She's NYPD and I'm at minimum 75 miles north of NYC so unfortunately too far away to pick up. And I'm just running the whip antenna anyway. But it's good enough to pick up all of my county. Especially since one of the repeaters is only 2 miles away. 

When you can't be within range (or atmospheric conditions aren't in your favor), there's broadcastify.com.

I checked it out. Thanks for that. It does cover her precinct in Manhattan and it works. But oddly it's missing NYPD citywide which is basically the "get your ass here now emergency channel". It DOES have FDNY citywide.   

[med6753]

Think I’m going down the same route as you 

The stories I could tell. Wrong forum. 

[Specmaster]

It is now Little Creatures O'Clock and 25C in the shack

We got to 29C today which is bloody hot for Auckland.......had to have a Poppa nap from repairs and painting the house. 

I've heard Little Creatures was bought out by the Kiwis and also we're to have one of their brewing plants not 20 minutes from me. 
Of course we'll have to sample their wares. 

https://littlecreatures.co.nz/

And I thought we were talking about the bloody possums again, not a bleeding drink jeez, you sure do have some strange names [emoji1787]

[med6753]

It is now Little Creatures O'Clock and 25C in the shack

We got to 29C today which is bloody hot for Auckland.......had to have a Poppa nap from repairs and painting the house. 

I've heard Little Creatures was bought out by the Kiwis and also we're to have one of their brewing plants not 20 minutes from me. 
Of course we'll have to sample their wares. 

https://littlecreatures.co.nz/

And I thought we were talking about the bloody possums again, not a bleeding drink jeez, you sure do have some strange names [emoji1787]

I entered my birth date and it came back and said I wasn't old enough. 

[beanflying]

This is a better match than one of those 'pesky & distracting' females 

These 0.1% Vishays are going to run 0.01% when paralleled plus a little contact resistance - nearly a 'perfect' match

[Specmaster]

Think I’m going down the same route as you 

The stories I could tell. Wrong forum. 

Another sub group in the formation coming on here? Swopping names and numbers in your little black books and tales of close calls and other things all XXX rated, can I join in [emoji48]

[beanflying]

And I thought we were talking about the bloody possums again, not a bleeding drink jeez, you sure do have some strange names [emoji1787]

The Beer understands at least, it tells me I am 'Hoppy and Balanced' 

edit must wear glasses because I am old and am to Hoppy 

[med6753]

Think I’m going down the same route as you 

The stories I could tell. Wrong forum. 

Another sub group in the formation coming on here? Swopping names and numbers in your little black books and tales of close calls and other things all XXX rated, can I join in [emoji48]

My "Little Black Book" is all tucked away in the brain cells, never to be put to paper. When I die the evidence goes with me. 

[tautech]

It is now Little Creatures O'Clock and 25C in the shack

We got to 29C today which is bloody hot for Auckland.......had to have a Poppa nap from repairs and painting the house. 

I've heard Little Creatures was bought out by the Kiwis and also we're to have one of their brewing plants not 20 minutes from me. 
Of course we'll have to sample their wares. 

https://littlecreatures.co.nz/

And I thought we were talking about the bloody possums again, not a bleeding drink jeez, you sure do have some strange names [emoji1787]

Not us, those West Aussies in Freemantle Perth came up with the brand and probably you lot in the motherland wouldn't like these hoppy beers.
That's fine, more for me and Bean ! 

[Specmaster]

Think I’m going down the same route as you 

The stories I could tell. Wrong forum. 

Another sub group in the formation coming on here? Swopping names and numbers in your little black books and tales of close calls and other things all XXX rated, can I join in [emoji48]

My "Little Black Book" is all tucked away in the brain cells, never to be put to paper. When I die the evidence goes with me. 

Same here, makes me wonder if there ever was a little book in the first place. Strikes me as a rather dangerous thing to do, if SWMBO ever got her hands on it, we'll never be able to sleep at night for fear of never ever waking up again

[Specmaster]

It is now Little Creatures O'Clock and 25C in the shack

We got to 29C today which is bloody hot for Auckland.......had to have a Poppa nap from repairs and painting the house. 

I've heard Little Creatures was bought out by the Kiwis and also we're to have one of their brewing plants not 20 minutes from me. 
Of course we'll have to sample their wares. 

https://littlecreatures.co.nz/

And I thought we were talking about the bloody possums again, not a bleeding drink jeez, you sure do have some strange names [emoji1787]

Not us, those West Aussies in Freemantle Perth came up with the brand and probably you lot in the motherland wouldn't like these hoppy beers.
That's fine, more for me and Bean ! 

And what makes you so sure that we wouldn't like them then, are they made from fermented roo piss and dunnie spiders 

[bd139]

Same here, makes me wonder if there ever was a little book in the first place. Strikes me as a rather dangerous thing to do, if SWMBO ever got her hands on it, we'll never be able to sleep at night for fear of never ever waking up again

The black book is not a thing to keep for sure but that doesn't protect you from danger. Had a couple of near misses over the years.

Anyway back on some TEA stuff for a change... managed to get my antenna back up this morning as the council have cut all the trees down. Used the MFJ-259 to tune it and bam, it's 1:1.2 SWR flat across the important bits of 40, 30 and 20m which is amazingly good. Very happy with that toy.

[Specmaster]

Careful or you'll slide down that slippery slope like my gamer neighbor. And that's a giant rabbit hole with no end. You'll stay up all night conversing loudly with your gamer buddies. Twinkies will be your meal of choice. Don't work. Don't shower. Waddle on the scale at about 400 pounds. Belly so huge you don't know if the family jewels still exist. The model of our new society. 

Yeah definitely. Been there albeit not that bad. Got to top ten in UT99 ngworldstats for a bit which was way too deep in.

Women have always been my downfall. 

Nah, no fear of that, I dont play online gaming with others, so no need for headsets with microphones to chat on either, just a bit of solo Command and Conquer, or snooker (or used to be snooker till Windoze 10 killed it), a bit of Simpsons Tapped Out on tablets when I've got no TEA activity happening or as a break to save my brain from getting fried 

[VK5RC]

@bd139 have you seen the Eu1ky single port vna?
It has been extremely popular here in vk5 land. It uses a demo board with touch screen and another pcb with a couple of si5351etc. My radio club even did a batch of the pcbs and somewhere I have the element 14 part list if anyone is interested. One of the vk5 hams, vk5sfa, he just won the ARRL home-brew antenna competition, (he is a retired broadcast engineer) raves about it. Link https://bitbucket.org/kuchura/eu1ky_aa_v3/wiki/Home
Below is just one of the pages it can display. Can do swr graphs, including r+ij and a lot of other good stuff - all for about 150 Aussie pesos.