Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[xrunner]

Siamese cats can be very demanding and vocal. Have had several years ago. You traded one demanding female for another. 

She doesn't want diamonds or valentine's candy, nor will she marry and then divorce me. And she doesn't care how much TEA I buy.

Ain't too bad. 

[Cerebus]

And I noticed you are from Puerto Rico. I was, at one time, married to a Puerto Rican Princesa and if you are I warn you. If you value life and limb don't ever lie to them. Don't ask me how I know this.

So you lied when you told us why they call you Pegleg? 

[bitseeker]

I'm getting old. Woke up today a hurting pup. Sore muscles in my arms and chest from jackassing that heavy 535A around on the bench. I may have to hold off doing that last capacitor today in order to heal up a bit.

In addition all that moving is denting and scratching the bench 2 surface. Oh well, at least the end of this is in sight.   

I name thee Teksisyphus:

Of course, had to add that to the POI.
(And the blue version, too.)

[mnementh]

Agitator!!!   

mnem

[mnementh]

In Other News...

      

You'd think a quad-core ARM Processor with 2GB RAM less than 4 years old would still be fairly usable in a IPTV box; but even after I (quite cleverly, if I do say so myself) unfuckerized the FW that had been set to Chinese by abusing Google Translate's real-time photo translation, I found I couldn't get ANY of the usual streaming services to install the latest version (I suspect their DRM packages are probably too big to fit in 8GB ROM) as they return "Not compatible" errors on the Play Store. Worse, the few existing apps that still do anything are effing slow AF.  Just glad I only spent $10 on it, as it's pretty much eWaste after only 4 years. 

I have discovered it WILL do one useful thing: It will do the active USB negotiation required to turn on the charge circuit in a PS3 controller. So as to be NOT a total waste, I'm going to make it my new PS3 charger (I don't exactly like the look of USB tentacles writhing about the front of my PS3 like it's the face of Chulhu); just plug a couple Mini-USB cables into it and drop it in the back of a drawer in the gaming cabinet. As you might imagine, I don't especially want to take a chance on it accidentally turning the WiFi back on and trying to connect to my home network, so I've separated out the solder joint to 3.3Vcc for the WiFi jellybean PCB.

   

Now, for something completely  Today, my $25 XEON processor for my $25 Intel Extreme MB/PSU/GPU combo arrived from AliEx... wrapped in ordinary effing EPP foam. FFS.     After discharging myself to the grounded collar of my soldering station, I removed the XEON straight into the MB. When my son's done with his schoolwork on his PC, I'll borrow his RAM and we'll see if there are by any chance any signs of life... 

Allright... enough ruminating out loud...

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[med6753]

I was able to get the 535A flipped 180 and on it's side without any additional pain to myself or the scope. 

In the AM change out the last aluminum can.

[beanflying]

At least you will be able to sleep knowing it is done .... for now @med 

Useless day this end due to 'stuff' but I squeezed in a little CAD and Lasering. PITA guessing Radius's to model in CAD so I made this tool. Also did a fractional inch version but I will make it if I need it as the world (most  Liberia, Burma & the USA we are waiting) has moved on 

[beanflying]

The simplest solution here is to NOT be married, as I am now and couldn't be happier. 

I only answer to one female these days -

(Attachment Link)

Sipping on a quiet beer doing a little work on the bench and I get paws on leg. Needy damm females next thing will be feed me but first a walk ..... Lucky the yapper is only a loaner and can go back to Mum in a few hours.

[capt bullshot]

This is Meinberg stuff, so they downmix the signal in the antenna, ship it across RG58/U (up to 80m I think they deem allowable) and then upmix in the receiver again. It is also possible to convert the signal to optical signals and ship it through an EMP or TEMPEST barrier. I believe it and the somewhat simpler coax solution both are specific to their receivers.

Yes, recognized the dome at first sight. A former (no more existing) small company I worked for re-sold the Meinberg receivers as accessories to their instruments. The domes were painted blue for the corporate image.

Afair, they pass the 10MHz reference frequency from the receiver end up to the antenna, there's at least the first IF stage that passed the GPS signal downmixed to 36MHz back to the receiver, there's just the next processing stage, no upmixing again. This was some 10 years ago, maybe they have to down- and upmix the signal today because todays GPS chipsets aren't split up in frontend and processing stage anymore. Back in the days, they've just put the first mixer stage into the antenna dome and the next processing stages to the receiver end. The whole thing could transport the GPS over quite long cable runs, but the signal couldn't be easily splitted. One needed special boxes for that.

[Cerebus]

Got a new bit of Chinese cheapness arrived in the post this morning. Nothing special, just one of those inexpensive TM-902C type K thermocouple thermometers. For around the £5 each mark they're great for keeping an eye on chip or heatsink temperatures. What gives me pause today is the brand of batteries that they've included with it:



Not exactly confidence inspiring, is it?

[capt bullshot]

As it says in the fine print: "Battery may explode or leak."

[bd139]

Ahh the economy version of Bango and Blasto batteries.

[Zucca]

Redesigning Replacing an old german bathroom fan...

Bought two beefy 12V 1,7A fans, will the 12V 5A LED PSU turn them on or go in short circuit protection because of the inrush current?

 

[med6753]

It's done. The last can was pulled and here are the 3 replacements. So now all the electrolytic capacitors have been replaced.



Checked all the B+ voltages after 15 minutes and got the following:


-150V reference     -149.953V
+100V                    +99.974V
+225V                    +224.820V
+350V                    +347.43V
+500V                    +495.57V

The only adjustment is the -150V reference and I see no need to fiddle with it. Going to install the covers then let it burn in for about 2 hours. Then do the final tweaks of the vertical gain and DC balance. And perform a high frequency check. Then this one is DONE. And no more of this shit: 

[med6753]

Covers on and back in it's designated corner to cook for a few hours before final tweaking. 

[Ice-Tea]

Shouldn't be this far of..

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

...

This is how volt-nuttery starts, isn't it? Who's to blame? Meter or reference? I must buy more stuff, obviously...

[Zucca]

Metrology is the corona of the TEA virus.

[BU508A]

Metrology is the corona of the TEA virus.

Seems, that my timing couldn't be any better¹:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113744749751

GPS Time Disciplined Clock PLL-GPSDO


(will hopefully arrive Friday)



¹looking out for some soggy ol' boots from mnem's direction 

[Brumby]

What gives me pause today is the brand of batteries that they've included with it:



Not exactly confidence inspiring, is it?

Thanks.  I needed that!

[Brumby]

..... And no more of this shit:

                



Sorry.
(Not really)

[mnementh]

Metrology is the corona of the TEA virus.

Seems, that my timing couldn't be any better¹:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/113744749751   GPS Time Disciplined Clock PLL-GPSDO      (will hopefully arrive Friday)

¹looking out for some soggy ol' boots from mnem's direction 

no.

mnem
 

[BU508A]

Metrology is the corona of the TEA virus.

Seems, that my timing couldn't be any better¹:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/113744749751   GPS Time Disciplined Clock PLL-GPSDO      (will hopefully arrive Friday)

¹looking out for some soggy ol' boots from mnem's direction 

no.

mnem
 

Ah. Out of ol' soggy boots error

[tggzzz]

Got a new bit of Chinese cheapness arrived in the post this morning. Nothing special, just one of those inexpensive TM-902C type K thermocouple thermometers. For around the £5 each mark they're great for keeping an eye on chip or heatsink temperatures. What gives me pause today is the brand of batteries that they've included with it:

(Attachment Link)

Not exactly confidence inspiring, is it?

I wouldn't use this Italian scouring powder on any TE. I presume it gets to the bottom of things without irritating the skin

[bd139]

This reminds me of this product which I fell over the other day:



Definition: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=minger

[med6753]

Got a new bit of Chinese cheapness arrived in the post this morning. Nothing special, just one of those inexpensive TM-902C type K thermocouple thermometers. For around the £5 each mark they're great for keeping an eye on chip or heatsink temperatures. What gives me pause today is the brand of batteries that they've included with it:

(Attachment Link)

Not exactly confidence inspiring, is it?

I wouldn't use this Italian scouring powder on any TE. I presume it gets to the bottom of things without irritating the skin

Is it a cleanser? A powder to relieve itch in those sensitive areas? Or a Bum/Hobo repellent?

All 3 perhaps?