Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[med6753]

 

[Cerebus]

I would not need such long ropes. I have plenty of use for shorter ones. Combined with a trap door ...

Together with a knife and some whipping twine a long rope makes shorter ropes.  The opposite is not as true; it requires splices or knots, both of which create weakness. The straight splice (for passing though pulleys) is particularly troublesome and requires some serious rigger skill to not slip.

Therefore, long ropes are desirable, as long (sic!) as possible, until you've really established the needed length.

The size of the rope walk at Chatham was determined by the longest continuous rope they had to make, which was anchor ropes for ships of the line like HMS Victory which were 300m ropes. Like you say, a spliced rope is a weak rope and you don't want the anchor rope to part. Lose your only anchor and you've in trouble.

[TERRA Operative]

I sat on the fence about the inspection camera deal at Princess Auto a little too long.  The local shop supposedly had five of them left but there were none when I got there.  Apparently they were out in the open at the end of an aisle and probably got shoplifted.  I was talking about that possibility with the lady at the cash register when she asked me if they turned up as I was paying for everything else and we were shooting the breeze about the crappy neighbourhood the store’s in when she suddenly broke off and started exclaiming “Look at that!  Look at that!  Look at that!” as this girl marched out between the cash registers with her arms out front loaded up with a ton of merchandise.

Well, that’s probably is what happened to the last five cameras the inventory system said were in the store.  I ordered one online and it arrived.  The carrying case was a nice surprise.  I don't recall seeing anything about that in the product description.  Some preliminary testing:





Need to play with it more and get the right storage card for it, but so far, so good.

So, which orifice did you inspect first?

[vk6zgo]

Treated myself to these:

Those are also magic; I put them on the wish list, and they appeared.

For flat, parallel jaws, they're unbeaten. For a more traditional "Polygrip" with serrated jaws (as they're called in Sweden, they're "Wasserpumpenzange" in German, and I'm not certain in English.) I prefer the Bahco over the Knipex:



The adjustment here is made by pressing the button on the back, which is a more positive size lock than the traditional "open wide, then slide" that Knipex made popular.

"Water pump pliers" is a very good description, although I have only used them in that capacity a few times.
(German is sometimes very easy to translate "by inspection").

We used to call them  'Multigrips" or "Slip joint pliers" back in the day-----the latter was a good name for some of the early ones, which really liked to slip!
I prefer the locking type of pliers (Vise Grips), or for big, brutal work, the old "Stillson wrench".

Back in the day, my brother was using a pair of German made "Vise Grips" under his car.

Finishing with them for the moment, he clamped them onto the "stabiliser bar", so they didn't skitter out of reach as tools are wont to do.
As it happened, he didn't need them again, so slid out from under, cleaned up & went out.

Next time he needed the Vise Grips, he couldn't find them, so grumbling, he "made do" with a substitute.
A few weeks down the track, Bro had occasion to climb under the car again, & there they were, still clamped securely where they had been left!

[vk6zgo]

OH !!!

BREAKING NEWS !!!

I said I messaged the guy anyway, a long message saying I despised his 100 Euros audiophool transformer argument, and offered him 75 Euros instead, with the intention to restore the scope not tear it apart, and local pickup as he required in his ad description.

Normally the usual answer to this kind of message is either fuck you, or no response at all.

WRONG : the guy replied a one liner saying just " OK for 75 Euros if you come to pick it up".

[...]

Soon it will be MINE !  Appointment set for tomorrow 14H or so.
2+ hour drive, 90% motorway, should be about tolerable.

Can't wait, feeling so excited, it will be my X-mas gift to myself, a 25kg treat !! 

Sounds good!  Is that 200km one way, or is that the full trip there and back to get the scope?

He lives 200kms away from me, so total trip will be 400kms.
Did 900kms with a good bit of crap roads, to get my 575 curver tracer last summer... so 400kms of motorway for this 502A sounds much better in comparison...

Yes distances in Canada or the USA are a bit of a bummer ! Grand-ma living in Los-Angeles is unlikely to ever see her grand-kids living in New York ! She better gets to grips with computers and "zoom" meetings ! 

I guess that's why the yanks in the old days invented big barges with ultra soft suspension, king sized plush seats, cruise control and oversized high torque/low-revving low power huge V8 engines.... so you can cruise comfortably crops-country/cross states, keeping your but, legs  and ears unhurt...

Meh!
Aussies did it in the old days with four & six cylinder average sized cars, no aircond, no cruise control, "Red dirt" roads that looked, in places, like a ploughed field, plus suicidal kangaroos & emus!
No open road limit back then, too, which made things.....interesting!

200km though,---Pah! A mere bagatelle!

Years ago, when I was courting my wife, I regularly travelled a similar distance, albeit on reasonably good sealed roads, as did she, in return!

I'm sure my beloved would say that she is considerably more appealing than an old Oscilloscope, however!

[med6753]

I'm sure my beloved would say that she is considerably more appealing than an old Oscilloscope, however!

But would she say the same about you? 

[TERRA Operative]

Meh!
Aussies did it in the old days with four & six cylinder average sized cars, no aircond, no cruise control, "Red dirt" roads that looked, in places, like a ploughed field, plus suicidal kangaroos & emus!
No open road limit back then, too, which made things.....interesting!

200km though,---Pah! A mere bagatelle!

Years ago, when I was courting my wife, I regularly travelled a similar distance, albeit on reasonably good sealed roads, as did she, in return!

I'm sure my beloved would say that she is considerably more appealing than an old Oscilloscope, however!

It was always fun driving from Darwin to Katherine, cruising at 150-170Km/h and being overtaken by Highway Patrol as if you were standing still.

Alas, they have a speed limit now so no more fun, but I don't live there anymore anyway.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Treated myself to these:

Those are also magic; I put them on the wish list, and they appeared.

For flat, parallel jaws, they're unbeaten. For a more traditional "Polygrip" with serrated jaws (as they're called in Sweden, they're "Wasserpumpenzange" in German, and I'm not certain in English.) I prefer the Bahco over the Knipex:

The adjustment here is made by pressing the button on the back, which is a more positive size lock than the traditional "open wide, then slide" that Knipex made popular.

Suffer my chrome! A partial selection of my Belzer Polygrip (yes, they coined that name, Bahco got it with the brand) waterpump pliers - 115mm to 385mm. I did not break any cases open, so it is just a selection from the stationary set.

[Neomys Sapiens]

I got an HP465A, because
- it was available
- it stacks nicely with the 8447E
- one can't have too many amplifiers around

Why do I even bother to explain in this place?

[Brumby]

I'm sure my beloved would say that she is considerably more appealing than an old Oscilloscope, however!

But would she say the same about you? 

There is wisdom in knowing what questions you should not ask.

[mnementh]

Moving Dwagons Update: Home at Last

Today, two very important things happened for us:

1) My wife accepted one of 8 job offers she received over the last week; the pay isn't as good as we were hoping for, but there is opportunity for ancillary income through channels, and there are supposedly regular annual pay increases at this gig. We'll see just how comprehensive the benefits are.

2) We took possession of our new home in West Hartford. Supposedly one of the safest neighborhoods in and around Hartford, with lots of local availability of all sorts of services and shopping, and 10 minutes from the VA Hospital for my dad when he comes.

The place is huge, and there's a whole back section on the ground floor perfect for my dad. He can have as much space as his apartment in NYC, and he won't even know we're here most of the time.

Of course, older 2-story home, and damp basements, etc appears to be a thing we have to deal with.

Honestly, it was all too easy... I was afraid to say a word until we had keys in hand for fear of jinxing it.

maybe Ifni is telling us it's time for the dwagon family to stop rolling for a while.

mnem

[mnementh]

I got an HP465A, because
- it was available
- it stacks nicely with the 8447E
- one can't have too many amplifiers around

Why do I even bother to explain in this place?

What... only ONE...?

mnem
"cheaper by the dozen..."

[Brumby]

maybe Ifni is telling us it's time for the dwagon family to stop rolling for a while.

I think you all have earned it.

[mansaxel]

Moving Dwagons Update: Home at Last

This is very good. I've heard of West Hartford, and from my 15-minute scan of local maps, websites and similar, looks like a place I'd consider if I was compelled to move to the US.  That is a strongly positive verdict from me 

What kinda job are you considering? I'm so remote from both the situation on the ground and your particular situation that I would refrain from pointing things out, but I feel it's safe to assume that a productive income-generating occupation would benefit you. And my thumbs are held. 

Best of all, though, is that your children have a fixed point, and you can find a school for them. A lot of both pains and rewards in growing up is found in the interaction with others, and the school is a major arena for this. 

[tautech]

Moving Dwagons Update: Home at Last

This is very good. I've heard of West Hartford, and from my 15-minute scan of local maps, websites and similar, looks like a place I'd consider if I was compelled to move to the US.  That is a strongly positive verdict from me 

Dwagon sensitivities had a lot to do with selecting West Hartford. 

The Children's museum:

[McBryce]

You know, I sear that rope gets bigger and bigger, at least there is no noose on the end of it 

How do you know that there's not a noose at the end when the ends aren't visible?

McBryce.

[BU508A]

Someone in need of a Keithley DMM6500 (NAWTS) for 945 Euro plus VAT?

https://www.instrumex.de/en/8165

Quote:
"Unit sold with a valid calibration certificate and manufacturer´s warranty until 24th November 2024."

[Specmaster]

You know, I sear that rope gets bigger and bigger, at least there is no noose on the end of it 

How do you know that there's not a noose at the end when the ends aren't visible?

McBryce.

I was wondering how long it would be before someone pointed that out when I posted it.

[BU508A]

You know, I sear that rope gets bigger and bigger, at least there is no noose on the end of it 

How do you know that there's not a noose at the end when the ends aren't visible?

McBryce.

I was wondering how long it would be before someone pointed that out when I posted it.

Well, you have to admit, the rope is very long. 

[Saskia]

you just have to find a suitable cliff. or a bridge. to make use of the noose ...

[mnementh]

"Carefully measuring the distance to the cliff
took her most of the mor-or-orr-ning;
What followed... was merely in poor taste."

A little ditty my mother usedta sing sometimes; usually whenever she was about to something of dubious safety and/or potential reward. Or if she saw one of us about to do somesuch damned fool thing.

*~mnemories~*

[mnementh]

Moving Dwagons Update: Home at Last

This is very good. I've heard of West Hartford, and from my 15-minute scan of local maps, websites and similar, looks like a place I'd consider if I was compelled to move to the US.  That is a strongly positive verdict from me 

What kinda job are you considering? I'm so remote from both the situation on the ground and your particular situation that I would refrain from pointing things out, but I feel it's safe to assume that a productive income-generating occupation would benefit you. And my thumbs are held. 

Best of all, though, is that your children have a fixed point, and you can find a school for them. A lot of both pains and rewards in growing up is found in the interaction with others, and the school is a major arena for this.

Well, they're wanting Beth to start as soon as Thursday... so for the moment, I'm going to have a full-time job just keeping the kids alive and getting the paperwork done so they can enroll in school. First off, tho, hitting The Thrift for a few "things to sit on and eat off of" until we can arrange for the Trailer of Doom to get here...

Then, I suspect, the ToD will become a full-time job in and of itself for a while. 

mnem
After that...? Honestly, I've been giving some serious thought to trying my hand at voiceover work...

[mnementh]

you just have to find a suitable cliff. or a bridge. to make use of the noose ...

Yes, but finding one that is just a few feet too short... would be so much more ironic. 

mnem
not that I would have any personal experience with that sort of irony... no, no, no... 

[mnementh]

You know, I sear that rope gets bigger and bigger, at least there is no noose on the end of it 

How do you know that there's not a noose at the end when the ends aren't visible?

McBryce.

I was wondering how long it would be before someone pointed that out when I posted it.

Well, you have to admit, the rope is very long. 

Yes,and since I got him his very own, made just for med rope, I notice it has not resurfaced since. He seems to like it very much, since he's secreted it away so assiduously... maybe a little too much... 

mnem

[25 CPS]

Hmmm... nice little type 503 glowing Tek scope you have there...

Wow, you got that exactly right from that crappy little picture!

Just an educated guess, I got lucky ! 
The differential inputs, monolithic form factor, and general layout and type and colours of the knobs, especially the two little light grey ones in the center line..... it looked just like Papa smurf's 503 which he showed us just the other day, so it was fresh in my mind 

Good work though.  I've got a 502A as well that I got back in the spring.  Here are some pictures from the pickup and the first test to keep you motivated during the drive today: