Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Martin Miranda]

  another warehouse scrounge. 

[dl6lr]

It took a couple of hours with cheapo kynar mod wire, to reroute the pins to the correct holes on the board, the transplant operation was a complete success and thank you to whoever mentioned using the 74151 instead. 

Glad it worked out for you.

[mansaxel]

about 13 mm

What a lovely way to say 1/2"! 

[Specmaster]

Oh OK, I misunderstood you I think !

When you said that the Power + SHIFT combination was for a " complete front panel self-test  " I read that as " it tests only the front panel itself, not the main board "... but you probably meant front panel as in  " The self test looks at the entire unit, but is being activated / triggered via the front panel " ? If so that's cool then, will ask the seller to do that ! 

Yea it will test the whole unit. I said even a monkey can cause it to initiate the complete self-test per the simple procedure ... but that assumes the seller has the intelligence of a monkey.

Might be debatable ... 

There is also a chance that if the seller is genuine about not being able to test it further, then you tell about the self test and they do it and find no errors, that they may then withdraw it from sale, sit on it for a while and then relist it later at a far greater inflated price.

[Vince]

Yes that's possible....
What worries me is the fact that normal price for these is 500 Euros not 250, and any decent piece of TE at a good price normally sells within 10 minutes.

This ad is 3 days old now, which means it is not normal and something must be going on...

The most probably is that it's already sold, long ago, but the seller has not bothered removing the ad, or his waiting to cash the money in... because his ad does not have a " buy " button, so you must contact the seller and arrange payment outside the website, hence you are unaware that the sale has already been made... this happens a lot.

Other possibility I had happen once, when I found a good deal on a 2232 Tek analog+ digital scope was... the seller never replied to my messages. Kept messaging him once a month for 6 months, but never a reply, ad still online... and according to the messaging system, he actually never even READ / SAW my messages.. so in 6 months he didn't even log into his account.
Maybe he died unfortunately. So I reported him to the website and they deleted this ad.


So far for this 34401A, the seller has not yet read/seen my message.. but it's been less than 24H so there is still hope (a bit)...

Zucca your comment on the TTi DC load is now pushing me to change my mind, you enabler ! 

What do you think of the lack of I/O at the back, with that green plastic blanking plate ?  Does that seem factory to you, or is it more likely that the I/O board has been removed ?....
And I guess the cooling fan is indeed missing, was I right about that ?
And is there a self test at power-up ? Can the seller trigger it by hand ? What is the magic key combination to run the auto-diagnostic ?

Thanks !

[tautech]

Pokes TEA to see where Med is ? 
Hopefully not pinned under one of his scopes.

[BU508A]

Pokes TEA to see where Med is ? 
Hopefully not pinned under one of his scopes.

He was online this morning. So I hope, all is well.

[Zucca]

What do you think of the lack of I/O at the back, with that green plastic blanking plate ?  Does that seem factory to you, or is it more likely that the I/O board has been removed ?....
And I guess the cooling fan is indeed missing, was I right about that ?
And is there a self test at power-up ? Can the seller trigger it by hand ? What is the magic key combination to run the auto-diagnostic ?

Thanks !

Vince send this message to him:"600€ for the 33401A and TTi DC Load". After that continue read this post.

TTi looks like the fan was removed, but I am not 100%sure.... . I double check my unit at home tonight (I post something aroung 23:00 your time).
Regarding the missing interfaces.

The LD400P incorporates USB, RS232, GPIB and LXI compliant LAN interfaces.

only the P version has those.... They are useful but hey I think we can design that board.... if you really need them.

Even if the DC load is blown we can fix it or worst case for parts on ebay you will still make profit!

ahhh... everytime I turn it on it's like the first time...

[Zucca]

It could be a hoax... be careful...

[mnementh]

So... Friday afternoon, my daughter comes ill with all the symptoms of stomach flu; in the process she managed to barf all over daddy.



After getting her cleaned up, that evening I started to feel crunky, so sent mommy for COVID home tests for the lot of us. The pharmacist advises her that "You'll get best results if you wait a couple days after seeing symptoms to take the test." So we wait til Sunday evening to take them.

Part of the process is a app that gives you pretty explicit instructions (I expect it is actually more a data collection tool than anything); but the thing is... it is all full of disclaimers that you never see until you are actually in the process of taking the test. It warns you that if you take a B-vitamin supplement (we all do), it can cause false-positive. If you don't get enough sample, it can cause a false-negative, but if there's too much mucus it can cause a false positive.

And of course, all the usual weasel-word BS about how if you're in doubt, get a test administered by a qualified lab. 

So I go through the whole process... the app has timers and little flash-oid videos showing how to swab the insides of both nostrils... and timers built in so you have to do for it a specific time (15 seconds per nose-hole), not a specific sample size.

By this time, the girl and I are both in full-blown flu symptoms (I feel exactly like the usual mid-winter flu that kicks my ass almost every year around this time; including no lost sense of taste... yuck), and even the boi has scratchy throat and sniffles. When I administer our tests, there's lots of sample on all our swabs; all of us show a positive like within a couple minutes. Come around to my wife's test, and she's the only one of us not showing symptoms (she's also the only one fully vaccinated and booster); her sample, done for exactly the same time in exactly the same swabbing technique as the others, makes the swab damp but not covered in mucus like the rest of us.

And shockingly... her test is a hard, clear negative. Control stripe comes up in a minute... nothing at all on the test stripe, even at the 10 minute and 15 minute marks as per instructions.

So after considering these results and the visible difference in the samples... I have to question the validity of the test in any way. As there is no mechanism to make a specific sample size, yet the results are stated to be at least somewhat dependent on sample size, how in the hell does it really test for anything more than "your nose is full of boogers and virus-related proteins; you have a sinus infection"...?

But here's where things turn really pear-shaped:

Wifey makes all the requisite emails to her school and the kids' schools; the response back is all of us sicklings have to self-isolate for the next 5 days, and that these 5 days and no longer will be considered excused absences for the kids. What the actual fuck...? A serious flu can easily take 10 days to clear up; and the state/school boards only "allow" 5 days for a "confirmed" case of COVID?

And the final      : Since wifey tested negative, and is exhibiting no flu-like symptoms, she is expected to show up at work and teach school kids like nothing has happened. They aren't even requiring a lab test to confirm the negative results of a home test; if she wants that she has to take the day off with no pay, and pay for the test herself.


mnem

[TERRA Operative]

After meandering around New England for a few days, the gallivanting 5340A Counter finally made its appearance on Saturday.  Fortunately it was pretty well packed, and seems not to have suffered any mishaps during its travels.  Based on an initial quickie test, it appears to be functional - drove it with a signal generator through both inputs and all three ranges, and got realistic looking numbers in all cases.  Unfortunately the highest frequency I was able to feed it was 2 GHz, so I'm not sure how it operates on the high end of its capabilities, but I've no reason to think that it shouldn't be ok at that end of the range, too.  I'm going to explore putting in an OCXO to replace the standard oscillator it currently sports; this will entail adding a small power transformer, making up a small power supply board and adding the OCXO.  Time to dust off my OrCAD skills.

25 kHz into 1 MΩ input:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Electronics/HP-5340A-Microwave-Counter/i-CbmHJtb/0/c738c3dc/XL/HP%205340A%2025%20kHz%20-34%20dBm%201%20M%20input-XL.jpg

1.5 GHz into 50Ω input:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Electronics/HP-5340A-Microwave-Counter/i-cZLC32D/0/f388ba22/XL/HP%205340A%201.5%20GHz%20-45%20dBm-XL.jpg

2.0 GHz into 50Ω input
https://photos.smugmug.com/Electronics/HP-5340A-Microwave-Counter/i-HkZC4BZ/0/c97eee9b/XL/HP%205340A%202.0%20GHz%20-0.5%20dBm-XL.jpg

And a very short video of the counter:
youtube.com/watch?v=nqm4EnKUgMA

-Pat

I can send you a bare OCXO PSU PCB, a replica I made of the original one if you like.

I may take you up on that offer, but am at the moment inclined to try laying it out myself for the practice.  I revisited the other thread where you mentioned making up the board and documented the repairs you did on yours last week while waiting for its release from the clutches of FedEx - you did a great job reviving the one you got.

-Pat

I found them here if you do decide, along with my last spare RF card riser and Feed-Forward Simulator (one more last set I am keeping!)

You can have one of each for the cost of postage (slow boat only from Japan due to covid though), plus any gratuities you feel inclined to tack on.

[Andrew_Debbie]

For those that think they have at least one of everything....

Spotted this Varian Rubidium Magnetometer on eBay  --> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304269246229

Usual disclaimers:  I know nothing about the seller.  I have no idea if it is remotely possible to get this adjusted or even working at all.

[tggzzz]

Part of the process is a app that gives you pretty explicit instructions (I expect it is actually more a data collection tool than anything); but the thing is... it is all full of disclaimers that you never see until you are actually in the process of taking the test. It warns you that if you take a B-vitamin supplement (we all do), it can cause false-positive. If you don't get enough sample, it can cause a false-negative, but if there's too much mucus it can cause a false positive.

I presume it is an LFT. Some of those give false positives if there is blood in the sample, which is more likjely in the nostrils.

... and timers built in so you have to do for it a specific time (15 seconds per nose-hole), not a specific sample size.

How would you measure a sample size?

So after considering these results and the visible difference in the samples... I have to question the validity of the test in any way. As there is no mechanism to make a specific sample size, yet the results are stated to be at least somewhat dependent on sample size, how in the hell does it really test for anything more than your nose is full of boogers and virus proteins; you have a sinus infection?

LFTs have a low false-positive rate but a relatively high false negative rate. If it indicates you have covid, you almost certainly do. If it indicates negative, there's a 30% chance you do have it.

That ties in with your observations.

But here's where things turn really pear-shaped:

A serious flu can easily take 10 days to clear up; and the state/school boards only "allow" 5 days for a "confirmed" case of COVID?

So what do they allow for a confirmed case of 'flu?

[Vince]

It could be a hoax... be careful...

Yes could be, hence why I am taking it one step at a time... waiting first for a reply on my first message. That will then give me an idea of the "profile" of the seller...
Positive side is, the TTi load is still a lot of money, 400 Euros is still an awful lot of money and you can get a brand new DC load for less than that. So it's not like the seller priced it suspiciously dirt cheap.
Which means that when he sells the 34401A DMM at only 250 Euros (which again is STILL a lot of money in absolute terms), it may not be suspicious.

It would be suspicious if the ad had a "buy" button, because in this case the ad should have disappeared by now.

So first things first. Wait to see if I get a reply. If I do, most likely I will get told it's already been sold and he his waiting to receive the check from the buyer. If not, well I will see what he says and make my mind about his "profile".. if he is legit or not.

Stay tuned ! 

I did like you, think of offering him to buy both instruments to get a discount, though I was more greedy than you, I was thinking of offering 500 Euros not 600 ! 

[Cerebus]

For those that think they have at least one of everything....

Spotted this Varian Rubidium Magnetometer on eBay  --> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304269246229

Usual disclaimers:  I know nothing about the seller.  I have no idea if it is remotely possible to get this adjusted or even working at all.

A magnetometer that has been shock mounted to a board, and has "USGS" dymotaped on its front? Does it have an odometer, because I suspect that may have done many miles (US statute miles of course) on and off road in the back of a jeep. One might question its likely reliability in face of those clues...

[mnementh]

Part of the process is a app that gives you pretty explicit instructions (I expect it is actually more a data collection tool than anything); but the thing is... it is all full of disclaimers that you never see until you are actually in the process of taking the test. It warns you that if you take a B-vitamin supplement (we all do), it can cause false-positive. If you don't get enough sample, it can cause a false-negative, but if there's too much mucus it can cause a false positive.

I presume it is an LFT. Some of those give false positives if there is blood in the sample, which is more likjely in the nostrils.

... and timers built in so you have to do for it a specific time (15 seconds per nose-hole), not a specific sample size.

How would you measure a sample size?

So after considering these results and the visible difference in the samples... I have to question the validity of the test in any way. As there is no mechanism to make a specific sample size, yet the results are stated to be at least somewhat dependent on sample size, how in the hell does it really test for anything more than your nose is full of boogers and virus proteins; you have a sinus infection?

LFTs have a low false-positive rate but a relatively high false negative rate. If it indicates you have covid, you almost certainly do. If it indicates negative, there's a 30% chance you do have it.

That ties in with your observations.

But here's where things turn really pear-shaped:

A serious flu can easily take 10 days to clear up; and the state/school boards only "allow" 5 days for a "confirmed" case of COVID?

So what do they allow for a confirmed case of 'flu?

It doesn't matter if it actually is COVID or not; we're still going to self-isolate until well after our flu-like symptoms have cleared up, and then take another test. That is part of the usual vector-management tactic for any infectious disease.

As for "measuring" sample size... In a former life, I worked as a wastewater treatment plant operator for nearly a year; part of the job was sampling of the influent and effluent and testing for various materials in the solid portion. The way the sample process was done and the sampling tool used created a sample size that was quite predictable as long as done according to directions. I see no reason to believe that is not possible here.

Hell, they don't even show you a pic of what is "a good sample" vs what is "too much mucus"; they just give vague warnings couched in the usual weasel-word terms such that they can't be held responsible for the results no matter what they are. So how are you supposed to have any idea if you did the test correctly...? EDIT: I just went back and checked again; yes, blood in the sample is yet another excuse they give for a false-positive.

The recommendations here are certainly much more worrisome than they were in Canada; there it was pretty much "if you have flu-like symptoms, get tested. Here are clinics in your area." Here, you can get free testing in principle, but in practice availability and turnaround make that avenue pretty worthless for anybody who can't afford to wait a week or more to get a result, then start the countdown to living their lives. In other words, the average working stiff can either pony up for the lab work at $100-200 and try to get it back from their insurance, or get this at-home test.

mnem

[mnementh]

It could be a hoax... be careful...

Yes could be, hence why I am taking it one step at a time... waiting first for a reply on my first message. That will then give me an idea of the "profile" of the seller...
Positive side is, the TTi load is still a lot of money, 400 Euros is still an awful lot of money and you can get a brand new DC load for less than that. So it's not like the seller priced it suspiciously dirt cheap.
Which means that when he sells the 34401A DMM at only 250 Euros (which again is STILL a lot of money in absolute terms), it may not be suspicious.

It would be suspicious if the ad had a "buy" button, because in this case the ad should have disappeared by now.

So first things first. Wait to see if I get a reply. If I do, most likely I will get told it's already been sold and he his waiting to receive the check from the buyer. If not, well I will see what he says and make my mind about his "profile".. if he is legit or not.

Stay tuned ! 

I did like you, think of offering him to buy both instruments to get a discount, though I was more greedy than you, I was thinking of offering 500 Euros not 600 ! 

"You can't cheat a man who doesn't already have larceny on his mind." ~grand-dad

mnem
 

[Neomys Sapiens]

So... Friday afternoon, my daughter comes ill with all the symptoms of stomach flu; in the process she managed to barf all over daddy.
...

Get well soon & fingers crossed

[mnementh]

Nothing like the "personal touch", ehhhh...? 

mnem
Well played, shrew-disciple... well played.

[Specmaster]

<snip>
And the final      : Since wifey tested negative, and is exhibiting no flu-like symptoms, she is expected to show up at work and teach school kids like nothing has happened. They aren't even requiring a lab test to confirm the negative results of a home test; if she wants that she has to take the day off with no pay, and pay for the test herself.


mnem

Oh dear, I hope that you're all going to be OK.

As to wifey, it seems as if your authorities have a similar agenda to ours when it comes to schools and children, must keep that distribution channel open at all costs 
Take care of yourselves and don't rush into anything, put yourselves as number 1, sod the school etc.

[mnementh]

For those that think they have at least one of everything....   

Spotted this Varian Rubidium Magnetometer on eBay  --> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304269246229

Usual disclaimers:  I know nothing about the seller.  I have no idea if it is remotely possible to get this adjusted or even working at all.

A magnetometer that has been shock mounted to a board, and has "USGS" dymotaped on its front? Does it have an odometer, because I suspect that may have done many miles (US statute miles of course) on and off road in the back of a jeep. One might question its likely reliability in face of those clues...

Yebbutt... this is TEAnonymous. How can we not instantly fall in love with a instrument scaled in Gammas and Kilogammas, which incorporates a Dekastat and just oozes that 50s-60s mil-spec "Battleship Chic"...?

That's like dropping a ki of coke in the middle of a room full of Hollyweird movie execs... 

mnem
 

[mansaxel]

t seems as if your authorities have a similar agenda to ours when it comes to schools and children, must keep that distribution channel open at all costs 

Now, if you take a step back from the immediate problem; and consider what needs to happen in our societies in say 10-20 years time; how are we going to manage if there is an entire generation that's lost out 1-2-3 years in their education very clearly tipping the scales towards "less stellar performance" -- their standard of living, their financial and social well-being, their expectations on society all just slightly less well off. That's going to make them a very depressed generation, and that is going to cost, in money and quality of life.

This is where the word "holistic" really fits in, and it can be summed up like so:

People die from other things than this bloody virus too.

Making sure that the average human lives as long and prosperly as possible might, with enough statistics available, give good reason to make decisions that for the average onlooker without access to the data seem counter-intuitive; our own, naked-eye interpretation (no doubt enforced by the ad-revenue needs of Murdoch, et al.) of the forces at play, is very uninformed here. Our tendency to make trends of isolated events that fit our desires does not really help either.

Alternatively, They want to kill us to make ruling over an empty kingdom easier, with no-one to tax. 

Pick the most reasonable explanation.

[AVGresponding]

It could be a hoax... be careful...

Yes could be, hence why I am taking it one step at a time... waiting first for a reply on my first message. That will then give me an idea of the "profile" of the seller...
Positive side is, the TTi load is still a lot of money, 400 Euros is still an awful lot of money and you can get a brand new DC load for less than that. So it's not like the seller priced it suspiciously dirt cheap.
Which means that when he sells the 34401A DMM at only 250 Euros (which again is STILL a lot of money in absolute terms), it may not be suspicious.

It would be suspicious if the ad had a "buy" button, because in this case the ad should have disappeared by now.

So first things first. Wait to see if I get a reply. If I do, most likely I will get told it's already been sold and he his waiting to receive the check from the buyer. If not, well I will see what he says and make my mind about his "profile".. if he is legit or not.

Stay tuned ! 

I did like you, think of offering him to buy both instruments to get a discount, though I was more greedy than you, I was thinking of offering 500 Euros not 600 ! 

Those LD400's are €1500 new. The LD300 that it superseded had a fan in the back, and with the only notable difference being the more modern UI, I'd be surprised if the need for a fan has also been rendered unnecessary. I'd also expect any blanking plates to be grey, in keeping with the TTi colour scheme. I suspect gorilla-ing.

The 34401A seems unfeasibly cheap, given it didn't get bought within the first 30 seconds of being listed.

When something seems too good to be true, it usually is...   

[AVGresponding]

Oh, and did anyone else notice the TEA chips in Dave's combiscope vid..?   

[m k]

Simpson 467 practically 9V everywhere and reconnected LCD frame.