Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tautech]

Except when the carrier fucks you, as you well know. I'd guess that regular sellers already have their own similar horror stories...

mnem

True, but that can happen and does happen on pure domestic sales as well. Overall I'm still well up on sales and strangely enough, I do sell loads on the GSP and so does my eldest son now, in fact he reckons, since I convinced him, that he sells more via the GSP programme than he does domestically.

I've done a fair bit on GSP recently and it's fairly painless as a seller. Once it gets to the GSP depot that is the end of your shipping responsibility.
I've no idea how much they stiff the buyers for in shipping, taxes and fees though....

Shipping end up a bit more expensive but taxes are normally cheaper with GSP. Not sure how they manage that.

Using correct tariff numbers and as a regular shipper having them accepted without question is one possibility.
I always try to put the correct tariff code on items. A lot of TE is actually low or zero duty. Ir you just put "electronic equipment it will likely attract consumer luxury goods duty. It's easy now you can look them up on-line. Years ago I had to go to the reference libary and look them up in a book.
The problem with GSP from the USA on TE is they seem to put unrealistic sizes or weights in the listing which results in excessively high shipping costs. It just being lazy. Some sellers ill go back and put proper vales in if you ask, but most can't be bothered.

Yep and while I'm importing stuff all the time you still need check every Customs assessment as one time they tried to lump tariffs onto a big $ shipment that was 0% rated. 
Luckily my import agent and authorized NZ Customs agent is an old school buddy and probably been doing this stuff longer than anyone currently employed at NZ Customs. 
He gave them a good stir up ! 

[tautech]

Especially for Vince now the page # matches ! 



Now sold and going to a new home shortly......will miss it some too.
Hugs his new SDS6204A close for comfort.

[Specmaster]

TEA

Anyone in UK @BD139 want a thermal TRMS meter?
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403774543294

Already seen it. At that price, no 

I am after a decent 3400A but the other seller who had one didn’t want to shift it at the price I wanted to pay. I can afford to wait

Much prefer this one, but the seller didn't respond last year, when I enquired about shipping a counter, so no point asking again. https://www.ebay.de/itm/225070026339

 I do have a 3403A bought from the USA, condition is not quite as nice, not helped by crap packing.

Not having much luck ATM, trying to persuade US sellers to add international shipping either. 
One such example, seller name "globalmachinesales" they are not interested in "global" as only US shipping is advertised and definitely not interested in "sales" as they can't be bothered answering either of the two messages I sent. 

David

If you keep running into these asshole sellers who won't deal internationally and it's something you really want I'd be willing to help out on a one by one basis. I've pretty much figured out the customs quagmire and dealing with USPS and their requirements. But just note that it can get expensive.     

Can't quite figure out their reluctance on international. If they use the GSP programme, all the customs declarations etc they handle for you, from a sellers point of view, it's a no-brainer as it opens up a huge potential customer base to them at zero cost. 

I wouldn't bet on it. While USPS may be the slowest, and possibly most expensive, at least if the paperwork is correct it goes without any additional hassle. But keep in mind that if the receiver's customs decides to add import duty or VAT that is totally out of my control.

Thats why I was saying it from an eBay seller's view point. How many of them could correctly fill out the customs declarations? Judging by the way that many pack items, write their descriptions and generally can't be arsed even to clean items, show them powered up etc and even provide reasonable photos for their listings, that the Global Shipping Programme is better for them in so many ways. For instance, if something reaches the GSP depot and it is not suitably packed for its international transit, they will repack it correctly, its all part of the service.

[bd139]

New acquisition:

Wilson WFC-500-E frequency counter

Something else for my new interest in radio. I snagged it for USD35 off of Craigslist. It came with the manual which includes a block diagram, description of operating principles, schematic, and parts list. I see ICs inside the unit with date codes from '76. It says "Made in Japan" on the back. The unit has a TOYOCOM-branded TCXO in it. This model is supposed to be good for 7-8 digits, but the last three digits (see picture from the manual) are either nonsense or my AWG is off from the frequency counter.

The BNC on the back of the unit outputs 1 MHz (even when the unit is switched "off"). The standby light turns on to show that the TCXO is still powered.

The power plug is not one that I have seen before. The seller said that there were different power cords available for Europe or Japan that used a different set of pins on the back of the unit that run to different taps on the power transformer. The power cord and power entry module show that there is an alternate universe where it's OK to plug any device you have into 100V, 120V or 240V and it will just work (if it supports that voltage) and no worries about blowing stuff up and little switches and jumpers to fuss with. I realize that's impractical for various reasons, but it could have been cool.

I also ordered a bunch of adapters from and to SMA, N connector, BNC, and UHF. Also a dummy load, a cheap SWR meter, and an attenuator. Next I've got to get me some nice coax with N connectors to wire everything together and test my knowledge of Watts, dB, Ohm's law, and equipment input maximum levels... 

Wilson Electronics is still around, but they are now making cell boosters and 5G repeaters. I think they moved their HQ from Las Vegas, Nevada to somewhere in Utah.

EDIT:

https://www.wilsonelectronics.com/about-us

Wilson didn't make those counters. They were made by Yaesu Musen of radio fame. Look for the Yaesu YC-500.

Service manual here: https://www.vk5pas.com/uploads/1/3/9/8/13982788/yaesu_yc-500.pdf

They are incidentally quite nice counters

Edit: also the power connector is a Jones plug / socket.

[Vince]

Especially for Vince now the page # matches ! 



Now sold and going to a new home shortly......will miss it some too.
Hugs his new SDS6204A close for comfort.

Hmmmm..... nope.

I am sorry, this is not a 5054, it's a " SDS " 5054, and there are no pages called " SDS " something. Siglent stuff is therefore not allowed to enter the competition.

Tek or HP stuff do qualify because there is no prefix usually.

Suffix is tolerated, but not a prefix.

I know, I know... it sucks, it's frustrating, infuriating, unfair, sad... all that and some more.. but that's the way it is.

Yes, I just made up this rule a minute ago, because I can   

[Specmaster]

Except when the carrier fucks you, as you well know. I'd guess that regular sellers already have their own similar horror stories...

mnem

True, but that can happen and does happen on pure domestic sales as well. Overall I'm still well up on sales and strangely enough, I do sell loads on the GSP and so does my eldest son now, in fact he reckons, since I convinced him, that he sells more via the GSP programme than he does domestically.

I've done a fair bit on GSP recently and it's fairly painless as a seller. Once it gets to the GSP depot that is the end of your shipping responsibility.
I've no idea how much they stiff the buyers for in shipping, taxes and fees though....

Correct and its at no cost to the seller, the cost is all covered by the buyer, and they know all the cost incurred up front on the eBay page in their respective countries, so the cost to say USA or to Germany, New Zealand etc, is already stated for their countries, so the buyer decides if that is a cost they are willing to pay or not. Many items that we take for granted domestically, are rare as hens teeth in some countries so the extra cost is considered to be well worth it if you can get some rare item of value.

[mansaxel]

The three phase is what kills interest in it. You just won't see a three phase installation anywhere in the UK where the demand is for less than ~125A single phase.

This is simply bloody stoopid. But, as you wrote, it's a fact of how it's always been done, so that's how it is being done.

Single-phase anecdote:

Once, I worked with TV. Analog TV, at a production company / OB vehicle supplier. We did a job where the contribution link (the way home for the TV program) was a BT satellite feed. Our OB van, which was the center of mains distribution as well, had a 63A three-phase input, and the venue, being in continental Europe, had supplied exactly that. The mains outlets for technical power were a bunch of Schukos, some 16A single-phase blue MK Commandos, and a couple sizes of three-phase outlets, IIRC 2 off 16A and 1off 32A.

The uplink van had a 32A MK Commando single-phase blue inlet..  Took a lot of swearing and cable bodging before a suitable feeder cable could be arranged.

A sensible vehicle woulda had a 16A three-phase inlet; it is immensely more common, and carries 40% more power than a single-phase 32A -- which usually is fused 25A anyway.

Oh, and now I work with TV. Again. This time, we're filling a lot less racks, but every bit of kit that goes in draws more watts than the old stuff, so that we're down to half the cabinets and double the power.. Progress!

[mansaxel]

One of the welding shops I worked at was equipped with a huge ESAB MIG welder bought at auction from a factory closure; they powered it with a war-production motor-generator phase converter that was as big as the welder itself. There are ways... but jeez, the losses... 

mnem
 

Mmm, ElektroSvets-AB. Almost as good as Kemppi, who are the masters of both rectifier and inverter welders.

If you want hardcore, look no further than ASEA-Hägglunds; they made motor-generator sets where the motor is three-phase off the mains, and the generator makes the welding current directly. A dream to weld with, I'm told. The inertia in the rotating mass makes for very nice start currents.

[25 CPS]

The three phase is what kills interest in it. You just won't see a three phase installation anywhere in the UK where the demand is for less than ~125A single phase.

This is simply bloody stoopid. But, as you wrote, it's a fact of how it's always been done, so that's how it is being done.

Single-phase anecdote:

Once, I worked with TV. Analog TV, at a production company / OB vehicle supplier. We did a job where the contribution link (the way home for the TV program) was a BT satellite feed. Our OB van, which was the center of mains distribution as well, had a 63A three-phase input, and the venue, being in continental Europe, had supplied exactly that. The mains outlets for technical power were a bunch of Schukos, some 16A single-phase blue MK Commandos, and a couple sizes of three-phase outlets, IIRC 2 off 16A and 1off 32A.

The uplink van had a 32A MK Commando single-phase blue inlet..  Took a lot of swearing and cable bodging before a suitable feeder cable could be arranged.

A sensible vehicle woulda had a 16A three-phase inlet; it is immensely more common, and carries 40% more power than a single-phase 32A -- which usually is fused 25A anyway.

Oh, and now I work with TV. Again. This time, we're filling a lot less racks, but every bit of kit that goes in draws more watts than the old stuff, so that we're down to half the cabinets and double the power.. Progress!

Not to mention the fun of getting more heat being dissipated in a smaller space out of there...

[mnementh]

Boring Mundane Everyday Print #333: SSD Adapter for MacPro HDD Sled   

       https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1630550

My cheap SSD from Amazon Prime for the MacPro arrived today; of course, this old iron is designed around fast Barracuda spinning rust, not little 2.5" format SSDs. Numerous adapters have been around on Thingiverse for a while; this one looked like the quickest and simplest print.

As always, for those who care, complete details and 3DP Nerd-Stats are available in the 3DP Thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/3d-printing/3d-printer-yet/msg4300345/#msg4300345

mnem
Now to do battle with MacOS Migration Tool... 

[mnementh]

So the boi brings in the mail, and my eBay package is in it. One HP Pod #7, complete with original baggities. The tails for the clips are a bit stiff, but the coax are all still nice & supple. Included were a full set of 16 HP grabbits, all delightfully tiny and smoooth like buttah.

Suhweeet! Now I just need my adapter PCB...

mnem
 

[GreyWoolfe]

On cars. MOT pass. No issues. Dealer did it. Did some additional checks on it, topped up the oil and washer fluid and cleaned it inside and out. Latter was all free  .  They send you the report via email with full video of them doing it linked.

Full £54.85 but worth it IMHO over cheaping it out for a tenner saving.

Still done bugger all miles. Just hit 35k on a 2014 car.



$65 USD for an annual inspection? Fucking robbery. NYS annual inspection is fixed at $21 USD assuming no repairs to make it pass.

Yeah but if you drive a piece of trash they just register it out of state so there's no charge so the whole system is pointless there. So $21 is robbery 

Most states do have annual inspections. Two that I can think of that do not are Connecticut and Illinois.   

Flori-DUH doesn't have it either.  The state tried it back in the 90's and it only lasted a couple of years-emissions only.  Then it was dropped, never to be seen again.

[mnementh]

Migrating from old HDD to new SSD encountered a speed bump; as my 512GB SSD is somehow smaller than the 500GB Seagate spinning rust drive (yes, I know it's due to differences in how the filesystem is constructed), I couldn't just clone it over. I also couldn't do the usual online install.

Fortunately for me, I kept my patched Catalina install HDD as a archive, and after booting from it with the new SSD in the 2nd slot, a fresh install of Catalina offered to migrate data from a Time Machine image or a startup disk. After that, a shutdown and reboot with SSD in slot 1 and old OS disk in slot 2, and I am now just waiting for everything to finish copying over. Appears to be somewhere between 2 minutes and 2 hours ATM.

Honestly, pretty painless if it actually does copy everything over...

Woops... Time to restart!



And here I am on the other side... so far everything is right where I left it, aside from the Patch Updater complaining about some missing updates, which I let it do.

mnem
simplify.

[Cubdriver]

More HP 3476A - I filed and cleaned up the mounting bosses, then redrilled the holes earlier tonight:


Then decided to re-tin the pins on the display connector.  Did a quick skim with the wet soldering iron tip and a skosh of flux:




Then smoothed the added solder with a few strokes with the greenie pad:


-Pat

[mnementh]

That just warms the cockles of my scaly widdle heart. Nicely done. 

mnem
 

[Cubdriver]

And the ugly duckling turns into, well, a much less ugly duckling...  Couldn't quite get ALL the staining out, but some long soaks with Goof Off Gunk and Adhesive Remover Gel followed by some attention with a Mr. Clean magic eraser got the majority of it off.  I didn't want to soak the area by the front panel label too much for fear it would soak under and ruin label, so some of the staining in the nooks and crannies and edges by the label aren't as clean as I'd like them to be, but relative to how it showed up I think it looks pretty good.

For a refresher - as it arrived:


And as it currently looks:


And it's at least partially functional.  I'm waiting for the manual to really try to wring it out, but at least it indicates voltage in the ball park of what's applied:






-Pat

[med6753]

Pat, that looks great!  I'm surprised you got such good results with the "Goof Off". I've used it and was never happy with the results. I found "Goo Gone" to work much better. I have yet to try those Mr Clean Magic Erasers. I may pick up one next shopping trip.

Edit....Papa Smurf's Shade Tree Painting Service has been mothballed. 

[Cubdriver]

Pat, that looks great!  I'm surprised you got such good results with the "Goof Off". I've used it and was never happy with the results. I found "Goo Gone" to work much better. I have yet to try those Mr Clean Magic Erasers. I may pick up one next shopping trip.

Edit....Papa Smurf's Shade Tree Painting Service has been mothballed. 

Thanks, Mike!  I was truly surprised at how clean it ultimately turned out.

I think the key was letting the gel sit for 30-45 minutes or more.  Most of the crud came off with an initial soak in warm water, Dawn dishwashing liquid and a splash of non-sudsing ammonia; this was followed by Windex and a paper towel, then I tried some isopropyl on the remaining stains but that didn't touch them.  After that, moved on to the Goof Off (also tried some Goo-Gone first without much result, but in its defense I didn't let it soak like I later did the Goof Off.) I'd spray a bit on (it's a gel, it'd lay maybe 1-2 mm thick), then go away for a half an hour or so.  Upon return, wipe most of it off with a paper towel, scrubbing as I did so, then hitting the still darkened spots gently with the melamine sponge (magic eraser). 

I've found that it's best to use the magic erasers carefully, as they CAN take thin conversion coatings off if used too aggressively, and can also put very light scratches in paint.  In this case, it didn't appear to harm the plastic too much, but it's also a slightly rough texture - wouldn't do that to smooth plastic as it would more than likely affect the appearance.

-Pat

<edit to add - it's cute, but I'm not gonna lie - I still like my nixies much better.>

[dl6lr]

And on that note, still arguing with test-equip over this ROM. I have decided that life is too short for this crap, have opened a claim and am working out how to burn 74S267's at the moment and will load the damn code in myself.

You said 74S267 but is that the correct part? I know 74S287 to be a PROM with 256x4.

[dl6lr]

Filing Category: Oddball Chinese supplier names

Received: Yesterday

Reason needed: SMA bulkhead connectors for a project

Nice protection caps. And nice shiny transport holders, do they protect the caps from scratches on the inside?
S,CNR!

[bd139]

And on that note, still arguing with test-equip over this ROM. I have decided that life is too short for this crap, have opened a claim and am working out how to burn 74S267's at the moment and will load the damn code in myself.

You said 74S267 but is that the correct part? I know 74S287 to be a PROM with 256x4.

Well spotted. I was clearly asleep when I wrote that. It’s a 74S287.

Trying to locate something which is both available and has programming data sheets and isn’t extortionately priced. The Tesla MH74S287 actually looks the best bet at the moment.

Have opened a case with the seller of the original part now. Their service and communications are terrible so I’m just claiming it back via eBay now. They’re disinterested in dealing with it or sending another part out and are pushing back asking to give it another couple of days after it has been missing for two weeks now on a RM 24h delivery I paid for. So screw them. User test-equip forget it. Shame because they have a lot of tek and HP parts.

Edit: if anyone has that ROM (U1605 on vertical amp board) on a scrap 465B and are willing to part with it I am interested so I don’t have to futz programming a ROM for it

[mansaxel]

Trip report:

To escape the the heat, visit fortifications.

To manage wine buying habits, install reinforced springs on your car.

Accidental TE:



From Fort d'Uxegney just west of Epinal. Meter is from the original 1914 installation of "Groupes Electrogènes" in the fort.

Today, having visited the immaculate condition fort above, we're going to teach the realities of war, with a visit to forts Douaumont and Vaux, along with the actual boneyard,  outside Verdun.

[bd139]

Have opened a case with the seller of the original part now. Their service and communications are terrible so I’m just claiming it back via eBay now. They’re disinterested in dealing with it or sending another part out and are pushing back asking to give it another couple of days after it has been missing for two weeks now on a RM 24h delivery I paid for. So screw them. User test-equip forget it. Shame because they have a lot of tek and HP parts.

Replying to self - eBay decided in favour of me almost instantly. Refund on the way. Good job as always 

Discovered recently that due to the chip shortage, the availability of shit Arduino clones is pretty bad and the prices have gone through the roof. Considering buying the last decent "on device programmable microcontroller and electric swiss army knife" at the moment, the BBC Micro  . That and the user and printer ports give you a 6522 VIA worth of IO to play with, BASIC, assembly support and decent documentation...

[tggzzz]

There is 3 phase in the street but not in the house. If I could get an extension lead from two neigbours I'd be set though 
EV's and non-gas heating is driving  three phase supplies for some new build housing though.

You might need quite long extensions, from what I can make out (from observing single phase power failures) the phases down my street change about every six houses.

From observing the telephone poles, in my road they change every house, and every house could easily tap all three phases.

[med6753]

Since I've mentioned before my struggle with the diabetes and getting my blood sugar under control I'll give an update which is good news. Checkup with the doc on Wednesday and had blood work done. The purpose was to check my A1C which represents an average of your blood sugar content over an approx (I think) 3 month period. For reference if your A1C is approx 5.5 or below you are normal (non-diabetic). If it's approx 5.5 to 6.0 you are considered "pre-diabetic". Anything above 6.0 and welcome to the low carb club. Back in April my A1C was a dangerously high 8.9. Which is why I went on insulin. Wednesday's blood work shows an A1C of 7.2. So I'm making excellent progress. And the daily insulin dose has been upped from 15 units to 17 units. If a diabetic can get their A1C consistently between approx 6.5 to 7.0 they are considered "controlled". So I'm not far from that objective. I go back to the doc in September and I hope by then to be within that range.