Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA): Discussion and Group Therapy thread Part 2

[Zenith]

All large stores and almost all small shops in the UK take card payments and some prefer it. There are several traders and establishments which prefer cash or barter; scrap dealers, farmers and there are others more on the margins of society.

At swapmeets a few sellers are geared up for card. Everyone will take cash. I'm not sure you can get in by card payment. If you go to one, having a stash of coin of the realm is a good idea.

I'm immensely distrustful of the notion of a cashless society.

[EC8010]

I'm immensely distrustful of the notion of a cashless society.

Quite. It relies on computers, which we all know to be as leaky as a sieve. Further, I get seriously hacked off waiting in a queue behind some idiot who has elected to pay their entry fee electronically instead of bringing the (known) entry fee in coin or notes of the realm. Even if you require change, it only takes a moment for the doorkeeper to scoop the appropriate change from their bowl of cash. Footling around with digital links and authorisation is simply unnecessary and insulting to everyone else. It's as bad as writing a cheque. And people would get seriously stroppy about that.

The banks (like all other commercial enterprises) are offloading their costs onto their customers. As an example, we now have a router thingy that does telephone over Internet. But can we switch it off when we're not using it? Oh no. British Telecom treats that as a fault. So we're supplying the electricity 24/7 (for free) for their equipment. And it runs quite warm. The same is true when you make payments using your mobile 'phone; you are paying for the data transfer.

[tggzzz]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ister-2026
The National Risk Register outlines the most serious risks facing the United Kingdom

Banking and other financial infrastructure features too prominently. Unsurprisingly the government recommends keeping food and cash at home, just in case.

[EC8010]

I've just wasted ten minutes trying to tell Mr Bozo's store that "Parcel was handed to resident" was a lie and that it was abandoned on the door step, only discovered because of the email claiming "Handed to resident." I got an idiot AI that claimed to "understand the frustration you must feel" and didn't read my words. I then got another idiot AI claiming to be human. It was just as thick.

[tggzzz]

I've just wasted ten minutes trying to tell Mr Bozo's store that "Parcel was handed to resident" was a lie and that it was abandoned on the door step, only discovered because of the email claiming "Handed to resident." I got an idiot AI that claimed to "understand the frustration you must feel" and didn't read my words. I then got another idiot AI claiming to be human. It was just as thick.

I presume you mean the company that uses "most favoured nation" techniques to increase all prices for everyone, even those that don't shop there
https://pluralistic.net/2026/02/25/most-favored-nation/

I have sympathy for the meat it employs, being micromanaged by AI and forced to pee in bottles.

Hence I only use that company if there are no reasonable alternatives - which is rarely.

[MED6753]

I've just wasted ten minutes trying to tell Mr Bozo's store that "Parcel was handed to resident" was a lie and that it was abandoned on the door step, only discovered because of the email claiming "Handed to resident." I got an idiot AI that claimed to "understand the frustration you must feel" and didn't read my words. I then got another idiot AI claiming to be human. It was just as thick.

I presume you mean the company that uses "most favoured nation" techniques to increase all prices for everyone, even those that don't shop there
https://pluralistic.net/2026/02/25/most-favored-nation/

I have sympathy for the meat it employs, being micromanaged by AI and forced to pee in bottles.

Hence I only use that company if there are no reasonable alternatives - which is rarely.

Almost as bad as calling customer support and getting someone in India who barely speaks English and is of almost no help.

[tggzzz]

I've just wasted ten minutes trying to tell Mr Bozo's store that "Parcel was handed to resident" was a lie and that it was abandoned on the door step, only discovered because of the email claiming "Handed to resident." I got an idiot AI that claimed to "understand the frustration you must feel" and didn't read my words. I then got another idiot AI claiming to be human. It was just as thick.

I presume you mean the company that uses "most favoured nation" techniques to increase all prices for everyone, even those that don't shop there
https://pluralistic.net/2026/02/25/most-favored-nation/

I have sympathy for the meat it employs, being micromanaged by AI and forced to pee in bottles.

Hence I only use that company if there are no reasonable alternatives - which is rarely.

Almost as bad as calling customer support and getting someone in India who barely speaks English and is of almost no help.

With CSRs there is a small chance the next one might be able to help. With chatbots it is is obvious you are going round in circles "lost in a maze of twisty turny passages, all alike".

Which is better: time wasting plus hope vs immediate hopelessness? Discuss.

[MED6753]

And what does everyone think of "Muse" just launched by Meta (Facebook)?

Given Facebook's lousy record of handling personal info I'm not going to give any AI bot my data. And I can't wait for the lawsuits that follow once data gets in the hands of hackers. Gonna be a shit show.

[EC8010]

I've avoided AI until now. Yesterday's experience was sobering and indicates the contempt with which large companies view their customers. We see it everywhere. It started decades ago. Does anyone remember that you could once go to the local utility shop, complain about their service and get things sorted? Now, you get the runaround on telephone or email. I stopped at a petrol station yesterday to fill up the bike, but it only had pumps that would accept card payment in multiples too large for the bike. Inside, there were two smartphone zombies bent over their phones. One looked up long enough to say that no, they couldn't take cash payment for the exact amount of fuel I required. I moved on. I'm beginning to think "The Matrix" was prescient.

I shall be severely limiting shopping at Amazon. If the only way you can make corporations sit up and take notice is by cutting their revenue, than that's what I'll do.

[tggzzz]

I've avoided AI until now. Yesterday's experience was sobering and indicates the contempt with which large companies view their customers. We see it everywhere. It started decades ago. Does anyone remember that you could once go to the local utility shop, complain about their service and get things sorted? Now, you get the runaround on telephone or email. I stopped at a petrol station yesterday to fill up the bike, but it only had pumps that would accept card payment in multiples too large for the bike. Inside, there were two smartphone zombies bent over their phones. One looked up long enough to say that no, they couldn't take cash payment for the exact amount of fuel I required. I moved on. I'm beginning to think "The Matrix" was prescient.

I shall be severely limiting shopping at Amazon. If the only way you can make corporations sit up and take notice is by cutting their revenue, than that's what I'll do.

Cory Doctorow is the best commentator on modern companies, q.v. For example, he defined the term "enshittification", including the various stages. He can be repetitive and a bit ranty, but it is easy to speed read his posts.

As for artificial intelligence natural stupidity, last week's news https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-assistants ... ower-plant

[EC8010]

"... or figure out how a particular problem was solved in the past." That neatly encapsulates the problem. The nuclear industry is now run by people who don't really know what they are doing and seek (personal) safety in repeating what was done before, but without any understanding. But what they do understand is that they've covered their arses when they create another Three Mile Island, Windscale, Fukushima, or Chernobyl.

Humanity has definitely reached its "Best Before" date.

[tggzzz]

"... or figure out how a particular problem was solved in the past." That neatly encapsulates the problem. The nuclear industry is now run by people who don't really know what they are doing and seek (personal) safety in repeating what was done before, but without any understanding. But what they do understand is that they've covered their arses when they create another Three Mile Island, Windscale, Fukushima, or Chernobyl.

Humanity has definitely reached its "Best Before" date.

"Plausible deniability" has long been a driver. Ditto "monkey see monkey do" and "leg of lamb" anecdotes https://www.limebridge.com.au/frontline

When I was growing up there was a sense that individuals could improve things, both for individuals and for society.

In the UK the latter was lost in the 80s, with the rise of "greed is good" and "there is no such thing as society".

The former has been lost more recently and more widely, with the visible dominance of "late stage capitalism". See Picketty for remorseless historical precedents.

[Robert]

Just did a BIN on ebay for a Thandar TS3021S 30V 2A bench PSU. Bargain at £24 plus £1.66 buyer protection fee and £3.38 post.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/128138780161
However judging from their other listings e.g. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/127899393691? I suspect a typo in the price. I wonder if they will honour it.

[Robert]

Quelle surprise Have got several messages from the TS3021S seller varying from "I made a mistake" through "it went up in smoke when I plugged it in" to "buy one of my other PSUs and I'll give you a good discount". I suggested that as he has another TS3021S listed he could send me that instead of the one that "went up in smoke". I won't hold my breath...

[EC8010]

I've just looked. I think £26 is a very reasonable price for a single channel TTi power supply. I paid £25 for an 18V 3A LED display version at a McMichael rally a few years ago and would have had two, but didn't really have room on the bike for another. £200 is way over the odds.

[tggzzz]

Quelle surprise Have got several messages from the TS3021S seller varying from "I made a mistake" through "it went up in smoke when I plugged it in" to "buy one of my other PSUs and I'll give you a good discount". I suggested that as he has another TS3021S listed he could send me that instead of the one that "went up in smoke". I won't hold my breath...

Just for fun, push the "send me the other one" angle with fleabay, and see what their response is.

Alternatively push the "not sent" button the appropriate time, and see what happens to his reputation.

[Zenith]

Looking the general state of his account, he has a lot of junk to sell, but has only sold three items. Hmm.

I suggested that as he has another TS3021S listed he could send me that instead of the one that "went up in smoke". I won't hold my breath...

If he's got any sense, with three successful transactions to his credit and 100% positive feedback on two reports, and numerous other items to sell, he definitely won't want well justified negative feedback. If this ebay thing folds, how else will he turn it into cash? I also get the impression he really doesn't know much about the things he's selling.

Push it. If he sends you what he fondly imagines is a £200 plus PSU and tells you to keep the one you have, he's got off light.

Edit: He could sell himself on ebay, A genuine Wayne-Kerr product.

[Robert]

I left him Neutral feedback as it was clearly a mistake. One of his other items is a SDA-02 serial data analyser at £485. This is a unit that was made by a small, probably one man, company in the UK. https://www.new-forest-electronics.co.uk/index.htm They were only £435 new. I bought one on ebay last week for £40.

SDA-02.jpg

They are discontinued due to parts obsolescence but the maker was happy to provide a PDF manual FOC. They even told me the original purchaser (Ultra electronics) and firmware upgrade history of the unit.
He also wrote a book on the British Skylark sounding rocket. That looked interesting so I bought a copy off him, the maker of the SDA-02 not the ebay seller.
It looks like the ebay seller is using AI for his descriptions and pricing.

[Zenith]

It looks like the ebay seller is using AI for his descriptions and pricing.

It looks as if he's new to ebay and he has come by a pile of TE by way of a house clearance or similar. He hasn't much of a clue about the items he's selling, and has an optimistic view of the prices it's likely to fetch. It seems likely that he's used AI to fill in the gaps.

I don't have much sympathy for him making mistakes. He ought to realise that at this stage, with three or four sales, he needs to get his feedback rating high and can't afford mistakes.

[Robert]

I can't believe he got £125 for a Leader 17A analogue RF generator
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/127877418667?

[EC8010]

Twenty years ago, I saw a pair of EF184 go for £70. For those not in the know, an EF184 is an RF pentode common in IF strips and they commonly fetch £3 NOS in original box at radio rallies. There are people who just don't know what things are worth. £125 was definitely pushing it for that RF generator. I'd have thought £30, but I don't know much about RF stuff.

[Zenith]

It's a generic design which was sold under many names; Maplin, Rapid, Tenma, Altai and others. I've got one which came from a rally a year back for a tenner. I got it partly to satisfy curiosity but mainly with the idea of flipping it. I did a write up. A nasty little thing and I'd say inferior to basic valve RF sig gens such as Advance, but it's small, (which is important to a lot of people who wouldn't dream of having a 19" rack mounting unit) and simple to use and appeals to the vintage domestic radio crowd. You could use it to set up the IF stage in a domestic radio. That one has banana sockets, mine has a BNC output.They sell for a surprisng amount on ebay but £125 looks well over the odds. If you wanted such a thing and were prepared to wait and keep an eye open for two or three weeks, I'm sure you could pick one up for much less than that. However, it was £125 or best offer, so it might have sold for substantially less.

Maybe someone came along who was struggling with the burden of too much money, or particularly wanted one branded Leader and with banana sockets.

[mnementh]

I left him Neutral feedback as it was clearly a mistake. One of his other items is a SDA-02 serial data analyser at £485. This is a unit that was made by a small, probably one man, company in the UK. https://www.new-forest-electronics.co.uk/index.htm They were only £435 new. I bought one on ebay last week for £40.
SDA-02.jpg
They are discontinued due to parts obsolescence but the maker was happy to provide a PDF manual FOC. They even told me the original purchaser (Ultra electronics) and firmware upgrade history of the unit.
He also wrote a book on the British Skylark sounding rocket. That looked interesting so I bought a copy off him, the maker of the SDA-02 not the ebay seller.
It looks like the ebay seller is using AI for his descriptions and pricing.

The mistake was the price on "the other one"; that's the "Are you high on crack?" price.

mnem

PD 5015-S.JPG

$10, yo.