Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) : Discussion and Group Therapy Thread

[Specmaster]

While that may be true, I have yet to see any such goings-on happening around here, that does seem to be more of a London problem, mind you I also said a few years back that shootings, stabbings and murder was more of a London problem. Sadly that is now not the case, we have had more than our fair share of these, including a particularly brutal murder just 14 doors away from me and another outside the pub where I used to hold the monthly electrical circle meetings a few years ago. So much for the so-called party of law and order, under their watch things have got steadily far worse than ever.

[tggzzz]

Also to note, you are now no longer likely to be victim of the "Virgin cabinet left open and now used as a tramp urinal" problem

We don't have tramps around here. But we don't need them since there are plenty of dogs on the way to a walk in the park.

[MED6753]

Also to note, you are now no longer likely to be victim of the "Virgin cabinet left open and now used as a tramp urinal" problem

We don't have tramps around here. But we don't need them since there are plenty of dogs on the way to a walk in the park.

Fenton?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GRSbr0EYYU

[bitseeker]

Anyway back to TEA. I got this little beauty for work.
RS-RTC1002-scope.jpg

It's a bit like a updated HP 54622D, one of my favorites. Seems pretty good. Very small but it's in a tiny "workshop" in what is mainly a "showpiece" new office. No tatty boat anchors there.

Wait a second. Yes, it's cute, but despite having only two channels, they still went for combined vertical controls? I can think of a few reasons it ended up that way, but the Mint Mobile commercials come to mind: "that's not right."

[mansaxel]

included was 2 digital cordless phones that use the internet connection and these phones can do some pretty clever things,

Standard SIP style feature set. Interesting part is if you're allowed to get a separate telephony provider. I have very consciously selected separate suppliers which means I can swap the part I want if I want and not have to turn every stone because one of them suck.

i
The downside and there is one, if you have an alarm system, or a monitoring system for elderly folk, these might work on the digital system, especially in the case of a power cut, so emergency services cannot be contacted, you will need to work around those events by other means.

ATA boxes (analog telephony adapters, basically a line interface module converting SIP to POTS) are your friend. I'm fond of the Grandstreams and the Linksyses. Also, get an UPS. Since you're now running part of the CO in your son's bedroom, you're now responsible for power and maintenance.

Speed is being optimised and the service takes around a week for the equipment to find the optimum setting for the line, so more on actual speeds later, but for now its seems to around 450MBps download and 50MBps upload, considerable improvement over the Virgin media speeds I was getting.

Sounds like you've been subjected to the abomination that is PON. The better way to build these systems is not to emulate a cable TV net, but to build star networks simply running BiDi transceivers into Ethernet access switches. This better system does have challenges on power consumption, though.

[Robert]

Anyway back to TEA. I got this little beauty for work.
RS-RTC1002-scope.jpg

It's a bit like a updated HP 54622D, one of my favorites. Seems pretty good. Very small but it's in a tiny "workshop" in what is mainly a "showpiece" new office. No tatty boat anchors there.

Wait a second. Yes, it's cute, but despite having only two channels, they still went for combined vertical controls? I can think of a few reasons it ended up that way, but the Mint Mobile commercials come to mind: "that's not right."

2 + 8 channels actually
TBH having got used to it on other 'scopes i'm not bothered. Putting two sets of vertical controls would have ment smaller controls or/and using menus or second functions for more operations.

[tggzzz]

Also to note, you are now no longer likely to be victim of the "Virgin cabinet left open and now used as a tramp urinal" problem

We don't have tramps around here. But we don't need them since there are plenty of dogs on the way to a walk in the park.

Fenton?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GRSbr0EYYU

Well, Fenton was filmed in Richmond Park, which was created by the monarchy for deer hunting. The dog went to the deer's territory.

OTOH, the local dual/inverse is deer in residential streets deep inside a city suburb. The deer have come to the dog's territory...

[MED6753]

White Tailed Deer are a pest here. Last weekend we went back to "standard time" which means it gets dark much earlier with still a significant amount of traffic on the roads driving in the dark. This just so happens to occur right during the rutting season for the deer which means they go from stupid to outright insane. The amount of car/deer accidents has increased exponentially and probably will continue that way until the end of the month. For some strange reason the deer instincts do not see a vehicle as a threat and sometimes will even stand in the middle of a road and not move unless you blast the horn. But if they see a human from 25 yards away they run like hell.

[Specmaster]

White Tailed Deer are a pest here. Last weekend we went back to "standard time" which means it gets dark much earlier with still a significant amount of traffic on the roads driving in the dark. This just so happens to occur right during the rutting season for the deer which means they go from stupid to outright insane. The amount of car/deer accidents has increased exponentially and probably will continue that way until the end of the month. For some strange reason the deer instincts do not see a vehicle as a threat and sometimes will even stand in the middle of a road and not move unless you blast the horn. But if they see a human from 25 yards away they run like hell.

There is maybe a perfectly logical reason why they are scared of humans, they have learned over the years that over in your country many humans are armed with guns and may seek a venison steak for dinner, so they vote with their feet and run like bleeding hell

[Specmaster]

In case none of you are still monitoring groups.io, 25CPS has posted there today, and he may well pop on here sometime in the near future. He has unfortunately been involved in a RTA and is still in the recovery phase and not feeling like doing much at all. He is hoping to be able to get back on the bench soon and occupy his mind on his growing pile of gear to fix.

I told him that he could maybe spend sometime exploring the chat and repair projects etc on here, complete with plentiful photos, we are no longer under the constraints of the groups.io limitations and also that this is where all the action is happening these days.

[MED6753]

White Tailed Deer are a pest here. Last weekend we went back to "standard time" which means it gets dark much earlier with still a significant amount of traffic on the roads driving in the dark. This just so happens to occur right during the rutting season for the deer which means they go from stupid to outright insane. The amount of car/deer accidents has increased exponentially and probably will continue that way until the end of the month. For some strange reason the deer instincts do not see a vehicle as a threat and sometimes will even stand in the middle of a road and not move unless you blast the horn. But if they see a human from 25 yards away they run like hell.

There is maybe a perfectly logical reason why they are scared of humans, they have learned over the years that over in your country many humans are armed with guns and may seek a venison steak for dinner, so they vote with their feet and run like bleeding hell

Actually the problem is that there are no longer ENOUGH hunters to keep the deer population under control as well as natural predators although slowly the coyotes are increasing. And then you have the animal rights groups. Recently a local college had an over population of deer on their farm so they hired professionals and with the state's permission to do a cull. Of course the animal rights group took them to court...and lost.

[Specmaster]

Well its pretty clear that the deer don't believe that there aren't enough hunters to keep them under control, hence they run like hell just in case that human is a hunter, wouldn't you if you were a deer

[Cerebus]

Actually the problem is that there are no longer ENOUGH hunters to keep the deer population under control as well as natural predators although slowly the coyotes are increasing. And then you have the animal rights groups. Recently a local college had an over population of deer on their farm so they hired professionals and with the state's permission to do a cull. Of course the animal rights group took them to court...and lost.

I think if you asked the deer whether they'd prefer a completely natural world, where you get to either be chased down by wolves, or watch your fawns chased down by wolves, to an artificial one where adult deer get taken out quickly and cleanly by a single round of .338 I think I know which option the deer would take.

I too like fluffy animals, but in a world where all the top predators have been themselves predated by humans then as the new top predator we have to take on the role of keeping the ecosystem in balance. (Which, obviously, we're terrible at doing. There's nothing worse for an ecosystem than an infestation of humans.) The fluffy bunny brigade have to accept that it's a simple choice between a few people with rifles or reintroducing enough wolves, coyotes, or whatever the local natural predator is, to recreate balance. I bet they'd bitch like hell if there were enough wolves to do the job who occasionally snacked on the odd small child as well as lots of fawns.

[Specmaster]

Actually the problem is that there are no longer ENOUGH hunters to keep the deer population under control as well as natural predators although slowly the coyotes are increasing. And then you have the animal rights groups. Recently a local college had an over population of deer on their farm so they hired professionals and with the state's permission to do a cull. Of course the animal rights group took them to court...and lost.

I think if you asked the deer whether they'd prefer a completely natural world, where you get to either be chased down by wolves, or watch your fawns chased down by wolves, to an artificial one where adult deer get taken out quickly and cleanly by a single round of .338 I think I know which option the deer would take.

I too like fluffy animals, but in a world where all the top predators have been themselves predated by humans then as the new top predator we have to take on the role of keeping the ecosystem in balance. (Which, obviously, we're terrible at doing. There's nothing worse for an ecosystem than an infestation of humans.) The fluffy bunny brigade have to accept that it's a simple choice between a few people with rifles or reintroducing enough wolves, coyotes, or whatever the local natural predator is, to recreate balance. I bet they'd bitch like hell if there were enough wolves to do the job who occasionally snacked on the odd small child as well as lots of fawns.

And to think that all I was doing was trying to make a joke out of why the deer run when confronted with a human and yet don't see a car as threat, jeez, it beggars belief. I total agree that sometimes they need to be culled to maintain balance.

[bd139]

Also to note, you are now no longer likely to be victim of the "Virgin cabinet left open and now used as a tramp urinal" problem

We don't have tramps around here. But we don't need them since there are plenty of dogs on the way to a walk in the park.

Fenton?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GRSbr0EYYU

Actually walking across there tomorrow morning

To take photos of the deer

[bd139]

Actually the problem is that there are no longer ENOUGH hunters to keep the deer population under control as well as natural predators although slowly the coyotes are increasing. And then you have the animal rights groups. Recently a local college had an over population of deer on their farm so they hired professionals and with the state's permission to do a cull. Of course the animal rights group took them to court...and lost.

I think if you asked the deer whether they'd prefer a completely natural world, where you get to either be chased down by wolves, or watch your fawns chased down by wolves, to an artificial one where adult deer get taken out quickly and cleanly by a single round of .338 I think I know which option the deer would take.

I too like fluffy animals, but in a world where all the top predators have been themselves predated by humans then as the new top predator we have to take on the role of keeping the ecosystem in balance. (Which, obviously, we're terrible at doing. There's nothing worse for an ecosystem than an infestation of humans.) The fluffy bunny brigade have to accept that it's a simple choice between a few people with rifles or reintroducing enough wolves, coyotes, or whatever the local natural predator is, to recreate balance. I bet they'd bitch like hell if there were enough wolves to do the job who occasionally snacked on the odd small child as well as lots of fawns.

I'd be quite happy to let wolves snack on the feral shits around here.

Population control isn't popular when you apply it to humans though.

[bd139]

While that may be true, I have yet to see any such goings-on happening around here, that does seem to be more of a London problem, mind you I also said a few years back that shootings, stabbings and murder was more of a London problem. Sadly that is now not the case, we have had more than our fair share of these, including a particularly brutal murder just 14 doors away from me and another outside the pub where I used to hold the monthly electrical circle meetings a few years ago. So much for the so-called party of law and order, under their watch things have got steadily far worse than ever.

I think this is a misnomer. London was and still isn't any worse than anywhere else when adjusted for population density.

Also I got someone's blood all over my 1996 Air Max trainers in Chelmsford, so YMMV. Someone got stabbed up outside a club. Which I wasn't going to.

[MED6753]

Actually the problem is that there are no longer ENOUGH hunters to keep the deer population under control as well as natural predators although slowly the coyotes are increasing. And then you have the animal rights groups. Recently a local college had an over population of deer on their farm so they hired professionals and with the state's permission to do a cull. Of course the animal rights group took them to court...and lost.

I think if you asked the deer whether they'd prefer a completely natural world, where you get to either be chased down by wolves, or watch your fawns chased down by wolves, to an artificial one where adult deer get taken out quickly and cleanly by a single round of .338 I think I know which option the deer would take.

I too like fluffy animals, but in a world where all the top predators have been themselves predated by humans then as the new top predator we have to take on the role of keeping the ecosystem in balance. (Which, obviously, we're terrible at doing. There's nothing worse for an ecosystem than an infestation of humans.) The fluffy bunny brigade have to accept that it's a simple choice between a few people with rifles or reintroducing enough wolves, coyotes, or whatever the local natural predator is, to recreate balance. I bet they'd bitch like hell if there were enough wolves to do the job who occasionally snacked on the odd small child as well as lots of fawns.

In ancient times, prior to European settlers, there were wolves as well as cougar (mountain lion) to keep deer in check. There are allegedly cougar in the Adirondacks but that hasn't been absolutely proven. There are no wolves documented in NY. The Eastern Coyote which has spread rapidly has been proven to be a cross between a wolf and Western coyote and originated in Canada. They are in size between a wolf and Western coyote. They can even now be found now in NYC, including Manhattan. You know why? Their favorite prey is domestic cats and those tiny toy dogs. Coyotes would be hard pressed to take down an adult deer. But if they find a fawn it's toast. I had a close encounter with a coyote once and they show little fear of humans but do tend to stay away.

[Zenith]

And to think that all I was doing was trying to make a joke out of why the deer run when confronted with a human and yet don't see a car as threat, jeez, it beggars belief. I total agree that sometimes they need to be culled to maintain balance.

I was a passenger in a car going along a wide country road one night, and a deer appeared running along side the driver's side headlamp. He slowed down and it slowed down. He speeded up and it speeded up. He slowed down and it slowed down. Then he put his foot down hard to accelerate away from it. It put on a mad burst of speed, got in front of the car, and was knocked down. He felt bad about it. I think it must have been fascinated by the moving light.

I believe a large part of what deer hunting about, is stalking them to within say 75 yards, to be completely confident of placing a shot in a vital area. Bringing one down at 1,000 yards with a .300 Weatherby magnum, would not win the ghillie's approval.

[nixiefreqq]

Michael:
You have to think about one shot. One shot is what it's all about. The deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that - they don't listen.

from "the deer hunter"

those are words to live by. took my only deer with a 1982 ford escort station wagon. it was a clean kill. (one shot.....did not have to reverse to finish it off)

[mnementh]

Actually the problem is that there are no longer ENOUGH hunters to keep the deer population under control as well as natural predators although slowly the coyotes are increasing. And then you have the animal rights groups. Recently a local college had an over population of deer on their farm so they hired professionals and with the state's permission to do a cull. Of course the animal rights group took them to court...and lost.

I think if you asked the deer whether they'd prefer a completely natural world, where you get to either be chased down by wolves, or watch your fawns chased down by wolves, to an artificial one where adult deer get taken out quickly and cleanly by a single round of .338 I think I know which option the deer would take.

I too like fluffy animals, but in a world where all the top predators have been themselves predated by humans then as the new top predator we have to take on the role of keeping the ecosystem in balance. (Which, obviously, we're terrible at doing. There's nothing worse for an ecosystem than an infestation of humans.) The fluffy bunny brigade have to accept that it's a simple choice between a few people with rifles or reintroducing enough wolves, coyotes, or whatever the local natural predator is, to recreate balance. I bet they'd bitch like hell if there were enough wolves to do the job who occasionally snacked on the odd small child as well as lots of fawns.

And now we've come full circle to the origins of most nursery rhymes and Grimm's Fairy Tales.

mnem
*toddles off to look for some kind of snack*

[Cerebus]

I'd be quite happy to let wolves snack on the feral shits around here.

Population control isn't popular when you apply it to humans though.

Oh, I don't know. I suspect letting the entire content of London Zoo in through the doors of the Palace of Westminster would be hugely popular, especially if you televised it.

David Attenborough, commentating: "And the Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster is now cowering under the front bench on the opposition side. Has that indian tiger spotted him, or is he going to be slowly ripped to pieces by that small pack of brown hyenas?"

[tautech]

I believe a large part of what deer hunting about, is stalking them to within say 75 yards, to be completely confident of placing a shot in a vital area. Bringing one down at 1,000 yards with a .300 Weatherby magnum, would not win the ghillie's approval.

Certainly the greatest percentage are taken at close range( my closest 4yds) and certainly under 100 yds but the firearms, precision ammo and optics permit ordinary shooters to take deer regularly out to 600 yds in the right conditions.

Not having anything special in terms of rifles or optics but my max of 250yds was quite achievable and even a cheap projectile from a major brand gave excellent terminal performance at those ranges.

Today LR shooting is a science not pot luck.

[AVGresponding]

Finally, someone else using a Mastech MS2108A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTcjqk2 ... &index=157

[Robert]

Some plastic X capacitors arrived this morning. Delivered by a neighbour because Royal Mail can't find the right door.
My Farnell G15-4 is now cured of it's smoking habit. Now I need to work on the constant current control.