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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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15th Dec 2020, 9:09 pm | #21 |
Pentode
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ranfurly, New Zealand
Posts: 170
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
There are a couple of things that really needle me ......... Number one "the customer". i.e. the one who turns up with some gadget/widget that needs fixing and proceeeds to tell you what is wrong with it AND then tells you how to fix it, so it won't cost very much will it?? My response is usually along the lines of - "well why haven't you fixed it yourself then if you know what's wrong and all it needs is a fuse/resistor/capacitor/transistor/ thingy whatsit?". Works a treat!
Of course retirement is godsend (no financial pressure) as it allows me to be selective on what I undertake to repair. And Number two frustration is likely something we've all come across. You know the one, you start a job, bits all over the bench, you leave it for an hour, overnight or longer and when you come back to it ..... and your mind goes blank Mike |
15th Dec 2020, 9:23 pm | #22 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,081
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Julian's comment has reminded me: When a certain flat screen TV was unveiled it was advertised as 4 times thinner than it's predecessor. 'What a load of cobblers', I thought.
Dave |
15th Dec 2020, 9:24 pm | #23 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 1,642
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Totally with you on that one. The term "train station" seems to have suddenly appeared from nowhere relatively recently. Railway station is a perfectly adequate and very well established term, so why change it - unless you just enjoy change for change's sake?
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15th Dec 2020, 9:49 pm | #24 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 13,454
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Quote:
What's a "staion".....? Lawrence. |
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15th Dec 2020, 9:49 pm | #25 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
One of the most scream-inducing things (maybe swear-inducing really) is, while fault finding, you carefully unsolder a rare, expensive, delicate SMD IC, in order to fit a new one (in case the old one is perfectly ok) and you reach for the new IC, accidentally picking up the one you just took out, and then proceeding to solder it back where it came from.
Or, as in the case of this post, touch the caps lock half way through and not notice until you avert your eyes from the keyboard for the proof-read. Or, like yesterday, I was using my graphics program to draw a prototype pcb and just as I was about to hit 'save as' the PC crashed.
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Kevin |
15th Dec 2020, 11:06 pm | #26 |
Hexode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Box End, Beds. UK.
Posts: 271
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Two of my pet hates at the moment. Why is it that every action is "carried out"; what is wrong with "done" and why shops have to be called stores; I go shopping to shops, not stores. (I don't go storing; that would be putting stuff into storage). I agree with previous comments about "train station", such a place is the railway station.
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15th Dec 2020, 11:17 pm | #27 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: near Reading (and sometimes Torquay)
Posts: 3,086
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Quote:
Antenna: the structure that actually receives/transmits RF energy Aerial: the structure that the owner thinks is receiving/transmitting RF energy. Example: a dipole stuck on coax is the "aerial" but the coax outer is the "antenna" due to lack of a balun. This confuses many hams. |
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15th Dec 2020, 11:24 pm | #28 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
I have fixed the accidental caps lock problem by removing the caps lock key cap from the Dell usb keyboard I use with my laptop, it just snaps on. I can still use it by poking the switch with the end of a pencil .
I hate being a "customer" of the likes of the Inland Revenue: as if I have a choice! Last edited by emeritus; 15th Dec 2020 at 11:38 pm. Reason: Typos |
15th Dec 2020, 11:28 pm | #29 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,527
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Which reminds me that it's means "it is". Possessive case of "it" is "its". English can be wonderful
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....__________ ....|____||__|__\_____ .=.| _---\__|__|_---_|. .........O..Chris....O |
15th Dec 2020, 11:53 pm | #30 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK.
Posts: 1,515
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
'Reaching out' instead of calling, phoning, contacting...
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16th Dec 2020, 12:09 am | #31 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,081
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
What's distressing, Chris, is that i wouldn't have made that mistake 20 years ago!
Also many times i can't spell ceiling correctly until i've actually written it down and seen it.. Half the time it comes out as cieling. This isn't helped by too much typing and not enough writing. Dave |
16th Dec 2020, 1:23 am | #32 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,676
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Quote:
When I got my amateur radio licence there was only one UK ham, his callsign was "GLK London" and his name was Tony Hancock! I'd rather be mistaken for a CBer than a ham. CB radio changed some established radio conventions. Sometimes the meaning was the opposite of what it had been before "Skip" became used interchangeably with DX, whereas its correct meaning is the zone on the earths surface between where the groundwave is no longer receivable and the point where the skywave takes over, in other words, where there is no signal to receive.
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-- Graham. G3ZVT Last edited by Graham G3ZVT; 16th Dec 2020 at 1:36 am. |
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16th Dec 2020, 3:44 am | #33 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tintinara, South Australia, Australia
Posts: 2,324
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Fixed up a you-beaut-all-sing-all-dancing battery tester - cleaned up the corrosion from a previously defunct battery, replaced the hidden back-up button cell that was dead (no mention of in the manual) and tested all OK.
Drive 200km's to return it, customer does the first test on a battery - all good - tries a second test and it just won't co-operate. Nothing we did would make it 'test' again. Drive 200kms back and deciding whether to open it again or just take a hammer to it. |
16th Dec 2020, 4:43 am | #34 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,676
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
I've driven that distance, and more, to equipment that just wanted switching off and back on again.
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-- Graham. G3ZVT |
16th Dec 2020, 10:21 am | #35 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 641
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Yes that is a favourite of mine too.
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Dave G1AGK. My perception is my reality! |
16th Dec 2020, 10:47 am | #36 | |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Carmel, Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, UK.
Posts: 1,498
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Quote:
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16th Dec 2020, 10:50 am | #37 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Will someone please explain what's wrong with the phrase 'quite unique'?
Alan |
16th Dec 2020, 10:58 am | #38 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Posts: 4,609
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
I agree with Scimitar regarding Railway Station - that's always what they were.
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Mike. |
16th Dec 2020, 11:01 am | #39 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 3,737
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
Quote:
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16th Dec 2020, 11:02 am | #40 |
Pentode
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 119
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Re: Things that make you upset/scream!.
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