> > would like Olin to refrain from responding to any of my emails.

> Well, actually his reply contained a gem of information that tells you
> what is very likely happening. If you haven't got a DVM out yet to see
> if what he suggested isn't happening then shame on you.

1.  I'd suggest (and did suggest) an oscilloscope rather than a DVM,
as DVM's can easily  fool you substantially when measuring high
mark-space signals. In this case, if the 'flasher' was operating with
a sudden discharge of the LED and a slower charge then a DVM may not
be able to detect the presence of the pulse. An apparent DC value
somewhat less than supply, which may LOOK like a turned on SCR, MIGHT
be a suitable mark-space signal. Murphy is good at doing this.

2.  Olin's technical advice is correct and or good enough the large
majority of the time.
Alas, it tends to get buried in it's own noise in many people's
perceptions. And, the perceptions of the recipient are highly relevant
when the intention is to inform or correct. If the intention is to
beat and harass a different set of perceptions are targeted, but
presumably that's not the case here. No?

eg in this case he criticised the reference that the OP had provided
to his circuit. The page accessed contained two subpages, with titles
that would have made it  extremely clear, to 95%+ of people following
the link, what they were about. The page could have been prettily
formatted with an html file rather than just being a directory
display, it could have had a border of pretty blue flowers, and it
could have had hand holding text explaining what the obvious-to-most
names were about. Or, the two diagrams could have been on the same
page rather than on two sub pages. The OP noted in response that he
had used the two sub page format in an attempt to address prior
criticism. (I know not from whence the prior criticism came, but
there's a fair probability that the obvious guess would be correct -
the wind does not have to always blow from the same direction and
often enough doesn't - approved and unapproved answers may well swap
on subsequent occasions.)

If education in everything going, with bluntness or more, were
replaced by tackling the key issue, then mayhaps the main message may
better get through.


                   Russell
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