[RIPE Atlas Ambassadors] power supplies

On Fri, 25 Dec 2015 12:24:24 +0330 "M. Tajbakhsh" wrote:
> I was writing on behalf of my probe hosts. I doubt e-bay delivers to Iran.

My last set of handouts fortunately did have the power supplies included.
While I understand why RIPE would remove the power supplies -
weight and volume - as someone who has muled probes a few times
on his trips I prefer to have the power supplies included
so it is a set that is known to be working well,
instead of some of the supplies you'd find on the street.

(I actually had an "asia-special" power supply explode in the
AfNOG-NOC a few years ago. The explosion fortunately ejected
the smoldering remains from the power socket, leaving just
the charger power pins in the socket. The charger did not
have a fuse but had very thin wires that acted as fuse;
the wall socket fuse did not pop. 
But I can tell you that such an explosion just 3 meter away 
definitely does wake you up!. Anyway...)

At the AIS meeting in Tunis there were probes available with
and without power supply. The ones with supply were definitely
preferred by the to-be-host, and I understand why.

Perhaps we can ask RIPE whether or not to include the supplies
when a set of ambassador-probes is prepared, making the inclusion
of the supplies an ambassador option?
I'm perfectly happy to take the additional weight/volume hit,
but I'd understand if not everyone can do this.

This does leave the problem that the power supply and micro-USB cable
can also be used to charge mobiles, which means that the probe would
be disconnected after all. One just can't win..

Season's greetings to all,

Geert Jan