True. I made their stereo preamp (c1961) and also assembled a pair of speakers. They had a shop in Tottenham Court Road (quite close to where Maplins is now) so you could see and hear a 'finished' vesrion.
Me too, and was suprised by the importance they seem to think Ham radio is . I've never been intrested in that side or electronics.
True, I think they accept the PAL60 version of NTSC, or whatever it's called. One rainy day, when there is nothing else to do......see my comment about priorities. I am sure that I don't have any of the programme tapes, though, but there should still be the optional 64K RAM extension that hangs off the back. Memories!
In article , charles scribeth thus
I never made a Heathkit but did over time get some Practical Wireless designs to work and some in Wireless World but it seems these days the overall the "Tech" has changed for a lot of applications.
Take a tape recorder almost no one uses these for domestic use anymore its all digital. Now make a digital Card player?. The chips are so bloody small you'd need specialist equipment to place them, hot air stuff etc far beyond that the Ampex iron can manage. The software well perhaps, but all in what are you going the learn and make?.
Take a CD player, same again but a transport and perhaps you might be able to do in conventional say 14 pin plug_able chips but why do that when you can do all thats required on one umpty pin one but there again soldering it to the board if large surface mount?.
Perhaps the audio amp is still a possibility and perhaps the only likely one now plus perhaps speakers if your good at wood fettling.
Course valve amps can be a good proposition but is there that much of a market for them?.
As to ham equipment the few I know seem rather proud of their multi function kilo pound unit that does a lot in a small space,, now don't all come back at once and say "I've just built a 1 K linear for SSB"!..
Course the fM tuner of olde?. Now best done in the digital domain and a DAB kit radio?.
Perhaps the kit has had its day but saying that they still can be useful for some apps, we often need to knock up custom bits and bobs and one instance recently called for a telephone remote controller the one here from Quasar kits proved just the job and it was still enjoyable soldering it together it is in kit form;). Least you feel you've made something useful:)....
It did a year or so ago, when I last checked. And the availability of such a device is often quoted as desirable in case of power failure, your DECT 'phone will be dead, and your mobile will be un-rechargeable. Plus my local exchange is about as un-modern as it is possible to be, it only provides the lowest level of ADSL. 21st century? We're struggling to get into the 20th!
On Tuesday 18 June 2013 11:25 tony sayer wrote in uk.d-i-y:
One of my proposals on the survey was for an updated version of:
It was easy to build, mains powered (no bloody wall wart), settable for 110 or 240V 50/60Hz.
It had a really nice display - auto dimming. Far superior to any clock on the market now (I've tried a few!).
LCD is crap and LED is not as nice as VFD.
I suggested they update the design and replace the clock IC with an AVR, preprogrammed to support different alarms for each day of the week[1] and supply the C source code for the AVR as well as briniging the programming pins out.[2]
[1] I use my phone as an alarm as it has more features than any piece of crap from Argos. But I would really like a nice clock with the same multiple alarm functionality. [2] This way, a child of 12 could solder it up and it would "just work". But an enthusiast could tweak the code and add another level to the kit.And the end product would kick the arse of all the mediocre crap on the market now.
The second suggestion I made was for kits connected with RF and home automation. There's a huge amount of interest there.
I have one! I think it's under the stairs.
Maybe so, but can you tie your own shoe laces?
I've still got a Linsley Hood amp in use - built from the data given in Wireless World. Still sounds good.
In article , Tim Watts scribeth thus
Well well!, we made one like that it was all in a perspex case and with a large dim "able" fluorescent display and indeed our 6 year old daughter at the time soldered it together and put most of the bits in the board and the thing worked first time:).
Dunno what happened to it tho;!..
and I built the WW FM tuner of 1978 - still in use. I etched the printed circuit myself.
I made the 195? one, based on a gov suplus if strip.
from a radar set probably? Not 10.7MHz I expect? EF50s?
Same here - drawing on the copper board free hand. So much easier using a computer to do the artwork. ;-)
Yes
Correct
not EF50s. Minature valves. But I no longer have it, so I can't check.
Definitely 10.7Mhz. The radars I worked on at Marconis started with a first IF somewhere in the 500Mhz area I think, second was 10.7Mhz and third was 455/465/470 Khz. After all why design special coils when those were stock items?
However these days try finding an IF coil ANYWHERE except out of scrap
70's radios.none one even designs electronics in a garden shed sort of way these days. They all code up arduinos instead.
Mind you, I know where a lot of that stuff is to be found, from a company that went bust in the 70s if anyone wants it :-)
So have I! :-)
Don't forget the blu-tack!
SteveW
to tone dialling, and plenty of exchanges still support pulse. For any that dont, you can use a remote/pocket dialler held up to the mic, or dial on another phone.
3 to 3.5 typically - with the line REN good for 4 supposedly.
Expensive yea, but they were the bees knees of their day.
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