Proton Magnetometer (2025 Update)

There is mention of a proton magnetometer, but only in passing, on page 365.

Sorry, no. But because the idea sounded intriguing I've had a little furtle around t'internet.

It seems archive.org has some scanned copies of Practical Mechanics but I think you might need to be more dedicated than I to go through them without at least a rough idea of the date being looked for.

Google searches for Practical Mechanics Magazine Proton Magnetometer was typically for Google, pretty useless though there are some links to other d-i-y proton magnetometer projects which might be of interest

Bing.com gave a few leads. Again, not much in the way of PM but I particularly liked this one:

Hope this helps.

Good luck

Nick

That paper has this reference:

| 5. L. Huggard, Proton Magnetometer, Practical Electronics, Wimbourne | Publishing, U.K.,(Oct 1970).

And here it is:

Here's a recent build:

The scan of the magazine - especially the adverts - brought back many memories, and the magnetometer theory is fascinating. Thanks for the link.

Sounds great for finding horseshoes and plough tines ...

No mail snipped-for-privacy@aolbin.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

It's like a time-machine . . .

. . . . . 15 shillings for a 2N3055, outrageous!

Thanks for finding and posting that as it brings back so many memories, especially from that wonderful set of advertisements. What a huge number of electronic component suppliers there were around that time. I remember buying components from a few of them. And the last one for Henry's Radio with four shops "within 100 yards of each other" in the Edgware Road, which I visited a number of times. It's such a shame that young people can't do that sort of thing any more.

I used to spend a lot of time in the "government surplus" electronics shops in Tottenham Court Road (Proops, Z & I Aero, etc), and Lisle St in the 60s. In the mid 70s I was chatting to a Polish electronics technician who, when I mentioned Z & I Aero, told me they were a front to sell Russian goods in the UK, and finance certain, shall we say, clandestine activities. I never knew what the truth was, but this forum thread is interesting

Those shops disappeared many years ago. About 15 or 20 years ago there was a similar type of shop in Worthing (Portland Road maybe?), before that too disappeared. The last shop of that type was Burkitt's on Steep Hill, Lincoln.

H. Gee of Mill Road, Cambridge

Very interesting. Thank you.

Alan

Wow! That was it!

Thank you. Whether it will provide me with hours of wasted time I have yet to find out. I had this idea that if one mapped a route and recorded it.

At a later date, did it again, compared the results, it might identify differences that might indicate a disturbance in the ground. I am thinking of mine detection.

Regards, Alan

Disappeared years ago according to

I don't know if you remember Chromasonic Electronics? My mate Raymond and I were the proprietors.

Labour's introduction of a higher rate of VAT virtually killed the business. A deal was done with HM Rvenue and Customs to glue a rate to different classes of component instead of identifying the appropriate rate according to what purpose the product would be used for but it was too late, the damage was done.

I hope history isn't repeating itself.

Alan

Sure do. You had a fair chunk of my pocket money back in the day :) Still got these in the archive:

Shame.

That surprised me - I worked at John Burkitt's as a Saturday job from when I was about 10 through to being about 16. Initially on Steep Hill and then on The Strait. 'twas a very long time ago.

They had an associated place, just off Pontefract Lane, Hunslet. On an industrial estate, for years they had an ex-army scout car parked outside.

Memories of GWM Radio