On 18-Jan-22 9:24, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> In article <4JmFJ.105025$Xrb5.100348@fx01.ams1>, Sam Plusnet
> <not@home.com> on Mon, 17 Jan 2022 at 23:12:00 awoke Nicholas from his
> slumbers and wrote
>> On 17-Jan-22 19:01, Tone wrote:
>>
>>> Dixon of Dock Green
>>
>> I've been whistling that theme snog for the last three days.
>> Drives SWMBO mad.
>>
>> 80 year-old Police sergeant? Of course, no problem with that.
>>
> Of course, to enjoy drama, you have to suspend disbelief.

Well, the light from that blue lamp is quite flattering.
Takes years off you.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 17/01/2022 13:14, nev young wrote:
> On 17/01/2022 00:02, Mike Fleming wrote:
>> On 16/01/2022 20:14, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>> On Sun, 16 Jan 2022 11:58:41 -0000
>>> "Brian Gaff \(Sofa\)" <briang1@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm still thinking about the other puppet shows. I mean twizzle? Torchy
>>>> the Battery Boy?
>>>
>>>     The names ring vague bells but I don't think I saw them. Gerry and
>>> Sylvia Anderson dominated my childhood TV from quite an early age -
>>> once I
>>> got past Andy Pandy, Bill and Ben, Jackanory et al - I've seen
>>> Thunderbirds
>>> since and it really was remarkably good compared to some of the later
>>> children's programs (Power Rangers I'm looking your way).
>>
>> I just about unforget Supercar, then there was Fireball XL5, then
>> Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet (which I think was when they
>> moved the actuating servoes into the puppets' bodies and/or shrank the
>> electronics and so got the heads down to proper human proportions).
>> Then Joe 90 and finally the mixed live and puppet Secret Service (with
>> Stanley Unwin).
>>
> Yer ununforgot Terrorhawks

Yes and no - I never saw it, and it was glove puppets.

On 17/01/2022 23:12, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 17-Jan-22 19:01, Tone wrote:
>
>> Dixon of Dock Green
>
> I've been whistling that theme snog for the last three days.
> Drives SWMBO mad.
>
> 80 year-old Police sergeant?  Of course, no problem with that.

How old was David Jason when DI Frost retired? (gwgls) Ah, a mere
stripling of 70.

On 17/01/2022 18:16, Bernard Peek wrote:
> On 2022-01-17, Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 16/01/2022 20:14, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>> On Sun, 16 Jan 2022 11:58:41 -0000
>>> "Brian Gaff \(Sofa\)" <briang1@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm still thinking about the other puppet shows. I mean twizzle? Torchy
>>>> the Battery Boy?
>>>
>>> The names ring vague bells but I don't think I saw them. Gerry and
>>> Sylvia Anderson dominated my childhood TV from quite an early age - once I
>>> got past Andy Pandy, Bill and Ben, Jackanory et al - I've seen Thunderbirds
>>> since and it really was remarkably good compared to some of the later
>>> children's programs (Power Rangers I'm looking your way).
>>
>> I just about unforget Supercar, then there was Fireball XL5, then
>> Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet (which I think was when they
>> moved the actuating servoes into the puppets' bodies and/or shrank the
>> electronics and so got the heads down to proper human proportions). Then
>> Joe 90 and finally the mixed live and puppet Secret Service (with
>> Stanley Unwin).
>>
> Four Feather Falls predates all of those.

And I don't unforget it. Nor Torchy.

In article <j4ot94F37lmU2@mid.individual.net>, Mike Fleming
<mike@tauzero.co.uk> on Tue, 18 Jan 2022 at 22:28:51 awoke Nicholas
from his slumbers and wrote
>On 17/01/2022 23:12, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>> On 17-Jan-22 19:01, Tone wrote:
>>
>>> Dixon of Dock Green
>>
>> I've been whistling that theme snog for the last three days.
>> Drives SWMBO mad.
>>
>> 80 year-old Police sergeant?  Of course, no problem with that.
>
>How old was David Jason when DI Frost retired? (gwgls) Ah, a mere
>stripling of 70.

In reverse a 48 year old playing a 70 year old Corporal Jones.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 18/01/2022 23:15, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> In article <j4ot94F37lmU2@mid.individual.net>, Mike Fleming
> <mike@tauzero.co.uk> on Tue, 18 Jan 2022 at 22:28:51 awoke Nicholas
> from his slumbers and wrote
>> On 17/01/2022 23:12, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>>> On 17-Jan-22 19:01, Tone wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dixon of Dock Green
>>>
>>> I've been whistling that theme snog for the last three days.
>>> Drives SWMBO mad.
>>>
>>> 80 year-old Police sergeant?  Of course, no problem with that.
>>
>> How old was David Jason when DI Frost retired? (gwgls) Ah, a mere
>> stripling of 70.
>
> In reverse a 48 year old playing a 70 year old Corporal Jones.

David Jason aged 35 playing an old man in Porridge. 1.39 in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJj1wJ1Ymc8

Tone

In article <ss1t4t$qo7$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
girolle.co.uk> on Sun, 16 Jan 2022 at 19:54:05 awoke Nicholas from his
slumbers and wrote
>On 16/01/2022 12:26, nev young wrote:
>> On 16/01/2022 11:58, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
>>> I'm still thinking about the other puppet shows. I mean twizzle?
>>> Torchy the
>>> Battery Boy?
>>>
>> I unforget all of them.
>> I unforget watching Rag, Tag and Bobtail as I snuggled up next to mum on
>> the couch.
>> As well as not understanding why Maid Marion[1] read the Picture Book[2].
>> Believing Percy Thrower was "the man who worked in the garden" that Bill
>> and Ben had to hide from when he came back from lunch. [3]
>>
>> [1] Robin Hood with Richard Greene.
>> [2] Watch with mother.
>> [3] [because 2] was followed by a gardening program.
>>
>Most of these I haven't heard of, but i used to watch Muffin the Mule on
>my grandmother's pre-war console set (9" CRT screen), Hank et al, In
>Town Tonight, etc (Once again we still the mighty roar of Lodnol Traffic...)
>
Pre-war television. Your grandmother must have spent a shed load of
money on it and she must have lived very close to Ally Pally. Hanging on
to a costly piece of, at that time, useless electronics for 8 years must
have taken quite a lot of confidence that eventually it would become
useful.

The first time I saw a television was at my grandmother's house on 2nd
June 1953. What I remember was boredom, I did not understand what was so
fascinating about the event. Eventually 3 bored children were put on the
naughty step. (Actually they weren't, they had their ears boxed; how
times have changed). They were lucky, the naughty step at my
grandmother's was the coal hole, unlit with a hole in the street where
the coal man deposited the coal and a door in the cellar. So granny did
not store her coal in the bath!

We never had a television at home. Not long afterwards I discovered a
neighbour, who had a television, and missed having young children about.
I was able to nip round there and watch children's TV. Her television
was a monstrosity, the CRT tube was tiny but the image was reflected
onto a quite (for those days) large translucent screen. The curtains had
to be drawn closed to see the picture. I used to watch the Test matches
with a strict understanding that I would call her when Fred Trueman came
in to bat; "Now we will see some fireworks" she would see.

--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 03/02/2022 09:01, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:

> Pre-war television. Your grandmother must have spent a shed load of
> money on it and she must have lived very close to Ally Pally. Hanging on
> to a costly piece of, at that time, useless electronics for 8 years must
> have taken quite a lot of confidence that eventually it would become
> useful.

Grandfather was a society bookie as well as racehorse breeder and owner.
Dodgy - he died being owed what today would amount to £millions, mdebts
which were never honoured.

It *was* also a radio...

She knew who was going to win the war: her youngest son was a Royal
Marine Commando.

> The first time I saw a television was at my grandmother's house on 2nd
> June 1953. What I remember was boredom, I did not understand what was so
> fascinating about the event. Eventually 3 bored children were put on the
> naughty step. (Actually they weren't, they had their ears boxed; how
> times have changed). They were lucky, the naughty step at my
> grandmother's was the coal hole, unlit with a hole in the street where
> the coal man deposited the coal and a door in the cellar. So granny did
> not store her coal in the bath!

People who did tended to be those whose houses had been provided with
bathrooms, but no connection to a water main.

> We never had a television at home.

We didn't have one until 1956, by which time I had found better ways to
occupy my time.

> Not long afterwards I discovered a
> neighbour, who had a television, and missed having young children about.
> I was able to nip round there and watch children's TV. Her television
> was a monstrosity, the CRT tube was tiny but the image was reflected
> onto a quite (for those days) large translucent screen. The curtains had
> to be drawn closed to see the picture. I used to watch the Test matches
> with a strict understanding that I would call her when Fred Trueman came
> in to bat; "Now we will see some fireworks" she would see.

Sure it was a CRT sounds rather like the Baird spinning disc arrangement.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

Brian Gaff wrote:
> Do you remember those magic sets a misguided relative always got you for
> Christmas? Total Junk. Give me Radionics parts any day, build a transistor
> radio, with 6Ba nuts, bolts and brass strips to connect the bits together
> then learn how to line it up and get very distant stations.

Radionics X24 electronics kit was my first. I still have the manual.
Followed by Ladybird Build A Transistor Radio.

On Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 6:22:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan Harston wrote:
> Brian Gaff wrote:
> > Do you remember those magic sets a misguided relative always got you for
> > Christmas? Total Junk. Give me Radionics parts any day, build a transistor
> > radio, with 6Ba nuts, bolts and brass strips to connect the bits together
> > then learn how to line it up and get very distant stations.
>
> Radionics X24 electronics kit was my first. I still have the manual.
> Followed by Ladybird Build A Transistor Radio.

On Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 6:22:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan Harston wrote:
> Brian Gaff wrote:
> > Do you remember those magic sets a misguided relative always got you for
> > Christmas? Total Junk. Give me Radionics parts any day, build a transistor
> > radio, with 6Ba nuts, bolts and brass strips to connect the bits together
> > then learn how to line it up and get very distant stations.
>
> Radionics X24 electronics kit was my first. I still have the manual.
> Followed by Ladybird Build A Transistor Radio.

What is the Ladybird "build a transistor radio " named after Lady Bird Johnson?

On 06/02/2022 19:43, Don Stockbauer wrote:
> On Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 6:22:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan Harston wrote:
>> Radionics X24 electronics kit was my first. I still have the manual.
>> Followed by Ladybird Build A Transistor Radio.
>
> What is the Ladybird "build a transistor radio " named after Lady Bird Johnson?
>
Ladybird was the trademark of a series of books aimed at children. They
covered a very wide range of material ranging from fiction to some
fairly technical science and engineering, all simplified to suit their
audience.

You can download the "How to build..." book here, and the radio
described can still be built from commercially available components at a
price....

https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Author-Groups/G.C.Dobbs/Making-a-Transistor-Radio-Dobbs.pdf

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 06/02/2022 19:52, John Williamson wrote:
> On 06/02/2022 19:43, Don Stockbauer wrote:
>> On Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 6:22:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan Harston
>> wrote:
>>> Radionics X24 electronics kit was my first. I still have the manual.
>>> Followed by Ladybird Build A Transistor Radio.
>>
>> What is the Ladybird "build a transistor radio " named after Lady Bird
>> Johnson?
>>
> Ladybird was the trademark of a series of books aimed at children. They
> covered a very wide range of material ranging from fiction to some
> fairly technical science and engineering, all simplified to suit their
> audience.

I remember having a lovable one called 'Magnets, Bulbs & Batteries'
Utter magic :-)

Chris

--
The Deuchars BBB#40 COFF#14
Yamaha XV750SE & Suzuki GS550t
http://www.Deuchars.org.uk

On Mon, 7 Feb 2022 14:19:31 +0000
"ChrisND @UKRM" <chrisnd@privacy.net> wrote:

> I remember having a lovable one called 'Magnets, Bulbs & Batteries'
> Utter magic :-)

A wonderful book, I think I made everything in it at least twice -
the motor rather more often once I got my hands on a suitable magnet.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

On 06/02/2022 19:52, John Williamson wrote:
> On 06/02/2022 19:43, Don Stockbauer wrote:
>> On Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 6:22:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan Harston
>> wrote:
>>> Radionics X24 electronics kit was my first. I still have the manual.
>>> Followed by Ladybird Build A Transistor Radio.
>>
>> What is the Ladybird "build a transistor radio " named after Lady Bird
>> Johnson?
>>
> Ladybird was the trademark of a series of books aimed at children. They
> covered a very wide range of material ranging from fiction to some
> fairly technical science and engineering, all simplified to suit their
> audience.
>
> You can download the "How to build..." book here, and the radio
> described can still be built from commercially available components at a
> price....
>
> https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Author-Groups/G.C.Dobbs/Making-a-Transistor-Radio-Dobbs.pdf

"Take a ... piece of washed coke about the size of a pea". Damn. I don't
know any dealers these days.

OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm

I built a similar crystal set to the first version, only with a coil
wrapped on a length of dowel rather than a ferrite core. Same variable
capacitor though. I had an aerial running the length of the garden to
the oak tree - https://goo.gl/maps/pjsKYe4W4ixXT112A and my old house is
in the middle, with the loft conversion which was my bedroom (and the
other end of the aerial) visible.

On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 12:46:44 +0000
Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:

> OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
> Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
> http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm

I'll bet they don't come with clear goop inside so you can scrape
the paint off and use them as phototransistors - I was most put out when I
first found opaque, blue goop in an OC71 - the OCP71s were nearly ten times
the cevpr.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> wrote in
news:20220209145303.6c28b9a37b1720befd1a1734@eircom.net:

> On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 12:46:44 +0000
> Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
>> Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
>> http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm
>
> I'll bet they don't come with clear goop inside so you can scrape
> the paint off and use them as phototransistors - I was most put out
> when I first found opaque, blue goop in an OC71 - the OCP71s were
> nearly ten times the cevpr.
>

A little nick (not Nick) with a glass cutter near the base and the glass
cover would come off. I usteruse meths to dissolve out the goo (which in
my exerience was opaque white) and then glue the cover back on again.

--
Peter
-----

On 09/02/2022 14:53, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 12:46:44 +0000
> Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
>> Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
>> http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm
>
> I'll bet they don't come with clear goop inside so you can scrape
> the paint off and use them as phototransistors - I was most put out when I
> first found opaque, blue goop in an OC71 - the OCP71s were nearly ten times
> the cevpr.
>
I remember when they worked that one out.... Gur fjvarf...

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 09/02/2022 14:53, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 12:46:44 +0000
> Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
>> Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
>> http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm
>
> I'll bet they don't come with clear goop inside so you can scrape
> the paint off and use them as phototransistors - I was most put out when I
> first found opaque, blue goop in an OC71 - the OCP71s were nearly ten times
> the cevpr.

If you look for OC71 on That Ebay, the first thing you'll find is a
couple of OC71s which have had their black paint removed, being sold as
phototransistors.

On 11/02/2022 20:36, Mike Fleming wrote:
> On 09/02/2022 14:53, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>> On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 12:46:44 +0000
>> Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
>>> Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
>>> http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm
>>
>>     I'll bet they don't come with clear goop inside so you can scrape
>> the paint off and use them as phototransistors - I was most put out
>> when I
>> first found opaque, blue goop in an OC71 - the OCP71s were nearly ten
>> times
>> the cevpr.
>
> If you look for OC71 on That Ebay, the first thing you'll find is a
> couple of OC71s which have had their black paint removed, being sold as
> phototransistors.

That is just so 1971!
Most people had upgraded to ORP12s by then...

Chris

On Sat, 12 Feb 2022 14:09:30 +0000
"ChrisND@privacy.net" <chrisnd@privacy.net> wrote:

> On 11/02/2022 20:36, Mike Fleming wrote:
> > On 09/02/2022 14:53, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> >> On Wed, 9 Feb 2022 12:46:44 +0000
> >> Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
> >>
> >>> OC71s seem to be about the same price as they were when Uncle Clive
> >>> Sinclair wrote his transistor circuit booklets (1962).
> >>> http://vintageradio.me.uk/oas/sinclairtranccts.htm
> >>
> >>     I'll bet they don't come with clear goop inside so you can scrape
> >> the paint off and use them as phototransistors - I was most put out
> >> when I
> >> first found opaque, blue goop in an OC71 - the OCP71s were nearly ten
> >> times
> >> the cevpr.
> >
> > If you look for OC71 on That Ebay, the first thing you'll find is a
> > couple of OC71s which have had their black paint removed, being sold as
> > phototransistors.
>
> That is just so 1971!
> Most people had upgraded to ORP12s by then...

Only because we couldn't get clear OC71s.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/