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| FEEDBACK - Page 2 This page brings you a selection of comments made by visitors to MDS975.co.uk via our Contact page. We thank you very much for taking the trouble to get in touch, we really enjoy reading all of your comments: |
 Thanks for the
capacitor color codes, it helped match up a part for an amp.Thanks again, Mike Fratus, The "Amp Repair Guy" Houston, Texas (May 2007). |
| Mike,
Cheers for your page on resistor capacitor codes table, you
saved
a newbie a lot of work, Cheers again. owe you a beer or two. Chris Page, Thaxted, Essex (March 2007) |
| Hi Mike, Found your website from the link on MB21……What a tremendous selection of stuff you have on your site…..very, very interesting. I, like you am a cat lover, radio lover and transmitter anorak. Although I now live in Tayside, I’m originally from Edinburgh and I can still remember the excitement I felt (as a 12 year old) when Radio Forth 194 took to the air in 1975. Me and my pals were hooked, and my interest in all things radio took off from there. I was never off the ‘phone when they had competitions, and I delivered the Sunday paper of Steve Hamilton, the Breakfast Show DJ who lived round the corner from my parents house. His wife was my English teacher so it was never a problem getting a birthday request played ! Re your page on the Radio Forth AM tx at Colinswell and the reason for relocation from Barns Farm. In the early 1980’s a petrochemical development at Mossmorran near Cowdenbeath was under construction (I was an apprentice electrician at the time and worked on the 11Kv mains power installation) and there was a pipeline laid the coast where a tanker terminal was being built at Braefoot Bay. The Barns Farm site was just up from the shoreline at Braefoot Bay so I’m guessing that it was decided that to minimise risk it would be a sensible idea not to have a 2.2Kw so close to a petrochemical terminal. I’ve attached a couple of pickys – One of our sadly missed ginger puss who we lost last August – he was responsible for the amplifier overheating…….and another of the view from my kitchen window of the mighty Angus mast at sunset. Best wishes…. Chris Ronald (March 2007) Thanks Chris for your kind comments. I will certainly put the photograph of your beautiful ginger pussycat on our cats page. |
|
Dear Mike, I was just about to give up , then I found your website. In
the middle of doing too many things at once I picked up a copy of the
ladybird Making a Transistor Radio, last week. I decided I
had to try
making one, thinking , what could be easier.
Well
I've festooned my garden with aerials and earth leads and via a safety
pin and a piece of pyrite I,ve managed to hear some crackles and even a
muffled voice and some music. So, I,m encouraged.
However,
I know nothing about electronics (but am learning) and a major problem
is that none of Mr Dobbs's components appear to exist anymore, and I
dont know enough to know what can be used instead. Maplins seemed at
first a good idea but they appear to stock nothing for these sort of
projects.
I would be very grateful if you
could suggest where people in the know get their components from,
without having to buy things in industrial quantities. I would have
rung Maplins but I noticed just in time that I would have had to take
out a mortgage to pay the premium rate call.
Anyway many thanks in anticipation
Yours sincerely, Dave Schofield.
Durham.
(February 2007) Hi Dave. As you have found, the components used in some older designs are quite difficult to obtain, but you should still be able to get hem from some suppliers. The tuning capacitor can be of any type or style as long as it is 500pF or thereabouts. A 300pF one will work, but the tuning range may be very slightly limited. I would search E-Bay first of all and then look out for 'vintage' component suppliers in Electronics and Radio hobby magazines that you will find in W H Smith's. A couple that come to mind are Chevet Supplies and J Birkett of The Straight, Lincoln. Birkett's often have rare and so called 'surplus' components in stock, particularly tuning capacitors. A seach of Yahoo and Google for "surplus component suppliers" or "vintage component suppliers" may yield some results, as may a search for the Mullard OC71 and OC45 transistors. The OA81 diodes should still be readily available. Any modern capacitors and resistors, as long as they are of the correct value, will work in these circuits. The LT700 transformer should also be readily available from a variety of sources. A good source of components is BOWOOD ELECTRONICS, but maybe not the vintage ones, though may well be worth asking - the proprietor is very helpful. See my components page HERE for some more ideas. Hope that helps, Mike. . |
| "Great to read your web site
about Ocean Sound and Power FM, [it]
brought back some very happy memories for me as I was one of the
original seven presenters at Ocean Sound - and went onto launch Power
FM in 1988. Also was impressed at how accurate your
information on the
history of the place! Best regards, Pete Wardman." Pete Wardman is now at BBC East Midlands (December 2006) |
|
Hi, A nice and very interesting website. As a long time SWL and since
1991 an occasional “ham” (2E1AKF/G7OOE/GM7OOE) it
is good
to see the history of the radio waves being recorded, and published. John S Bone (September 2006) |
| Hi
Mike and Julie, What a fascinating website you have, have
glanced
across the photo’s from Toronto and the animals and, of
course,
all the Radio memorabilia stuff, better than watching telly and after a
hectic day running the Hotel. I love the 2CR clips of
Richard
Cartridge, and also think he’s a great presenter. I spent
most of
my years working with Clive Bull on LBC who was also extremely
talented. Thanks again, Jonathan Perry, Cransley Hotel, 11 Knyveton Road, BOURNEMOUTH, Dorset. BH1 3QG. Tel:- 01202-290067 (July 2006) |
| Dear and Julie,
Love
your site and must have another look when time permits! Here on the
Isle of Wight, our local incremental station Isle of Wight Radio has
long been on FM but they started on medium wave in 1990 on 242meters.
Once I was looking for someone and saw the transmitter site, just a few
weeks before they opened, in a farmers field. The aerial had just been
errected, judging by the many deep wheel marks and sign of heavy
activity in the field. Took some pictures. Unfortunately the processor
lost my film!! The mast seemedt o have a twin reflector wire on one
side, perhaps to keep the signal down in the direction of Kent, which
was on the same frequency. Although of low power, if I remember
correctly, their first transmittions brought a reception report from
Poland I believe. [The mast] was quickly dismantled on the move to FM.
Thought you might be interested. Regards Michael Johnson (July 2006) Thanks for the excellent information Michael. |
| Dear
MDS975, What a mine of information I`ve spent a good while having
a look round and am amazed at the quality and quantity I have found.
The cat photographs are especially good but it would be hard
to
say which is best. Andrew Grieve (June 2006)006) |
| Dear
Mike, Many thanks for posting the capacitor markings on the
web.
A very large bag of polystyrene capacitors nearly got the better of me
and it was only your web site that stopped me going nearly insane.Hi Hi. Regards Mike 2E0LTJ (May 2006) Thanks Mike! - You too can find the RESISTOR & CAPACITOR COLOUR CODES page HERE |
| I
came across your site looking for a radio for my 12 year old to
make. Wow did this take me back my grandpa and I use to make
crystal and other sets the ladybird was the first set I made
by
myself with no help. I am now searching my mom's garage and
attic
for the set and the book. I may have a few old ZN414 or 415s
around at mom's and hope my son can have as much fun as I did
making my radio; Wonderful site! Jeff (April 2006) |
| Smashing
site. I found it through Google by typing "Capacitor 471K"
You were about the 3rd (and most useful) hit. This
is what
the
internet's all about! Cheers, Spike. Spike Photography. (April 2006) |
| Hello
Mike and Jules, I came across your "crystal set Website
yesterday---I am retired these days and one of my hobbies is
building fairly "simple" Radios,(Mind you theyr'e not so
simple
to me,as I'm just a beginner at these things.) I
just
wanted to tell you that I find your Website fascinating.---the
Information is explained so well (Even I can understand
it.). The history of Radio has always interested
me,and I
always think--that it was a "Big chance of
Fate" that Marconi, and his contemporaries, discovered that Electric
signals could be sent through the air and "Picked up " by a "Receiver"
some
distance away. Your Website is quite Big,and it will take me
some
time to follow the links,and take it all in---however Ive started---so
I aim to go into "All Areas" Thanks ,and Best Wishes to both of you. IAN (March 2006) Thanks Ian, Glad you are enjoying the website and the crystal set hobby! These simple radios are absolutely fascinating aren't they! Good luck with your projects, and we hope that you continue to enjoy the site. |
| Your web site is very
interesting but I notice that a lot of the audio
clips that you had a few months ago are now not available. Will they be
returning ? Also, in the future, do you plan anything more on
Wiltshire Radio (before the Radio West merger)? WR was one of
the
stations that I grew up with, and I loved hearing, once
again, the Dave Barrett sign-off clip from 1985 that you had
on
your audio section. Regards H. Ellis (Jan 2006) Hi, Thanks very much for your e-mail. You are quite correct, we did have a page of audio clips a few months ago on our "Experimental Audio" page. Unfortunately it was just that - an 'experimental' section to assess the possibility of adding audio to this site by using different forms of audio coding and file sizes. Having run our experiments (a 'test transmission' if you will), we then settled on the limited number of files that we were then able offer via the website, which is what you will find available now. Our lack of available web-space means that we can only offer these select few files on our site at the moment. This is because audio files need vast amounts of space compared to ordinary web-pages and images. We may re-visit this web-space problem in the future. We don't have a great deal of other WR information, but if you have some material, history, information and photographs etc. we would be only to willing to include them as a WR 'mini-site'. In the mean time may we thank you very much again for you interest and please don't hesitate to contact us again if we can be of further help. |
| Hi
Mike and Julie, What a fantastic website! I love it, I am what would
call a Radio annorak well I collect air checks from on air recordings,
Jingle Packages from various stations including, Key 103, BRMB,
Hereward Radio, Radio 1. I think it's such a great way of remembering
how great Local Radio was and still ys! The Tribute to the
late
Tushar from 100.7 Heart FM is very touching his was a great joch I used
to listen to his shows on Heart the overnight show and Sunday Breakfast
show. We lost a great broadcaster. ROB LUBBOCK Leics (Jan 2006) |
| Hello,
I have just come across your site and it is wonderful. I was very
interested in radio as a teenager and I still have an original HAC one
valve receiver which my Father helped me build when I was 12. I went to
university and unfortunately the radio hobby got left ,but the good
news was that I managed to keep all my radio components and half built
projects in my parents attic and have been re united with them
recently, including such items as about 40 brand new and unused Denco
Coils in their original tins. I also have many transistors
from
the 70's and also a virtually mint condition edition of the Rev Dobbs
Ladybird book, which I picked up a few years ago for the princely sum
of £1-00 from 'Barter Books' in Alnwick (North East of
England)
whilst on holiday. I have decided to build the radio as a winter
project as per the book. Just wanted to say again what a
wonderful website, I am sure I will come back to it again Kindest Regards, Christopher M Williamson (Dec 2005) Thank you Christopher for your kind words. We hope you enjoy re-visting the Ladybird "Making A Transistor Radio" project - great fun. |
| G'day
Mike and Jules, I stumbled across your website today whilst googling
around for some info on MK484 radio circuits. From what I've seen of
your site, it's fantastic. There is a lot of rubbish on the web but
occasionally one finds a fabulous site like yours. Congratulations! I share a lot of interest with the stuff on your site like crystal sets, cats etc etc. Why cats.........well my name is Felix! I guess it would be unnatural if I didn't like cats! My interest in crystal sets goes back a long way and I'm particularly interested in using them as high quality AM program sources. In Australia I have a bit of a reputation as an "expert" (I hate that word!), in crystal set design and I've written quite a few articles for a couple of Australian Amateur Radio magazines and radio club newsletters and one or two websites. Interesting too, on the Masts in Malta. My family comes from Malta and I last visited Malta back in 1976 (yes, a long time ago, I was twelve). Anyway, a really beaut website. I will visit often. By the way the MK484 radio I built today works fine. That makes two now. Regards Felix, vk4fuq, North Queensland, Australia. (Dec 2005) Thank you so much for your kind words, Felix, we're glad you engoyed our little website. Makes it all worthwhile! |
| Hi
Mike and Julie, It is amazing how one finds a rare gem accidentally and MDS975 is a wonderful example. Further to buying new HiFi equipment I was looking at the possibility of boosting the FM reception and I came across a DIY article in a magazine "Build your own FM Dipole". The example was very simple and the author explained that he had searched the web for info with little success so most of his calcs etc. were from text books. I decided to have ago at building one to his design and out of interest I checked the web for info. Bingo, my search found 'Make an FM Aerial' the BBC Way, courtesy of MDS975. What was going to be a simple Dipole is now a major project High Spec VHF/FM antenna and it is quite large. Thanks for a wonderful site, a feast and a 'site' for sore eyes. Best Regards, John R Brown (Nov 2005) Thanks John, we are so glad that you found the website both useful and enjoyable. |
| Hello
Mike & Julie, I was just surfing the internet for the pin out of a DL96 valve when I came across your excellent site. I thought being persuaded to repair a 1953 Bush radio was nostalgic but boy does your site take me back. Good to see George Dobbs is still doing the QRP bit - I remember George well from the Lincoln Short wave Club days & of course those meetings in Johnny Birketts radio emporium on Steep hill in Lincoln. I was a lecturer in Radio & TV servicing at the Lincoln College of Technology and ran the RAE courses. Haven't done much in the radio area for many years but your site has re-kindled a spark I must say. I still keep my G4CLL call current but have not been on the air for about 15 years. Anyway, many thanks to you both for all the work you have obviously put into the site and good luck for the future. Kind regards &73's Roger Goodchild (G4CLL) Lincoln. (Oct 2005) Thanks for your kind words Roger, we're glad that your spark has been re-kindled! |
Hi, Just want to say thanks for a great web site. It helped me convert capacitor values (examp. XX nF to XX uF) and help with the tolorance value codes. I have been an experimentor for 33 years now and really like to see web sites like yours, very infomitive and helpful. Thanks, John Dohaniuk (Oct 2005) Cheers John, glad the components page helped a little. |
Hi, Thank-you very much through the pages of your web-site to allow me to travel back along way in time, to what was the greatest time of MY musical life. I'm afraid time dims the memory but I can vaguely remember listening to the likes of Jimmy Savile and Sam Costa on Radio Luxembourg, then of course along came Caroline and London. Yeah all that was over 40 years ago, but it only seems like yesterday. Once again thanks. Grahame (Oct 2005) |
| R
White e-mailed us from the USA
with some computer an Linux question that we were able to help with.... Thank you SO much. You just answered every thing I have spent 3 hours looking for. I was curious about spyware and other items. Thanks. Your links to the info about Mozilla has also explained so much about mail clients and pop ups in linux. I have a great deal of understanding on Windows and explorer, networking and web design so I understand a fraction of what is out there but take me off the windows pacifier and I am crawling. You have been more help to me than much of the tech support I have received and again you are in my favorites folder and appreciated. (Sept 2005) |
| Thank you for
your
web site. My dad was a radio ham, (G3EQK), and when I was a child, showed me how to build a crystal set..which worked great. He was awful in telling me how these new fangled things called 'trannies' worked, as he was steeped in valve technology!! In 1967, my mam and dad bought me a 'magnatricity set' which included coils, batteries, bulbs and compasses etc. I wished they had bought me an 'how to be an advertising executive set', as unfortunatley I loved the damn thing, and although a last minute xmas present, all the other toys I just discarded!!! Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I wish you well, Nigel. (Sept 2005) |
| From Tony Wilding in
Warwickshire: Hi, what a great site and so much of interest to all involved in broadcasting. Just one of the Hospital Radio/RSL anoraks for over 20 years. Good to be reminded of Mark Keen as Mercia for a long time was my local station (ah the good old days!). Rugby FM being my local station now. Thanks for the site will drop by again soon. Regards Tony (Sept 2005) |
| From Francis Borg Hello Mike & Julie, I have just enjoyed a great tour on your site, which I came across as I was doing some searching about the Gharghur name. I myself am originally from Malta but have been in England for 33 years now, so it was quite nostalgic looking at the masts which while I knew existed, dont believe had ever been catalogued in this way. I was a shortwave listener for many years using modest equiment rather than the real mccoy, but still enjoy surfing on to the International stations via the net and via satellite. Francis Borg (Aug 2005) |
| From the author of the
Ladybird
book entitled 'Making A Transistor Radio', George Dobbs: Hello Mike, Lovely to see a reference to the book. That was a long time ago! My best Wishes George Dobbs G3RJV g3rjv@gqrp.co.uk www.gqrp.com www.staidan.org.uk "It is vain to do with more what can be done with less" William of Occum 1290-1350 (Aug 2005) |
| From Karl Keip: Hello, Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to make the HF-150 manual available on your web site. We've lost ours and greatly appreciated finding your web site this evening. Take Care, Karl Keip (July 2005) |
| From GEA in Cork: Well done on your website, Great to see some pictures of broadcasting masts in Ireland, this particularly interests me ! (May2005) |
| Here is a
lovely note from Ronald
Handy: This is to thank you for all the useful imformation that I have found on your website. I spent at least 5 days, off and on, going back and finding more, more and still more, even my wife loves it too, especially the animals etc. Thanks once again, Ron (retired TV technician). (Feb2005) |
| Peter
W Robinson who asks about Digital FREEVIEW television: "I live in a
valley. Please can
you tell me when we will have a transmitter able to transmit Digital TV
to our homes - other than BBC which is very good. Of course
we
could get a dish for sky etc. but I believe that sooner or later we
should be able to receive the Freeview signals from ITV and other
channels. Please let me know what is holding up this work?
Many Thanks, Peter W Robinson." (January 2005) Well Peter thanks for your interesting question, the answer (we hope!!) can be found HERE! - Digital Terrestrial Television |
| David
Rhodes writes about the Ladybird book "MAKING A
TRANSISTOR
RADIO"
Dear Mike and Jules,
I've enjoyed looking at your web site,
and
will come back for a more in-depth look at a later date. I was directed
to it from a search for the Ladybird book on how to build a
transistor radio, and so was pleased to see some photos and schematics
from that - it took me back to the mid 70s when I also built the radio.
I am trying to get hold of a copy of that ladybird book again, as I
have
long since lost mine, and was hoping that you might be able to
point me in a helpful direction (I've already tried ebay and the
Ladybird website).
You may be interested to hear that I
knew
the author Reverend G. Dobbs, as he used to teach me RE in the 1970s.
He
ran an electronics club during school lunch break one day
each week, and so I built the radio under his supervision. I
remember that he had another Ladybird book published on how to build an
intercom - very similar in style to the radio book - which I
also
made in his club. I would also like to get hold of that book too, but
remember it being fairly rare even then, so I don't hold out much hope
now.
With thanks for any help you can give.
David Rhodes
(December 2004)Unfortunately we cannot think of any further help with locating this out of print book. Our own copy is very battered indeed, but maybe someone reading this can offer some assistance please? |
| David
Smith kindly writes to MDS975: What a superb site, which I stumbled on quite by chance, after looking at an e-bay item for sale, which made a reference to you. I have a particular interest in both the BBC, and its original transmitter properties, together with the Marconi equipped sites. There are sadly too many sites that were linked to Marconi (eg Bodmin Radio) that are no more. That one adjacent to the A30 on the end of the Bodmin bypass disappeared over the summer months last year. I am recently retired, and at an earlier time in my working life, was fortunate to work...with communications, where I spent a number of years working on equipment of the valve era, and which brought me into contact with Marconi test equipment. The company product at that time was synonymous with quality. Radio reception is, and has been a hobby of mine for many years, and consequently I have a collection of some of the above companies items. The trigger point for my interest was the building of several crystal sets, which were published in a book by Bernards, given to me by my father. It's good to see this aspect of basic set building on your web site, it is almost certain that such beginnings, inspire a further interest in a great hobby. Regards, David Smith (Nov 2004) |
| John Davis writes
about LADYBIRD BOOK "MAKING A
TRANSISTOR
RADIO"
project: Hi! What memories flooded back when I found your webpage! I built many ZN414 radios when at school (1974 - 78) for various people (including teachers!). I built one for a tech. drawing teacher while at college (1978 - 82) and got 100% in the test that followed a couple of weeks later, a feat which I never repeated. I'm not saying that the radio had anything to do with it, though!!! I also bought the Ladybird book "Making a Transistor Radio" back in 1972 (and remember going into WH Smith and buying it!), which I still have somewhere. I find it from time to time, then lose it again. I never managed to get it fully working though. It worked upto adding the 2nd transistor, but adding the speaker and regeneration section seemed to kill it. I had (and still have somewhere) most of the parts, so I may have another bash at it. I think I may have had the wrong value of choke - I assumed it was 1 or 10mH. What was the value? Can you let me know please? (It is 4.7 mH - Mike) The whole reinterest was spawned this morning by my daughter who has asked me to build a matchbox radio, so we visited my local Maplin shop to see what components I could get. The ferrite rod & 32 SWG wire was out of stock (nothing new for them, then....), but got a tuning cap & MK484 chip. I routed through the loft & gleaned a ferrite rod & wire from an abandoned MSF receiver project, so I'm up for a bit of construction! I was browsing the net for circuits and
landed on your
page.
Brilliant!
Kind regards, John
Davies.
(November 2004) John also adds in a subsequent e-mail: I dug a bit deeper in the loft and found the Ladybird book. A bit battered, but found it. Brilliant!! I did a search on the net for this and found it for sale at £38. The price on the back is 15p. 15p!!!!!!! I love the drawings in there. Beautifully done and very detailled. Unfortunately my copy will probably still be worth 15p as I drew in it and put a map of where I lived at the time, just in case it went walkies. Well, it's the sort of thing you do when your 10 years old. I found an OC45 [transistor used in the Ladybird Radio circuit], still complete with paint. I'll use this in the first stage and the BC212 transistors as the amps. I also found the OC71's, but remember scraping the paint off to make phototransistors at some stage (Bum!). They were encapsulated in clear gel. I found another OC45 partially scraped, but this had light blue gel. Talking of small radios, I used to have a commercial AM only superhet, which measured around 3" square and about 3/4" deep and ran from a single AA cell. It was quite loud for it's size and the battery used to last forever. A mate borrowed it and it ended up in a bucket of water. I never forgave him for that. |
| Andy Warner also writes
about the LADYBIRD
RADIO
project: I just stumbled
across your ladybird AM radio page (while tracking down MK484/ZN414
info.) I remember building that. I also remember a design in
another book that was based around 'chocolate block' connectors. It was
also OC71/OA81-based, but was a 2 transistor design with
headphone output. Anyway, I wanted to say thanks for putting the page
up, I'm thinking of adding the ladybird radio to the long list of
projects that may get done someday. Andy Warner. (Sept 2004)
|
| Richard Wenner writes: Well done on a truly wonderful web site! I love the Internet - meet folk turned on by the important things in life - such as antenna feeds! I did a degree in Electronic Engineering with RF at Southampton University and was the first elected radio station manager of Radio Glen - a Hall radio station there.... We have now applied for an RSL (see http://pirate.cardiffschools.net ) to broadcast from a Lightship in Cardiff Bay in 2005 (as part of Cardiffs celebration of being the Capital of Wales for 50 years. We have a load of good contacts in the BBC and intend to turn our station into a "for God sake look after your BBC" station - reflecting your views entirely. The BEEB needs our support. ( http://media.cardiffschools.net ) Yours, Richard. (Sept 2004) Good luck with your radio endeavours Richard, and well done for your support of the BBC and public service broadcasting! |
| Nick
Hutchings kindly wrote in concerning long wave radio reception in
Denmark: Hi Mike, Just a short mail
to say thanks for the recipe I found on your site (via Google) for
making a long wave antenna. Living in Denmark but being
addicted
to Radio 4 can be an awkward combination. I have also bought
a
Sony 7600GR, so I can listen to World Service, on the occasions I tire
of Testmatch Special.
One of these days I will get my act together and build a rig that allows me to listen to radio over the broadband, anywhere in the house. Regards, Nick Hutchings. (Sept 2004) [ The Long Wave Frame Aerial project can be found HERE ] |
| David Taylor has written
in asking
for some more information about crystal sets: I've just a very
enjoyable hour reading the pages of your website. I had been
wondering what had happened to Lowe (I have a HF-150) as they seemed to
have disappeared from the shelves . . .now I know!!
One of my all time favourite childhood projects was a crystal set published in Everyday Electronics magazine in what was probably the early 80s. It was a very simple device built on terminal blocks and provided me with my first insight into the world of SWL. [I would like] to be able to build [the set] again. I lost the original magazine article and have been looking ever since. I would be eternally grateful if [you could reproduce the article] on your site. Many thanks, David. (July 2004) You can now see my revised version of the Experimental Crystal Set project HERE! |
| Jim Simmons dropped
MDS975 a note
regarding the
resistor and capacitor colour code
page: Great page, good explanations, and very
good photo's. Good for the beginner as well as those that
have
been around for a while (me).
Thanks for the great work.
Jim |
| R. Natarajan also
commented on the resistor and capacitor
colour code
page: Hi ! Thanks a lot
for providing
such a useful information which I was looking for.
regards, Natraj.
Thanks to Jim and Natraj for writing in! |
| Martyn Elmy
writes on the subject
of radio coverage in Suffolk: Hi,
very interseting site! Do you have coverage maps for BBC
Radio
Suffolk and The Beach?
[Also] do you have any information on the AM Stereo tests made by the IBA at radio Orwell's Foxhall Heath transmitters in the late 70's? Well Martin, the answers can now be found HERE! |
|
Here is a
message from Mike
Thompson, who is a radio enthusiast and found our radio pages quite
helpful: Hello, Stopped to see your site today and found it extremely helpful. My poor brain has never quite been good enough to grasp all that much theory about aerials...etc....but I'm about to sling a long wire to a mast in my garden..and it reminds me when I was about 10 years old..(am now 67)..when I tied a rock to a wire and hurled it high up into an old garden oak tree and then fed the other end into my bedroom window...(end of world war 2 period i suppose). I have had an Eddystone short wave valve set over the years...which has served me very well up to now with just a shortish wire (aerial) in the attic!!! However with my now advancing years I have decided to grasp the nettle...and do a proper job...(smiles). Thanks so much for a very good web site. My best wishes..(73s).. to you both. Mike Thompson. Lancashire, UK. |
|
Well Hi, I visited your page while searching for some information about aerials for my 'new' (26 year old) radio. I got it for a six-pack of Aussie VB beer. I think I found what I need as a beginner. I want to thank you for your page, with special thanks for the things you like. Spike Milligan is my greatest idol, I have almost all of his books, and the GOONS are and will be breaking my heart forever. Fawlty Towers is another show that I prize greatly. I am in my early fifties with wife and two daughters...and retired - so I am trying to do the things of my dreams now. Best wishes and thanks, Andrew Well good luck with all your dreams - I'll drink to that! |
|
Great personal
web site, well set
out, links good, pics great, articles brill! May your site
ever
increase!! Cheers, John Fletcher Thanks John, I'll do my best, but I am rapidly eating through my free web space!! |
|
Just a brief email to say
how much I enjoyed
looking at your website and the diversity of topics it covers. I
stumbled across it while doing a search for articles about short wave
radio. I also have a Lowe HF-225 receiver which is still going strong
after 12-13 years and I can't imagine parting with it. I
notice
they still fetch about half of their original price on the
second-hand market even now, brilliant piece of kit. I also have taken to DAB digital
radio. I concur
with your comments about sound quality, generally good, but it's
unfortunate that in order to increase station choice, the bit rate has
been reduced in some instances and that has affected the quality of the
sound available, particularly noticeable through a revealing
Hi-Fi
system. It's a trade-off like so many things I guess. Let's hope the
broadcasters avoid the temptation to use compression as they
do on
FM.
I work in the I.T industry... I know a
couple of people
who have embraced Linux in a big way - I can understand why as I also
maintain a Unix system at work and I haven't rebooted it in months -
it's that stable I haven't needed to. You can't say that about many
Microsoft [Windows)] based platforms can you?
I have grown up with both cats and dogs
and like them
both. We've had moggies, Siamese, Burmese etc, the oriental breeds are
particularly characterful, very vocal and usually full of finely judged
mischief! I now have a mog called Cassie who is a white
female
bruiser of a cat with ears like old bus tickets; she is quite
aggressive
towards other cats but very affectionate and very much a lap cat when
indoors.
Anyway,
keep up the good work and all the best. Jon Bignall
Thank you Jon, very kind. I love your comment about your cat Cassie having "ears like old bus tickets" brilliant! |
| Thanks for a most interesting
site and
allowing me some moments of nostalgia. [Regarding the Oxford
mast]
I served at Beckley [Oxford] from at its opening 1962/63 but on Friday
16th have the priviledge of attending, in Shetland, the fortieth
anniversary of the opening of BBC TV & VHF from Bressay which
opened
on Wednesday 15th April 1964. Hopefully I might manage some
photographs of Bressay which might be of interest for your site and
will
send these on later. Best regards and keep up the good work, Dave Stephen Dave, Thanks for taking the trouble to write and for the excellent photographs of Bressay which are now displayed in the Masts And Towers section. |
|
I've
just been
goggling for some
information on the Le Cars antenna which I live near here in
France. My wife thinks I'm slightly mad to go around taking
pictures of antennae on top of high hills but it's all part of being a
radio amateur! (G6ZKC/F). Thanks again, Dave Usher
Thank you very much Dave. Glad you enjoy the hobby too - so I'm not the only mad one! |
| I
was just looking for a ZN416 circuit to see whether I could make the
chip work
on 60 KHz for
MSF, and I came across your TRF page. It's very charming, cogent and
well-done. It gave me pleasure. Thank you. Nigel Good luck with your project Nigel. |
| I'm so glad
your site
has a section defending the BBC. It is of course a shadow of
its
former self in terms of programmes, but we have so many friends who
really resent paying the licence fee, and to whom it cannot be
explained
that radio and TV are difficult to fund in any other way without the
price rising to Sky levels. Most of them buy the Telegraph
and
Mail (on continuous order) but their gripe seems to be that they can't
choose on a particular day whether to "buy" the BBC or not.
If it
cost the same as a quality paper I'd have a little sympathy, but it is
FAR cheaper, does not carry advertising to supplement its income, and
has no political axe to grind. Martin. Devon (I could not agree more, Martin. Mike) |
| Neil also wrote
on the subject of the BBC: I'm as worried as
you about the threat to the BBC. My TV will be going through a window
somewhere if the BBC is dismantled. The Americanisation of the UK will
be complete. God help us all! I am wondering if you know of any
established group anywhere who may be coordinating a campaign to fight
for the Beeb before it is too late.
That is a good question, Neil. I wonder if anyone can inform us of such a group or organisation. |
| John writes on
the subject of Lowe radios: Mike,
I just found your excellent web site after I did a search for the Lowe
HF 225. I own several Lowe receivers including the
HF 225
& HF 150 Europas and regular HF 225's & HF 150's plus
the
complete three piece 150 rack set up (PR 150 & SP 150 mounted
in
the
special Lowe rack). These Lowe's are fun to use.
You
have one of
the finest Lowe sites I've ever seen, good work! I very much enjoyed
viewing your site.
John T. Wagner, USA Thank you John, you are most kind. I found very little on the www about these fine receivers, so I felt duty bound to add a few pages with what material I had. Glad you liked it. |
| Hi, I'm Pete from
Coventry, great web site, really interesting &
amusing. I'm
glad I found it by accident while surfing. I also
really
enjoy Mike Dickin, which causes me serious mental turmoil as it clashes
with Ed [Doolan], I won't say who wins ;-) Best regards, Pete (I am glad you found my little offering by accident too Pete!) |
| Steve e-mailed from
Southend on Sea
and
kindly writes: Just looked at your website. I
love radio, and
have been involved in it, one way or another, for many years.
I
like the idea of the animals on the site. I have two retired
greyhounds (pictures at http://www.eastbeach.co.uk).
Fully agree with your campaign to save
the BBC. I
generally listen to them on Digital Radio now, and listen more and more
to BBC7. A lot of effort has clearly gone into your site.
Best wishes, Steve Roberston |
|
Just a line to say
that I like your website. I have written about it in the March edition
of Radio Active [magazine]....[here] is what I wrote in Radio
Active: " Mike Smith has a marathon website....combining his dual interests of broadcasting and photography, Mike has produced a work of art, packed to the gunnels with fascinating facts and figures. The early history of radio is well covered, and brought up to date with plenty of information about DAB radio (with links to websites selling them and transmitter coverage maps etc). There are photos and ideas on various aerials to use, including a large medium wave loop. There is also a BBC Engineering fact sheet scanned in for you to construct an FM aerial. Get started now and you should be ready for the spring tropospherics and summer sporadic E conditions" Best wishes, Chris Brand. Chris Brand's own comprehensive website can be found at: http://members.tripod.co.uk/chrisbrand1977 |
| Just had a look at the
interesting contructional circuits you have on your site.
Well
done in what you have got up and running, I was in the same position in
March of these year and it is time consumming but addictive.
Will
link to you from www.vintageradio.me.uk within a few
days. Keep up the good work. Its never complete!
Maurice Woodhead. |
| I found your site
on the net using a
search engine and yours was one of several that came up. I
have
passed your site on to others...all the best and well done. Catherine (December 2003) |
| ... thanks for a
great resource page! Bob Sillett (January 2004) http://www.shortwavelog.com |
|
Brian e-mailed
from Australia about the pirate stations: I remember pirate radio and it's birth, probably the happiest days of my life, but still a pirate radio fanatic living in Australia. I remember when Radio Caroline was advertising for dj's and I sent an audition tape! I just love music and wanted to work on Caroline, but my submission was not successful! it didn't worry me, I still had the pleasure of the pirate stations, I even joined the Caroline club! I still have very many happy memories of pirate radio and my late teens in London...I am always wishing if only the years could be turned back, I would happily return to London in a flash....Australia is so slow and behind music wise....but my dreams of happiness always will be with pirate radio and the happy times I had and what pirate radio gave me... So many thanks have to be sent to the people who worked on the ships and the forts in such bad weather to bring us so much good music, they were really were the unseen heroes of pirate radio. I may be 63 but the happiness you gave me (has) kept me young (and) I miss you all. Brian. (February 2004) |