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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

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Old 6th Mar 2021, 12:22 pm   #1
ChristianFletcher
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Default Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

In a previous post it was mentioned that this is a forum for vintage radio discussions and not for vintage automotive discussion. I quite agree and support this policy. Apparently many of us on here share a love of vintage automobile as well as radio. From my observations and discussion with other forum members I believe that is correct.

This made me think whether or not I am a vintage enthusiast or a radio enthusiast. I have no interest in working on transistor radio or modern radio. I have no interest on working or maintaining a modern automobile but happy to spend time under my old car I have no interest in fixing a modern TV but am loving working on my 405 line TV.

So I guess I’m a vintage enthusiast rather than a radio enthusiast. Now obviously it’s not so black and white as that.

I suspect we are all different but are you a radio enthusiast, a vintage enthusiast or a electronics enthusiast. I am all three but I think vintage is quite key to me doing what I do. Does anyone have any thoughts? and could it be polled?
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Last edited by ChristianFletcher; 6th Mar 2021 at 12:28 pm. Reason: No need to mention type
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 1:25 pm   #2
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Default Re: Vintage or Radio enthusiast

I am an enthusiast of anything that does something useful. I tend towards older stuff because it is visualy understandable and fixable, chips are OK but a lot is hidden under the hood. Big steam engines, big as in they have staircases for access, are wonderful.
 
Old 6th Mar 2021, 1:37 pm   #3
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Default Re: Vintage or Radio enthusiast

I'm a radio-enthusiast who just happens to like old [communications] radios; I'm not really interested in 'vintage' mechanical-stuff, historic analog phones, or vintage entertainment-media [give me online streaming to my phone/computer over VHS/compact-cassettes/CDs/open-reel-tape/45s/78s/LPs any day!]
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 3:30 pm   #4
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

That’s interesting to mention the styling of radios. There are an awful lot of radio that are vintage but I still wouldn’t want in my collection as they as not aesthetically pleasing to me. I do like ones of that have Art Deco styling features. I do also favour communication receivers but they have to look good as 99 percent of the time a radio is furniture. So I guess performance isn’t really an issue for me either provided I can get a tune out of it. I do like to see opposite opinions to my own.

I enjoy doing the repairs more than using the equipment itself. So it must be the vintage nostalgia thing for me. It’s actually quite hard to define why we like something’s and not others. I’m not a fan of the majority of british radios as most are sad and drab boxes with little or no aesthetic attraction. The American and French radios have style.
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 4:14 pm   #5
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

I'm pretty well with Merlin.

I would say I'm interested in history and antiques/'retro' [horrible word but I can't think of a better one] items are part of that. Old radios are simply one type of old item. In fact I've a greater practical interest in old telephones and tools. As for those wheeled things of which we dare not speak I've never had the desire to own one of any age.
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 4:48 pm   #6
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

It's just a matter of keeping things separate so that anyone having a search in the future will know where to find things. The forum has separate sections for tellies, radios, audio etc. and no-one's stressed about having to pick the right one.... it's simply a case of the car sections being on other fora

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Old 6th Mar 2021, 4:49 pm   #7
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

My interest is primarily vintage electrical/electronic technology, within which my main area these days is telephones and telecommunications, as well as computer hardware and software. As well as radio and television, I do to a lesser extent take an interest in mechanical objects.

My route into BVWS and subsequently this forum was through 405-line television (which was my emphasis at the time), having joined 405-alive shortly before it was subsumed into the BVWS.
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 5:13 pm   #8
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

In my case very much 'vintage technology enthusiast'. Valve radios are one aspect of that. Tape recorders another. Classic computers another. Film cameras, mechanical calculating machines, slide rules, etc are others.

I tolerate IC's, but given the choice I'll pick a computer with a processor built from simple TTL logic chips over a microprocessor ever time.
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 5:28 pm   #9
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

I think I must fall into the "Vintage" category. My primary interest is electronics but I have also restored a miners safety lamp and have just picked up a vintage Smiths mechanical kitchen timer to repair.

Peter
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 5:59 pm   #10
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

Hello,

Interesting question.

I suppose I just like old electronics, that is radios (any), amplifiers (hi-fi and guitar) and other gadgets etc. from an Ekco AD65 to a Leak Stereo 70. A few of the latest gadgets I have got my grubby mitts on are a KB Toaster, Pair of Rogers LS3/6 speakers and a PYE Super Black Box so I’d fall in the Vintage Technology Enthusiast.

Although my first interest as a kid was old radio’s, which meant a misspent youth going to local jumble sales and the Council tip (when you could still get stuff at the local tip). This is now replaced with Sawpmeet and Audiojumble doing the same but open to any piece of electronic kit that floats my boat

Quite happy with modern technology, although I do end up shouting at it though. The workshop radio is a Roberts Revival radio streaming Radio Caroline off the net, although it does drive a valve amplifier with a two-way bookshelf speaker sitting under the bench!

I spent the first few years of my working life in pro and musical instrument audio, although I have spent the last 31 years in UK Hi-Fi which meant working with vinyl and digital gear – crikey, shoosh, best keep quiet about that one which is a bit of a vintage and modern technology environment?

Ps. Couldn’t resist a Sinclair ZX81 in a local Charity store recently so add computers to the list!

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Old 6th Mar 2021, 6:03 pm   #11
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

What annoys me is the "if you are interested in X you must also like Y" thing [as illustrated by some simplistic Internet advertising algorithms] - this really doesn't work well on me. An acquaintance got to hear I was 'interested in old radios' and spent the next 15 minutes telling me about his fascination with steam-trains: until I told him I rather disliked trains.

One other thing I don't really understand is 'vintage enthusiasts' who amass vast collections of their-particular-thing - often expensively restored - but *they never use them* - they just have them on display [sometimes in silly glass display cabinets]. To me, my old communications-receivers, transmitters etc. are there-to-be-used-on-a-daily-basis, not reverentially admired or worshipped but never turned on.
"It is better to wear-out than to rust-out" as someone once said.
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 8:21 pm   #12
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

Quote:
Originally Posted by G6Tanuki View Post
To me, my old communications-receivers, transmitters etc. are there-to-be-used-on-a-daily-basis, not reverentially admired or worshipped but never turned on.
I think the importance to me of having many old and curious things about the house relates in some measure to the reason I strongly prefer to live among the various architectural styles of an old town rather than in the middle of a new industrial estate: there's just, to me, much more of interest for the eye to rest on and the mind to be nourished by.

Years have gone by since I last did anything much by way of repair or restoration - there are a few radios here (Murphy A40C, Perdio Marco Polo, Sony CRF320) which I would quite like to experience and be able to use in full working order, so that's the spur which may yet drive me to servicing them. Outside of such exceptional items, I can't figure out why I should mind a whit sharing a room with a few dozen radios that aren't ready to work as long as I've access to one or two that are. I doubt there's a great deal to choose between basic 1931 TRFs, say, so having heard and used a few I'm in no hurry to hear or use any more, but I still like to see them around. My 2020 laptop spends much of its time connected to a 2001 DAB radio to afford a tolerable quality of sound, while a 1938 Belling Champion beside me keeps me warm. Whatever works...

Paul
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Old 6th Mar 2021, 9:12 pm   #13
ChristianFletcher
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Default Re: Vintage Technology Enthusiast or Radio Enthusiast?

I just had a thought that is perhaps an echo from a post above. Perhaps we like vintage stuff because we can repair it unlike so much modern equipment that’s isn’t repairable for so many reasons. I am quite surprised that many people like me really do favour the vintage part as much as the radio part of the hobby. Although as someone said above I originally came here for radio repairs then moved on to test equipment for ten years I have now come back to valve radio and most recently 405 line television. It’s been a fun journey.
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