Neon crucifix bulb

[humphrey]

I found this weird neon on another radio site. http://www.tsf-radio.org/forum/forum...ow=85453#85672
Its halfway down the page.

[matthewhouse]

These are still made for various uses in churches and so on.

[Steve_P]

Quite rare now it seems. Pity as I rather want one.

Cheers,

Steve P.

[matthewhouse]

I have the website bookmarked somewhere that sells these, though I think they were in bulbs with a drooping peaked top.

[Steve_P]

Please....

Cheers,

Steve P.

[matthewhouse]

I knew I didn't imagine it! Here you go Steve, only £3.85 with the VAT. I don't know where to buy vintage ones though, these are brand new...

[Steve_P]

Thank-you! That'll do for now. I'm sure an old one will turn up on Ebay at some time, but these will do fine.

Cheers,

Steve P.

[humphrey]

Its just what I need for my capacitor reformer project. Now I will be able to pray that it works.

[David G4EBT]

Originally Posted by humphrey

I found this weird neon on another radio site. http://www.tsf-radio.org/forum/forum...ow=85453#85672
Its halfway down the page.

Drifting of topic somewhat, for what it's worth, loosley translated into English, the text which accompanied the picture of the neon cross on the French radio enthusiasts' website, means:

"Among your lamps (bulbs), would have neon lights with a crucifix inside?
(Indifferent mark, indifferent reference, indifferent voltage)". IE, the one shown had no identification, and no voltage or manufacturer stated.

That was in reply to the initial positing from a collector who was downsizing his collection of more than 3,000 bulbs, collected over a period of 45 years, asking him if he had a neon cross in his collection.

Again, a loose translation of the initial message from the collector into English is, quote:

"Copy of information passed on to other radio operator sites. Decreasing my radio activities and collection, I'm thus decreasing my stock of lamps (from the 1930 to the 1960s.) I don't have time to make a listing of more than 3000 lamps which I have kept and collected for 45 years!!! Many are new - others very little used (for tests; all are tested and guaranteed in the original characteristics of the manufacturer). Thus if you have any needs ask what you seek, I will let you know if I have them and the condition. I prefer to offer to fellow-members rather than put this advertisement on google".

End quote.

(Not a word for word literal translation, which would make little grammatical sense in English). The postings on that forum which followed are quite interesting - eg: "why not stick 'em on e-bay - nothing could be simpler?!! (that would go down well on this forum (not!), and "How much for the whole 3,000?".

The forum title "TSF-Radio" reflects the way that in English we use the terms 'wireless' and 'radio'. TSF in French is 'telegraphie sans fils' - telegraph without wires - equivalent to our 'wireless'. Like us, they also use 'radio' as an interchangeable word. Wire, thread or cord is 'fil', plural is fils, not to be confused with fils - son. ('Telegraph without sons'? It doesn't quite work does it?)

I'm not trying to impress anyone with my rudimentrary French BTW. I know my place - my three Anglo-French granddaughters continually reproach me saying "Why are you talking silly Granddad - why don't you just speak English, then we can understand you".

Ho hum - out of the mouths of babes

David,
G4EBT

[Tazman1966]

LMAO Humphrey

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by David G4EBT

I'm thus decreasing my stock of lamps (from the 1930 to the 1960s.) I don't have time to make a listing of more than 3000 lamps which I have kept and collected for 45 years!!!

I haven't checked the original so can't comment on your translation generally, but 'lampe' is the standard French term for a valve (vacuum tube). This person will be disposing of a valve hoard, not a huge stock of old light bulbs.

Paul

[David G4EBT]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for reading my posting and for your comments.

Yes, I realised that when I looked at the other postings asking what stock he had. Most of them were looking for valves - not 'lamps' as in bulbs - it is after all, a radio enthusists forum, but I think the query asking if he had neon lamps took the thread in a different direction.

A bit like the two Ronnies sketch - "got any 'Os?"

Another posting mentioned that the neon crosses are still currently available from specialist suppliers, intended mainly for use in Catholic churches as "eternal lights' to signifiy the omnipresence of Jesus, and by devout Catholics at home.

That posting also mentions other neon lamps such a Masonic symbols (I wouldn't know!) and such things as the @ sign, and others used in 'cyber cafes' etc. That poster says he has a few 'figurative neon lamps' which he'd be interested in exchanging for "radio lamps".

I'm a bit of a nixie tube fan - I've made a couple of nixie clocks - one for myself and one for my son, which are always conversation pieces. I'm sure the 'electricstuff' nixie clock site has been mentioned before, but it's worth a look:

http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/nixclock.html

I still use a nixie tube frequency counter which I built in 1976 using nixie tubes, which works up to 200 MHz. It was largely built on Veroboard, which is useless for high frequencies of course. However the input circuit divides by four, then by ten, before the signal goes to the rest of the counter circuitry, so even at 200 MHz input, that's a maximum of 5 MHz. (I also built the PW 'Robin' designed by forum member Mike Rowe, AKA "Swordholder" but that used seven segment displays).

I guess that one day it will all end up in a skip as 'granddad's junk', but hopefully not too soon - my wish is to die young, as old as I can. I tell my kids that I haven't yet decided what I want to be when I grow up yet. They in turn tell me that the clinical term for this is 'regression'. I wouldn't know - I'm not a doctor. (I blame the parents).

David,
G4EBT

[XTC]

They also made these lamps with a Star of David Electrode, so Humphrey, you could fit one of each and cover your bets.

There's a selection on this web page, including the Osglim mentioned a few days back on another thread.

http://www.freewebs.com/lamps009/

I like the Coronation neon.

Somewhere I have a pre-war mains tester with big + and - electrodes.

Pete.

[georgesgiralt]

Hi Lads,
As a French, I can tell you that English valves are generally called "tubes" in French or "lampes". Valves term is actually used in French but denotes a rectifier type (or a diode) at it let the current run in only one way.
So for a radio set using valves, you'll find, in French,
"une radio à tubes" or "une radio à lampes" the latter being more common in general people's tongue; A technician would favour the first term to avoid the confusion with the lightning bulb which is called "lampe"...
Simple, isn't it ;-)
TSF is deprecated as it often denotes a pre WWII set. On this forum they use the term on purpose as often there are threads about very old valve sets. Or early Philips TSF ;-)
Radio comes from "radiodiffusion" which, as everything since Louis XVI, get shortened in France... Same for télé from télévision...
Hope this will help your future searches...

[newlite4]

I quite like using the Habitat "Filly" range of neon lamps:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...26tbs%3Disch:1

They are very good when new, the cathodes are painted with phosphors that flouresce green and red. After a few weeks, the phosphors deplete resulting in just an orange glow followed by blackening of the glass envelope . Still, the effect is good while it lasts.
Neil