UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

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

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 24th Dec 2020, 1:45 pm   #1
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Christmas memories "in the trade".

For many of us Christmas in the trade was a very busy time.
Many service calls as the customer "wanted their rented set "to have a service for christmas.
Last minute service calls on christmas eve to some outlying village in the back of beyond when you wanted to just get home to the family.
Customers in the shop queuing up to buy portable TVs and video recorders, hi fi equipment , computers ,and the husband who rushed in last thing to buy anything you had left for her indoors!

Whats your best or worse Christmas memory of being in the trade?.
__________________
Oh I've had that for years dear!!
electronicskip is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 1:47 pm   #2
kalee20
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
Posts: 7,061
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

So, the rush for the skills of Smithy and Dick was very much reality then?
kalee20 is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 1:50 pm   #3
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

Haha yes indeed i would have to say .
__________________
Oh I've had that for years dear!!
electronicskip is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 1:55 pm   #4
G6Tanuki
Dekatron
 
G6Tanuki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

The antenna-rigger I used for two-way radio stuff was always mega-busy the month before xmas with people wanting a new antenna/second-antenna-for-another-TV. December's really not the time-of-year to be climbing around on the wet roof of a 3-storey house waving a Jaybeam about.

Throw in some autumnal gales for added fun and he definitely earned the half-case-of-whisky I sometimes had to give him as a reward for letting my clients with business-radios queue-jump the telly-aerial jobs.
G6Tanuki is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 4:11 pm   #5
peterpixel
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 209
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

Who remembers the last minute record player/tape recorder repairs.Out of devilment we used to say to the customer something like "very bad timing breaking down at Christmas" and we would get a reply like "oh it went off last New Years Day".This was quite common and it said a lot about the use of said equipment.Peter.
peterpixel is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 4:25 pm   #6
G6Tanuki
Dekatron
 
G6Tanuki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

Quote:
Originally Posted by peterpixel View Post
Who remembers the last minute record player/tape recorder repairs.Out of devilment we used to say to the customer something like "very bad timing breaking down at Christmas" and we would get a reply like "oh it went off last New Years Day".This was quite common and it said a lot about the use of said equipment.Peter.
That was surely an "upsell moment" - along the lines of "We can't fit your repair in until the 30th Februaryat the earliest - have you seen the FerguSonySonic DX-3000E? With dual SCART, NICAM stereo sound, extended-play and 28-day recording-timer? Yours for only £399 and you can take it home today".

If they showed interest but were concerned about the cost, you would of course point them at the finance-options. It was quite common to make more profit from the 'easy terms' commission than what you made on selling the TV/VCR.
G6Tanuki is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 4:27 pm   #7
mickm3for
Heptode
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Chatham, Kent, UK.
Posts: 947
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

Hi dont forget xmas morning knock on door " my tellys gon off can you come and fix it " ? Mick
mickm3for is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 4:38 pm   #8
G6Tanuki
Dekatron
 
G6Tanuki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickm3for View Post
Hi dont forget xmas morning knock on door " my tellys gon off can you come and fix it " ? Mick
In my day it was more like "Can you come round? Little Jimmy's been given a ZX80 and we can't work out how to connect it".

My answer was along the lines of "No - would you expect the technical director of British Airways to help you book a flight?"
G6Tanuki is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 5:31 pm   #9
Malcolm G6ANZ
Octode
 
Malcolm G6ANZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 1,030
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

A colleague was on call of the main Bristol hospital (BRI) over the Christmas period. The bleep went off at 13:00 while he was in the middle of lunch. The fault relating to the call wasn't urgent but the registrar wanted him in 'NOW'. He was politely told to wait an hour.
I have been lucky and not been called out on Christmas Day as the cancer centre doesn't treat that day, but they do treat Boxing day and New Year's day, both of which I have had callouts on. Usually a simple fault but with Linacs any fault will stop the treatment.
Malcolm G6ANZ is offline  
Old 24th Dec 2020, 6:02 pm   #10
John10b
Nonode
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Posts: 2,869
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Being an Apprentice in the mid-fifteens my job at Christmas was the Tree Lights, I must have spent hours getting them sorted and tracing that faulty bulb!
John
John10b is online now  
Old 25th Dec 2020, 12:01 am   #11
Wendymott
Octode
 
Wendymott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,782
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

One Xmas eve..... about 68... a customer in the blackest of black spots for ITV CH10, Addinham nr Ilkley, No ITV.... rental..The building was part of a large terrace, with a double sloped roof, thus the wooden roof ladder was not an option....fortunately I was the apprentice and didnt have to leave the ground...the engineer and the Boss tried everything.....it was dark... cold.... and 6.30pm... and it didnt end there... we were back... guess... yep New Years Eve......Left a bit... back.... tilt it up... no down... left a bit...
__________________
Should get out more.

Regards
Wendy G8BZY
Wendymott is offline  
Old 25th Dec 2020, 12:20 am   #12
Richard_FM
Nonode
 
Richard_FM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 2,000
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

I remember being told of someone who had to find an engineer on Christmas day & kept ringing all the ones listed in their local Yellow Pages until they found someone who was willing to come out.

This "repair" didn't last long & the owner managed to get their usual engineer, who found that the tuner had been replaced by another from a totally different set, which was fudged in with all the wiring twisted together & covered with sellotape!
__________________
Hello IT: Have you Tried Turning It Off & On Again?
Richard_FM is online now  
Old 25th Dec 2020, 11:34 am   #13
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Wading through scores of Amstrad Tower systems ordered before Christmas and making sure they all functioned correctly in case we "ruined" Christmas for little Johnny if it turned out to be faulty!
__________________
Oh I've had that for years dear!!
electronicskip is offline  
Old 25th Dec 2020, 12:13 pm   #14
David Simpson
Nonode
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Right enough, everyone wanted their Radios, TV's & HiFi's in tip top condition for Christmas. Particularly in the Highlands, with super hoolies as a regular feature on Scottish TV. Jimmy Shand, the Alexander Brothers, The Corries, and don't forget the Crankies.
But then, heffing winter storms could scupper that if the "Electric" was off. Either just one or two houses or crofts or a whole village. Winter of '79 - as an emergency linesman with the Hydro-Board, called out at 8am on Christmas morn, and flogged on for 8 - 10hrs/day till 5pm on New Year's eve. 'Twas difficult to refuse a wee dram at every household visited. Held out till a visit to the home of John Ridgeway. He was away on some yachting adventure, and his wife & wee daughter left at home. Me & the full-time linesman "walked in" over moss & moor(no proper road, even for a landrover), replaced a broken cable, then invited in for a cuppa & grub. Then the next door neighbour called in with a bottle of malt - and we succumbed. Three hours later, Marie-Christine rowed us back across the loch to the landrover. It wasn't far to my house, but the F/T guy - Lachie, had 50 miles to drive back to Bonar Bridge. Happy days.

Regards, David
David Simpson is offline  
Old 25th Dec 2020, 12:41 pm   #15
Ted Kendall
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
Default Re: Christmas memories"in the trade"

Quote:
Originally Posted by kalee20 View Post
So, the rush for the skills of Smithy and Dick was very much reality then?
I remember the story when Dick spent most of Christmas Eve raiding "some old set" for bits to do the stack of repairs, only to find it was Smithy's cherished hot-rod...!
Ted Kendall is offline  
Old 26th Dec 2020, 6:56 am   #16
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Here is a compilation of Christmas adverts including Comet, Currys ,Rumbelows, Boots, HMV and others.
Many items here I remember selling at Christmas , and many came back afterwards too!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJnN26bzYec

all circa 1990s
__________________
Oh I've had that for years dear!!
electronicskip is offline  
Old 26th Dec 2020, 9:34 am   #17
raditechman
Heptode
 
raditechman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: West London, UK.
Posts: 865
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Working for Rediffusion we were open at Christmas, the only concession being that we had the morning off, I liked working Christmas Day as good day to call on people as lots of cash tips for getting their rental television working again

John
raditechman is offline  
Old 26th Dec 2020, 10:20 am   #18
jonnybear
Octode
 
jonnybear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK.
Posts: 1,434
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Back in the 60's when I was an apprentice in a small Radio/TV shop we had to do every thing thrown at us, I remember one incident when a customer came in Christmas eve saying her aerial had blown down, Fred and I loaded up the old Standard Van and set off with aluminium ladder wooden batten roof ladder and a couple of bags of straw. We had just removed the old aerial and fitting the lashings Fred said (I don't Believe it) she had lit a coal fire, Fred immediately stuffed straw sack in chimney where it stayed until job was done, when we came down off the roof customer came out of a smoky house saying her fire was smoking Fred replied that he had noticed a bird nest in the chimney and had removed it, the woman thanked Fred and gave him a two and sixpence tip.
happy days.
john
jonnybear is offline  
Old 27th Dec 2020, 11:36 am   #19
SiriusHardware
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,484
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

Quote:
Originally Posted by jonnybear View Post
Fred immediately stuffed straw sack in chimney where it stayed until job was done...
john
With hindsight, quite a dangerous thing to do given the potential for CO poisoning or even just incapacity due to smoke inhalation but we were all a lot less acutely aware of those dangers back then.

My first job was working in a radio and TV shop, working on everything except TV as it happens but I was the extra pair of hands when a very large TV needed to be taken back to an address in Tynemouth, which was about as posh as suburbs on Tyneside got. It was a day or so before Christmas.

When we knocked on the door the lady of the house took one look at us and started laying a trail of sheets of newspaper from the front door to our destination within the house. Of course, loaded up to the limit as we already were, it only made our progress more hazardous as as skidded and slipped on the loose newspapers. She was lucky we didn't drop it.
SiriusHardware is offline  
Old 27th Dec 2020, 12:01 pm   #20
phut bang
Triode
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales, UK.
Posts: 47
Default Re: Christmas memories "in the trade".

I remember two children turning up at my house saying their TV had gone off and their mother wanted to know if i could repair it, now having been to this house before many months before and explained the TV a black and white Bush dual standard was ready for the bin then, I thought here we go again. Anyway when I got there the dual standard Bush had been replaced by another Bush dual standard recently paid £30 quid for it at the time in the 80's when they were just being thrown in the bin or given away. I thought it would be better with a more up to date TV. Back home I went, I had two Bush 774 chassis TV's one with a brand new tube in but faulty and another working but tube gone, so there I was Christmas day swapping tube over to working TV. An hour later back to the house with working TV and I gave it to her. Everyone happy and wished her a happy Christmas.
__________________
Adjust the volume for maximum smoke!
phut bang is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:40 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.