Arecibo radio telescope collapse. - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

dave walsh · 6th Dec 2020, 2:41 pm

That's right Richard [post 19*] a "canny" and persuasive chap! The story is that he was only interested in playing Cricket as a young man but then he went to a lecture on Maths or Physics and the rest was [his] history, as they say. I'm seriously confusing myself in a way. I must have bought "The Story of Jodrell Bank" by Sir Bernard in 1968 [not the nineties] as I'm sure I have a first edition plus a sequel which came out much later on. None of the other books I've looked at on-line seem to be that one but I can't check it out until I'm able to go back to Ramsbottom where they are parked

If I'm allowed a story, I used to take my three young lads out to the "Dish" as one of [my] favourite outings. It was exciting at first, a bit like nearing Blackpool Tower but eventually turned into- "Not Jodrell Bank... again!". However it is near the Edge, a prominent sandstone cliff with a view south out towards Birmingham and the "Wizard" Pub is nearby. The author Alan Garner had a house in the woods and his children's books relate to the area, so that helped. I met him on one occasion but not Sir B.... unfortunately!

There was then a life sized simulacrum of a famous Scientist sitting in the lobby of the Visitors Centre at Jodrell. It worked on the basis of the difficulty [mentioned to me at a BBC interview once] of keeping a projected frame steady. A short film clip was suddenly actuated at intervals to shine on the dummies face. The "floating" frame produced a very realistic effect when it appeared to speak. We took my 3 or 4 year old daughter on one occasion and she, in particular, was fascinated by this. For days afterwards, she marched around the house saying [slowly] "Hello!...My name is Isaac Newton!"

Dave W

dave walsh · 6th Dec 2020, 8:00 pm

Yesnaby [post 20] I don't know if it weighs 900 tons but the Battleship pivots are massive. Last night's CH4 program Britain's Wildest Weather [repeated tonight on 4seven at 9pm and Tuesday at 8pm] featured 19 tons of steel roof falling on Slough High Street in January [6mins in]. Nobody was hurt somehow!
It's a bit of a guide to the mass of Aricebo and Jodrell.

Dave W

I can't help thinking about John Betjeman.

"Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough"

[He wasn't at all keen on it's modern 30's Architecture]

Beobloke · 6th Dec 2020, 10:37 pm

Frankly I’m not surprised the Aricebo telescope finally failed. All that repeated submersion in water can’t have done it any good...

Radio Wrangler · 7th Dec 2020, 8:00 am

We've meandered a long way from Arecibo, though not in terms of the distances it collected signals from. Jodrell Bank has its own history.

Let's let this thread collapse. It can be reopened if there is news of reconstruction, say.

David

6th Dec 2020, 2:41 pm	#21
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Arecibo radio telescope collapse. That's right Richard [post 19] a "canny" and persuasive chap! The story is that he was only interested in playing Cricket as a young man but then he went to a lecture on Maths or Physics and the rest was [his] history, as they say. I'm seriously confusing myself in a way. I must have bought "The Story of Jodrell Bank" by Sir Bernard in 1968 [not the nineties] as I'm sure I have a first edition plus a sequel which came out much later on. None of the other books I've looked at on-line seem to be that one but I can't check it out until I'm able to go back to Ramsbottom where they are parked If I'm allowed a story, I used to take my three young lads out to the "Dish" as one of [my] favourite outings. It was exciting at first, a bit like nearing Blackpool Tower but eventually turned into- "Not Jodrell Bank... again!". However it is near the Edge, a prominent sandstone cliff with a view south out towards Birmingham and the "Wizard" Pub is nearby. The author Alan Garner had a house in the woods and his children's books relate to the area, so that helped. I met him on one occasion but not Sir B.... unfortunately! There was then a life sized simulacrum of a famous Scientist sitting in the lobby of the Visitors Centre at Jodrell. It worked on the basis of the difficulty [mentioned to me at a BBC interview once] of keeping a projected frame steady. A short film clip was suddenly actuated at intervals to shine on the dummies face. The "floating" frame produced a very realistic effect when it appeared to speak. We took my 3 or 4 year old daughter on one occasion and she, in particular, was fascinated by this. For days afterwards, she marched around the house saying [slowly] "Hello!...My name is Isaac Newton!" Dave W Last edited by dave walsh; 6th Dec 2020 at 2:51 pm.*

6th Dec 2020, 8:00 pm	#22
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Arecibo radio telescope collapse. Yesnaby [post 20] I don't know if it weighs 900 tons but the Battleship pivots are massive. Last night's CH4 program Britain's Wildest Weather [repeated tonight on 4seven at 9pm and Tuesday at 8pm] featured 19 tons of steel roof falling on Slough High Street in January [6mins in]. Nobody was hurt somehow! It's a bit of a guide to the mass of Aricebo and Jodrell. Dave W I can't help thinking about John Betjeman. "Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough" [He wasn't at all keen on it's modern 30's Architecture]

6th Dec 2020, 10:37 pm	#23
Beobloke Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 821	Re: Arecibo radio telescope collapse. Frankly I’m not surprised the Aricebo telescope finally failed. All that repeated submersion in water can’t have done it any good...

7th Dec 2020, 8:00 am	#24
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,870	Re: Arecibo radio telescope collapse. We've meandered a long way from Arecibo, though not in terms of the distances it collected signals from. Jodrell Bank has its own history. Let's let this thread collapse. It can be reopened if there is news of reconstruction, say. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done