World of Radio and Electronics

Whit

I found today and bought it (surprised?) - $5, completely intact at a Flea Market... The shrink wrap was opened at one end of the manual (by someone else) - otherwise perfect condition! Made in Israel. Guessing 70ish or early 80s. Will research and update you all. Fun! FuN! FUN!

Almost as cool as erco's new bugbot.





Update: Just found one here on ebay (maybe only a tiny bit in better condit-on) for a Buy Now price of $99!

Question - Play with it or not?

Note: Part #23 - Integrated Circuit is an LM741CN Op Amp

mindrobots

Very nice find!!

Whit

You know - this kit being made in Israel made me think of HollyMinkowski - Anybody heard from her recently?

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

I got my start in electronics with a radio kit similar to this. Well, "similar" may be a misnomer. It had a tube instead of an IC. But I could listen to Radio Moscow, BBC, Quito Ecuador, CHU Canada, WWV, ham operators ... It was eye-opening!

-Phil

GordonMcComb

Ah, come on, Phil. We old guys have to fess up to our age. Our first electronics kits had spark gaps and galena crystals. Everything was steam powered, as you'll recall.

Whit, I think I'd leave it prestine.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

GordonMcComb wrote:

Ah, come on, Phil. We old guys have to fess up to our age.

Busted!

Okay, I did build a "crystal" radio once with pencil lead wired to a safety pin and touching a Gillette Blue Blade, along with fine enameled wire wrapped around a toilet-paper tube. I used my mom's wire clothesline for an antenna and the kitchen faucet for ground. Picking up the local AM radio station (WKBV) was a total rush.

After that experience the 1N34A was a godsend!

-Phil

Jonathan

My first was one of those kits with the springs to hold the parts. No I.C. or tubes. It was the crystal radio that got me. I ended up making many, many crystal radios using everything you can name for a detector. Amazing how many ways there are to make them. It just blew my mind (and still does) that it needs no battery. Thar's power in them thar radio waves! They must be actually real! I guess it stuck, I have a Hallicrafters SX-43 on the bench right now.

Anyway, Whit, I would open and enjoy it with a kid. Your kid, grand kid, any kid. I'd enjoy that more that $99.

Jonathan

Heater.

That's great. My first exposure to electronics was a Philips Electronic Engineer kit.





I built xtal sets too. Magical. Not sure if that was before or after getting that kit when I was 10.

But then I was nailing 6 volt lamp holders and batteries to bits of wood and wiring them up before I went to school. It was a puzzle to me that they glowed dimmer when I connected a few in series.

Leon

I started with a crystal set when I was about 12, soldered together with one of those metal worker's soldering irons heated on the gas stove. My older brother then gave me an ex-WW2 R109 HF radio receiver he bought from someone where he worked and my parents bought me a "proper" Henley Solon electric soldering iron. A couple of years later Henry's Radio (they are still there) in the Edgware Road started selling "red spot" surplus Ge transistors and I bought one for 10/- (50p now) and built a simple radio receiver using it from a circuit that came with the device.

Heater.

Henry's Radio has moved from the Edgware Road. They are now in Edgeware itself.

Oddly I was on the Edgware Road before Christmas, for the first time in decades, and was disappointed not see them. We used to go there a lot as kids. To pick up 74 series logic, Nixie tubes and assorted components.

Those red spot Germanium transistors made nice light sensors when you scraped the black paint off.

Leon

That is the second time they have moved. They started off on the other side of the road, where the police station is now. There used to be another useful place on the other side of the road called HL Smith who sold Al sheet and chassis, as well as electronic stuff. The Modern Book Co. who specialised in electronics books was around the corner. One or two other surplus electronics shops were up side streets.

Ron Czapala

My first kit was a vacuum tube radio - I think it was from Allied electronics. I used my dad's huge soldering iron (made for plumbing).
I think I even used acid core solder...
It had big wax coated capacitors and big dark brown resistors - the radio case was bakelite

Looked something like this as I recall.

erco

Nice find! Def save it as-is for future generations!

Reminds me of this "Funtronics" set which got me started on my wayward path in the 70's. https://www.etsy.com/listing/208912858/vintage-toys-1960-s-retro-do-it-yourself

Whit

Thanks for all the great replies folks.

My starters were from Radio Shack - something like this 150 in 1 Kit (though I think mine was 200 in 1! Ha.) Loved those spring connectors!



My first real soldering and building was as the super-cool Strobe Light Kit - also from the Shack!

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

After the crystal radio and before the one-tube experimenters' set, my brothers and I built an AM radio broadcaster in a cigar box. It used a 2N107 transistor, along with a variable cap and a "ferrite loopstick." My uncle, who was a ham operator, gave me an army surplus carbon mic that we used to broadcast our "programming" to the family radio, an old Philco in a large wooden case that also housed a 78 RPM turntable:



-Phil

Ron Czapala

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »

After the crystal radio and before the one-tube experimenters' set, my brothers and I built an AM radio broadcaster in a cigar box. It used a 2N107 transistor, along with a variable cap and a "ferrite loopstick." My uncle, who was a ham operator, gave me an army surplus carbon mic that we used to broadcast our "programming" to the family radio, an old Philco in a large wooden case that also housed a 78 RPM turntable:

-Phil

Of course it had to be a Philco...