A world of Electronics had opened more new doors for me this year.
BFY51, BC107c, 56pf cap, 33k resistor, 5 turns C.T. 18 S.W.G, variable hex cored inductor, 2" speaker, Veroboard, sticky back plastic, 2 x 9v batteries. Not exactly J.R. Hartley or a props list from Star Trek, but all that was necessary to get me illegally on air on the 3 Mtr. VHF radio band. Ok not rocket science, not reinventing the wheel here, just looking for a better alternative to the 100yd (Yard, old Imperial Measure) range offered by commercial "Walkie Talkies". ("Walkies" canine term for "exercise"). ("Talkies" term used to indicate motion pictures were to be accompanied by sound). Not to be confused with Canine "Talkie Walkies" when the "Scottie" is accompanied by a Human. I must confess that I do digress quite often in my dabbling with the written word or two.
Tuned to the 3rd Harmonic, not 208 I was. Wandering o`er Hill `nt Dale looking for the "magic" location where a signal travelled best. This of course was a hobby, not a way of earning, more a case of learning. "I can hear you Sid", Roger had shouted across the field, "Why the hell didn’t you use your transmitter then?" said I. "Duh!!!". This was be how it went on until I built a twin stage frequency doubled crystal stabilised high power version that was capable of being received at Bristol Airport. I know it got to the Airport all right, because whilst monitoring my TX testing in the car at Chilcompton, I was accompanied on my chosen frequency by a voice! My 1Khz test tone was swamped by "If I lift the squelch key I can hear this whistle" (voice of ground control staff member). The speed limit was broken to get back to Timsbury PDQ! Close call then, time to go "silent key" for a while.
Electronics had become my life, my work, my hobby, even my dreams. To sustain me I had "chips with everything". I had become hooked on digital, NOTs, NORs, NANDs, ORs, Exclusive ORs. (The only Exclusive ORs I had known about previously were Christine Keeler & Mandy Rice-Davis, and I thought a Nand was what you lifted your pint with!) We live and learn eh?. Jk Flip Flops, Latches, Adders (with fetch and carry, now that`s what I call useful!) Roms, Rams 4 Bit binary counters, Bus Drivers (now I know a bit about these.) TTL, what a wonderland I was introduced to. Not so much as; "Through The Looking glass" peeking, rather a case of "a little bit Moore to learn about life".
Miners strikes, 3 day weeks, days without electric, musicians that didn`t like to pay their bills, a two year old son who needed to spend more time with his mother away from our little shop, rampant inflation, rising interest rates on a bank loan. This little list of pressures meant choices had to be made, go on down the slippery slope of subsidisation of these businesses or "bite the bullet", swallow the "bitter pill". The lesser of two evils was chosen, sell the recording kit, the shop stock and take an easy option, become a paid worker. Jeff Avis bought the mixing console for his band, Phil Parsons the Quad Amp and Spendor Monitors. Various other group contacts had the rest of the machinery. An eventful four years were over. I paid off as much of the bank loan I could, had the phone disconnected, stocked up on plenty of "ESSO Blue" paraffin and candles. Now charged with the care of two car batteries and three sidelight bulbs.
The people in the Village were sad to see the shop close for good, but realised that we could not keep it going in the circumstances. We had a "clearance sale" with very generous discounts, and actually gave some of the stock away. We had to prepare ourselves to the fact that the ground floor was going to be empty son, and, when (and if), the money became available, it would lead to a much more spacious home for our family.
I was now well prepared for my "winter of discontent."
Use Browser "Back" Button to return to previous page - to 1974
