18-10-2016, 06:24 PM
As you say - most of the time, too much theory is not necessary. Years ago, I got interested in B & W TV servicing {valves only) after tiring of the same old faults in radio sets that didn't require much thought. I once converted a 405 line set to 625 lines when sailing off the coast of Portugal by simply adding a bit more R in series with the line control. That gave me the 625 lines, but the picture was negative. I reversed the video diode, EA50 I think it was, and then got the positive picture. Next, I built a Bellini Tosi crossed loop TV aerial by guesswork based on a ship's direction finder, and that worked great when we altered course. I could just turn the central coil for the new direction in the comfort of my cabin. I lost interest in TV when transistors came in on the scene. I once got a Bush 9 inch from a radio shop for 10 shillings, repaired it, and gave it to my aunt and uncle who used it for years.
Did a transistor TV servicing course at Southampton Technical College in 1974 as part of an Advanced Marine Electronics Course that they made me go on. Anyway, all the theory was beyond my humble capabilities, and I walked out after 3 months (it was a six month course), and went back to sea. Despite being assured that I had ruined my career, I never really looked back after that and every new bit of electronic junk that was ever invented seemed to get dumped onto me to look after, and the ships I was appointed to got more and more modern, ending with the dreaded satellite communications, servowatch computers and navigational systems that I heartily hated. By late 1992, I had had enough, and took voluntary redundancy, so that is the reason I dislike modern electronics, and may go some way to explaining my strange attitude to theory!
The picture of me with the unravelled inductor was aboard my favourite ship, the 3,150 gross ton RMS St. Helena, only 300 feet long. 76 passengers and general cargo, UK to Cape Town and back. She was 16 years old when I joined, and 27 years old when they sold her, and we all transferred to the new ship of the same name of 6,000 tons, 132 passengers, and crammed full of electronics. The present ship is still in service and is becoming very famous now.
Bob
Bob
Did a transistor TV servicing course at Southampton Technical College in 1974 as part of an Advanced Marine Electronics Course that they made me go on. Anyway, all the theory was beyond my humble capabilities, and I walked out after 3 months (it was a six month course), and went back to sea. Despite being assured that I had ruined my career, I never really looked back after that and every new bit of electronic junk that was ever invented seemed to get dumped onto me to look after, and the ships I was appointed to got more and more modern, ending with the dreaded satellite communications, servowatch computers and navigational systems that I heartily hated. By late 1992, I had had enough, and took voluntary redundancy, so that is the reason I dislike modern electronics, and may go some way to explaining my strange attitude to theory!
The picture of me with the unravelled inductor was aboard my favourite ship, the 3,150 gross ton RMS St. Helena, only 300 feet long. 76 passengers and general cargo, UK to Cape Town and back. She was 16 years old when I joined, and 27 years old when they sold her, and we all transferred to the new ship of the same name of 6,000 tons, 132 passengers, and crammed full of electronics. The present ship is still in service and is becoming very famous now. Bob
Bob
