UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Marmite VR

ajgriff · 15th Jan 2019, 5:47 am

This bit of fun began when I ordered one of those really cheap AD584 modules from China a few weeks before Christmas. The slow boat finally arrived in port and the module dropped on the mat on Dec 28th which gave me the opportunity to excuse myself from the ongoing festivities in order to visit the workshop for an hour or two.

I’ve always rather liked the shape of Marmite jars, the design of which hasn’t changed much since the start of production in 1902, and had consigned one to the recycling box the previous evening. Why not house the module in the jar I thought? With the jar retrieved I set about creating the item you see in the attached images, all very basic but entirely functional. It is interesting that, like the jar, the AD584 is a vintage design although it only dates back to the 1980s.

For many years I’ve enjoyed messing around with photo-editing & graphic design software so that evening, whilst the rest of the family apparently enjoyed a really dull film (Darkest Hour?), I was able to sit unobtrusively with my tablet and create the labels for The Marmite VR. Again, fairly basic but films are of limited duration.

The accuracy claimed on the label is simply an assertion based on the readings of a Fluke 25 calibrated by the MoD in 2014 and Mark Hennessy’s informative review of these modules published on his website. In any event The Marmite VR provides a quick way of partially verifying the accuracy of my small selection of Flukes, AVOs and oscilloscopes to a degree that is more than adequate for my purposes.

Most home brew projects, whatever their scale, throw up at least one unexpected challenge. In this instance it proved to be the empty jar’s lack of weight as the assembly tended to slide around the work surface when in use. The solution was to half fill the jar with ballast in the form of Fuller’s earth cat litter sealed with diluted PVA glue.

Love it or hate it I hope The Marmite VR brings a smile to one or two faces in the depths of Winter. After all a hobby should be fun shouldn’t it? Inexpensive fun too, as the total cost was no more than the retail price of a fresh jar of Marmite. Incidentally, for the benefit of anyone associated with Unilever, I’m not intending to mass produce these units so there is no need for litigation over branding.

Alan

15th Jan 2019, 5:47 am	#1
ajgriff Nonode Join Date: May 2004 Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2,587	The Marmite VR - AD584 Voltage Reference This bit of fun began when I ordered one of those really cheap AD584 modules from China a few weeks before Christmas. The slow boat finally arrived in port and the module dropped on the mat on Dec 28th which gave me the opportunity to excuse myself from the ongoing festivities in order to visit the workshop for an hour or two. I’ve always rather liked the shape of Marmite jars, the design of which hasn’t changed much since the start of production in 1902, and had consigned one to the recycling box the previous evening. Why not house the module in the jar I thought? With the jar retrieved I set about creating the item you see in the attached images, all very basic but entirely functional. It is interesting that, like the jar, the AD584 is a vintage design although it only dates back to the 1980s. For many years I’ve enjoyed messing around with photo-editing & graphic design software so that evening, whilst the rest of the family apparently enjoyed a really dull film (Darkest Hour?), I was able to sit unobtrusively with my tablet and create the labels for The Marmite VR. Again, fairly basic but films are of limited duration. The accuracy claimed on the label is simply an assertion based on the readings of a Fluke 25 calibrated by the MoD in 2014 and Mark Hennessy’s informative review of these modules published on his website. In any event The Marmite VR provides a quick way of partially verifying the accuracy of my small selection of Flukes, AVOs and oscilloscopes to a degree that is more than adequate for my purposes. Most home brew projects, whatever their scale, throw up at least one unexpected challenge. In this instance it proved to be the empty jar’s lack of weight as the assembly tended to slide around the work surface when in use. The solution was to half fill the jar with ballast in the form of Fuller’s earth cat litter sealed with diluted PVA glue. Love it or hate it I hope The Marmite VR brings a smile to one or two faces in the depths of Winter. After all a hobby should be fun shouldn’t it? Inexpensive fun too, as the total cost was no more than the retail price of a fresh jar of Marmite. Incidentally, for the benefit of anyone associated with Unilever, I’m not intending to mass produce these units so there is no need for litigation over branding. Alan Attached Thumbnails