NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Chris55000 · 16th Apr 2025, 7:20 pm

. . .Does anybody know when the Netherlands Biblioteek Radio History NVHR.nl Site became a subscription one?

. . .I wanted to download some more French, German and Italian Radio and TV theory books from there, to be greeted with the Dutch translation of "You have to be a member to access this document!", and an email I received states it's now €37 a year for the privilege!

Chris Williams

bobbyball · 16th Apr 2025, 8:20 pm

I would say at least a year ago.

Some of the scans are rather poor quality and several models with differences have the same scan.

Otherwise a fairly useful resource if you have the £37 to spare. Nothing is cheap or for free anymore in these challenging times.

John KC0G · 17th Apr 2025, 3:12 pm

Chris,

The Biblioteek library was on my list of useful places. Your post made me check to see if I had downloaded a copy of Radio Bulletin from 1974, before it went behind the paywall. I had. I also found that it had been posted to www.archive.org

Further digging found that there has been a comprehnsive effort to scan old Dutch electronics magazines. See https://verstraten-elektronica.blogspot.com/2021/03/elektronica-tijdschriften.html

I don't know what books have made it to www.archive.org You might care to make a "shopping list" and see what you can find.

73 John KC0G/M0KCY

Maarten · 17th Apr 2025, 7:59 pm

The books (bibliotheek) were put behind a paywall so in case of copyright claims they could say "we're a members only library". I think there has actually been a copyright claim in the past.

Unfortunately, the schematics (schematheek) underwent the same faith, even though they were often brought in by members for free and never the subject of any copyright claims. Also one of the previous archivists, tended to store the schematics at an almost unreadable quality. At this point, it should be considered a lost resource for anyone but members, though people who originally contributed schematics may have uploaded them elsewhere as well. Also, people re-uploaded some of the schematics to sites like Elektrotanya.

A site of interest in this context might be one I've conserved from the previous owner: www.radiodatabase.nl It looks quite "web 1.0" but I have permission from the previous owner to not only archive it but also maintain and improve it... It's currently sitting in the "round tuit" pile.

Maarten · 18th Apr 2025, 1:40 pm

Forgot to mention that most of the books were scanned by one or two hard working NVHR volunteers so that would also give them the rights to the scanned version to distribute as they please within the bounds of the orginal copyright, hence I'm perfectly fine with that - the phrase "unfortunately" only applies to the schematics.

German Dalek · 25th Apr 2025, 12:55 pm

Hi folks!

I have a big (great

) library by myself!
Over the years I offered, because of so many requests, my scans to:
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/
But I am sorry, they never answered.

There is not much more, than electrotanya. the german GFGF had changed the rules, too, so I heard.

I offered alway help for non-profit, even people offered me cash.

However I don't wanna see my schematics on comercial sites like RM.org!

The french are still offering a free service, I shall support them next. (https://archives.doctsf.com/documents/index.php?num_serie=56)

Once somebody asked in the german DUAL-forum for an ultra-rare service manual for a recordplayer from ELAC/Kiel.
I have it, spend hours to scan more than 40 pages, alligned them, removed the yellowing etc.
I thought I helped somebody out, so it seems, but this man uploaded it on a US-site for vintage HiFi equipment and took the bay leaves!

So I didn't go on with the scan job!
I am now restoring schematics (for my personal library) from Schaub and Siemens next.
It is a question of time (DM said

) I don't have working gear for that at home.
My company allows me to use a DIN A3 scanner with 600 dpi and a plotter for crual cases (wall paper schematics).

What I can't get free, I bought from all over the world: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brasil, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Japan etc.
Some I painted by myself....

Worth to see:https://radiorestorer.com/downloads.html

The schematic problem will follow us, like a shadow.

Cobaltblue · 25th Apr 2025, 1:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by German Dalek

Hi folks!

However I don't wanna see my schematics on comercial sites like RM.org!

If you mean Radiomusem I don't agree with calling Radiomuseum a commercial site. Most members have paid no membership (I certainly didn't) just contributed pictures, circuits and models.

The moderators and main contributors are all dedicated to the preservation of as much as possible. Ernst Erb maintains the high cost of such a large site out of his own pocket.

Radiomuseum allow no-members to download a limited amount and as we see more and more previously free sites are having to limit downloads because of the greed of a few.

I don't agree with all of the Radiomuseum policies but IMHO its is the best resource available to serious collectors for identification and dating information.

Cheers

Mike T

Maarten · 27th Apr 2025, 1:47 am

Rmorg is not necessarily paid, but not free either. Licensing is always difficult since you want to prevent commercial use but not prevent helping people who need the schematics.

As said, I will be modernising radiodatabase.nl some time in the future, accepting submissions, and then also have to think about preventing abuse so submitters can see their work protected at least a little bit. Freeservicemanuals.info and Electrotanya.com have limits that prevent bulk downloading, which is a good starting point for the thought process.

16th Apr 2025, 7:20 pm	#1
Chris55000 Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK. Posts: 3,595	NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! . . .Does anybody know when the Netherlands Biblioteek Radio History NVHR.nl Site became a subscription one? . . .I wanted to download some more French, German and Italian Radio and TV theory books from there, to be greeted with the Dutch translation of "You have to be a member to access this document!", and an email I received states it's now €37 a year for the privilege! Chris Williams __________________ It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed!

16th Apr 2025, 8:20 pm	#2
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,479	Re: NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! I would say at least a year ago. Some of the scans are rather poor quality and several models with differences have the same scan. Otherwise a fairly useful resource if you have the £37 to spare. Nothing is cheap or for free anymore in these challenging times. __________________ Robert

17th Apr 2025, 3:12 pm	#3
John KC0G Hexode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Posts: 323	Re: NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! Chris, The Biblioteek library was on my list of useful places. Your post made me check to see if I had downloaded a copy of Radio Bulletin from 1974, before it went behind the paywall. I had. I also found that it had been posted to www.archive.org Further digging found that there has been a comprehnsive effort to scan old Dutch electronics magazines. See https://verstraten-elektronica.blogspot.com/2021/03/elektronica-tijdschriften.html I don't know what books have made it to www.archive.org You might care to make a "shopping list" and see what you can find. 73 John KC0G/M0KCY

17th Apr 2025, 7:59 pm	#4
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,701	Re: NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! The books (bibliotheek) were put behind a paywall so in case of copyright claims they could say "we're a members only library". I think there has actually been a copyright claim in the past. Unfortunately, the schematics (schematheek) underwent the same faith, even though they were often brought in by members for free and never the subject of any copyright claims. Also one of the previous archivists, tended to store the schematics at an almost unreadable quality. At this point, it should be considered a lost resource for anyone but members, though people who originally contributed schematics may have uploaded them elsewhere as well. Also, people re-uploaded some of the schematics to sites like Elektrotanya. A site of interest in this context might be one I've conserved from the previous owner: www.radiodatabase.nl It looks quite "web 1.0" but I have permission from the previous owner to not only archive it but also maintain and improve it... It's currently sitting in the "round tuit" pile. Last edited by Maarten; 17th Apr 2025 at 8:09 pm.

18th Apr 2025, 1:40 pm	#5
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,701	Re: NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! Forgot to mention that most of the books were scanned by one or two hard working NVHR volunteers so that would also give them the rights to the scanned version to distribute as they please within the bounds of the orginal copyright, hence I'm perfectly fine with that - the phrase "unfortunately" only applies to the schematics.

25th Apr 2025, 12:55 pm	#6
German Dalek Hexode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Düsseldorf, Germany. Posts: 486	Re: NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! Hi folks! I have a big (great) library by myself! Over the years I offered, because of so many requests, my scans to: http://www.nostalgiaair.org/ But I am sorry, they never answered. There is not much more, than electrotanya. the german GFGF had changed the rules, too, so I heard. I offered alway help for non-profit, even people offered me cash. However I don't wanna see my schematics on comercial sites like RM.org! The french are still offering a free service, I shall support them next. (https://archives.doctsf.com/documents/index.php?num_serie=56) Once somebody asked in the german DUAL-forum for an ultra-rare service manual for a recordplayer from ELAC/Kiel. I have it, spend hours to scan more than 40 pages, alligned them, removed the yellowing etc. I thought I helped somebody out, so it seems, but this man uploaded it on a US-site for vintage HiFi equipment and took the bay leaves! So I didn't go on with the scan job! I am now restoring schematics (for my personal library) from Schaub and Siemens next. It is a question of time (DM said) I don't have working gear for that at home. My company allows me to use a DIN A3 scanner with 600 dpi and a plotter for crual cases (wall paper schematics). What I can't get free, I bought from all over the world: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brasil, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Japan etc. Some I painted by myself.... Worth to see:https://radiorestorer.com/downloads.html The schematic problem will follow us, like a shadow. __________________ And now for something completly different: MARC BOLAN, he was/is the real king of Pop Music!

27th Apr 2025, 1:47 am	#8
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,701	Re: NVHR (Biblioteek) now a subscription service! Rmorg is not necessarily paid, but not free either. Licensing is always difficult since you want to prevent commercial use but not prevent helping people who need the schematics. As said, I will be modernising radiodatabase.nl some time in the future, accepting submissions, and then also have to think about preventing abuse so submitters can see their work protected at least a little bit. Freeservicemanuals.info and Electrotanya.com have limits that prevent bulk downloading, which is a good starting point for the thought process.