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Old 30th Nov 2018, 4:38 pm   #1
IvorBlister
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Default World Of Electronics Kit

There have been a number of posts about electronics kits and the introduction to this exciting world by members when in their early years. Recently during a walk around Victoria Antiques Centre based in part of the old Whiteley Electronics (Stentorian speakers) factory in Mansfield with Kev (Oldelectronics) we spotted this vintage kit which looks fairly complete. Perhaps it will bring back memories for a few people?
Nick
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 4:53 pm   #2
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

That looks very nice... From the bits in the third picture it looks like you had to make the variable capacitor yourself.

It must be relatively recent as it contains an IC (what is it? An op-amp?). Late 1970s/early 1980s?
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 5:22 pm   #3
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Hello

I had (still have most of the bits) one of those. A present from an uncle so, yes, early '80s.

I don't think I ever got any of the experiments to work. The blue 'chassis' was a home made version of solderless breadboard with little brass spring clips pushed into the molding and supposed to connect between component legs, wires, etc. You can imagine how reliable that was...

If I can find the remains of mine I'll post any other info.

Bye for now
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 6:07 pm   #4
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Lovely spot. It's after my time cos it's got ICs in it. Philips sets just had trannies. But I loved em warts and all. More than I can say for my parents and relatives who were driven mad by my loud, loudspeaker born sounds at Christmas parties. But I digress..
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 6:13 pm   #5
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Those Philips kits were excellent, I longed for an EE1007 but never got it (not even now). Later ones (EE2013 and addons) did include ICs, pre-soldered to PCBs with power connections made through the normal spring terminals (as the transistors were mounted in the EE1003, etc) and tags to use small coil springs for all the other connections. The basic kit included an LM3900 quad norton amplfiier, one of the add-on kits (which I never had) incldued some TTL and a 7-segment display. There were also more transistor types, an FET and a varicap diode in such kits.

But getting back to the subject, I have not come across this kit and would be interested ot learn more. What is the IC? What is a typical project?
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 8:11 pm   #6
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Late 70s - early 1980s judging by the design and typography. Girl looks on admiringly whilst chap demonstrates his assembly skills - you'd never get away with that now!
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 8:33 pm   #7
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Good evening,
That is the identical set that I was given as a Christmas present back in the 80’s. The IC is a bog standard 741 op amp hence why it needed 2 X 9 volt batteries.

The variable capacitor and variable resistor was self assembly into the case as well as the various switches. The kit was not that good as the resistors and capacitors legs soon fatigued off after several different set up scenarios. The radio never really worked and some of the set ups had never been tested fully and failed to work as some of the component values were wrong.

I think that they bought in the cheapest surplus resistors they could find as many were very peculiar values. The home made variable resistor and capacitor and springy connections soon went intermittent. The coil formers didn’t hold the enamel wire tightly and unwound themselves!! Most of the kit was soon abandoned as my dad bought surplus bits from work as well as from Maplin and Tandy.

Christopher Capener
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 10:31 pm   #8
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Blimey! you paint a very grim, though undeniably accurate picture of this kit! Oh well, glad I didn't have one!
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Old 30th Nov 2018, 11:53 pm   #9
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

I had that kit! It was a Christmas gift from Wang Computers to their families'kids when they had an assembly plant in Scotland about 1982?

As has been said the ic was an op-amp but the chassis was a nightmare. Fatigue set in o the component legs very quickly, but the bit I remember was the disproportionate time needed to assemble the switches, capacitor etc,. Unreliability of simple components really detracted from the fun. Failure for a simple thing like a switch was really infuriating as a kid.

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Old 1st Dec 2018, 12:00 am   #10
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..... The up-side of the kit was that it was my dad's opinion that it was time I learned to solder..
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Old 1st Dec 2018, 1:56 am   #11
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Thank goodness we got a Tandy kit for Xmas!
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Old 1st Dec 2018, 8:35 am   #12
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Some interesting feedback, thanks. I thought that parts of the kit did not look very substantial and feedback confirms that.
Nick
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Old 1st Dec 2018, 12:46 pm   #13
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Hmm... Very interesting replies, I had this exact kit, I had it for Christmas, must have been around 1987/88 as I remember being 10.

I never experienced the poor quality as dad had assembled the console for me prior to me getting it on Christmas day and he subbed a lot of the parts for better quality items, he fitted better quality switches, one of those variable capacitors, the like that you find in sets from the far east in the 80's and also a proper potentiometer.

I actually had the set for quite a number of years and had 100's of hours of enjoyment from it, I did experience intermittent connections from the breadboard style connectors but this was not until a lot later on in its life.

I found the radio circuits to be very deaf and they performed poorly but I do remember pretty much all the circuits working.

Thanks to the OP for sharing this as I have never been able to find this set as I couldn't remember the make.

Absolutely magic memories!!

Cheers
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Old 2nd Dec 2018, 6:21 pm   #14
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Gosh I had that kit too. Definitely very unreliable bread board, you even had to fit the little brass contacts into the chassis yourself. Quite easy to get the component legs either side of a sprung finger and then it wouldn't work. I got a few experiments to work eventually but gave up in frustration.

I think mine came from the Co-Op.

PS, I plagued mum to buy it for me after visiting my Nan and seeing her next door neighbour's lad with one. My nan died in 1981 so it was before that.
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Old 5th Dec 2018, 4:09 pm   #15
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Hello

I've found the remains of my kit. Not much to add except that the manual has a copyright date of 1977 though it must have been arround for some time after as I would only have been a year old then!

I've managed to scan some pages from the manual for general interest, I hope they'l be legible on the forum.

First - the list of parts included and the index of circuits to build.
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Old 5th Dec 2018, 4:15 pm   #16
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Continued from post 15

In keeping with main interest here - some of the radio circuits included.

If anyone wants to see any of the other experiments listed let me know and I'll scan some more
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Old 5th Dec 2018, 5:14 pm   #17
IvorBlister
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

It is good to see some of the experiment instructions Telleadict, thanks for those.

Nick
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Old 6th Dec 2018, 12:16 am   #18
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Default Re: World Of Electronics Kit

Really brings back memories of 30 odd years ago!
(can't find any rose tinted ones!)

Cheers
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Old 12th Dec 2018, 8:37 pm   #19
IvorBlister
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My thanks to Kev (Oldelectronics) who called in the antiques centre yesterday and found the Electronics Kit was still there, priced at £15, haggling possible, so if you want to give yourself a cheap nostalgic Christmas present it is still there!!!

Just to say that neither Kev or myself have any connection with the antiques centre, other than the building was once part of Whiteley Radio (Stentorian speakers) where we both worked 50yrs ago.

Nick
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