Avo on TFI - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Martin Bush · 30th Nov 2015, 2:52 pm

Hi all

Has anyone noticed Chris Evans has an AVO on the shelf behind him on TFI Friday?

Does anyone know why it's there?

Martin

Paul Adams · 30th Nov 2015, 3:02 pm

Probably just an ornament! And gathering dust, as long as it's not one of mine!

Paul.

Martin Bush · 30th Nov 2015, 3:07 pm

I'd like to think either he or a member of the crew has a link to it, even if its just the fact that they like the design.

It's probably doin' more than mine is at the moment!

30th Nov 2015, 7:49 pm

Despite first impressions he isn't daft (that makes a good presenter), might be one of his own.

Martin Bush · 1st Dec 2015, 1:08 am

We should ask him... Maybe he would want to test out some vintage radio kit in a vintage car on Top Gear.

Anyway, it was nice to be able to say to my girlfriend ' you see that thing in the background? There's one of those in the outhouse'... Nice for me anyway

paulsherwin · 1st Dec 2015, 2:05 am

I very much doubt if Evans restores vintage electronics. He owns lots of vintage cars, but he pays other people to work on them (this is true of most rich vintage car enthusiasts of course). The Avo is almost certainly 'wacky' set dressing, bought in by the production designer along with all the other background tat.

turretslug · 1st Dec 2015, 11:37 am

Yes- as with the Bourdon tube gauges next to it, picked out from "bought by weight" industrial scrap simply on the grounds of "looks cool". A shocking amount of delectable vintage kit gets bulldozed under, so to speak, in the professional/industrial/military world. AVOs might be rather nice to us, but to a business moving on, they're just large, heavy, delicate, unpredictable through age liabilities when the field/bench techs get issued with slim, light currently traceable Flukes.

I've left sets long-faced at the stuff that's been used as set dressing, acquired from salvage dealers and discarded at the end. Only so much stuff one can dare to save....

Martin Bush · 1st Dec 2015, 6:15 pm

Isn't there an AVO register? I might ask Chris to join...

bikerhifinut · 1st Dec 2015, 7:05 pm

What harm can it do to email the breakfast show team on Radio2? It might get a bit of good publicity for the hobby?

G6Tanuki · 1st Dec 2015, 7:22 pm

"Set dressers" will do whatever looks good [in their eyes] - if they're scavenging scrap and giving it one last outing before it gets landfilled, surely that's better than it going straight to landfill?

I once spotted a pre-WWII ARRL Handbook on a high-up shelf in a 'hipster pub' in Bristol. Unable to pull it out from the shelf I was told by the landlord that historic-looking books are supplied "by the yard" by the pub fitout company. To reduce the risk of books being disturbed and falling on drinkers (so leading to an insurance-claim) a 15mm hole is drilled through a block of books and the bookshelf-ends, a length of wooden dowel threaded through then glued in place with PVA.

Martin Bush · 2nd Dec 2015, 1:21 am

That's sacrilege... Poor books.

I hope the AVO hasn't been pinned down like that... I will try to investigate.

30th Nov 2015, 2:52 pm	#1
Martin Bush Octode Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 1,911	Avo on TFI Hi all Has anyone noticed Chris Evans has an AVO on the shelf behind him on TFI Friday? Does anyone know why it's there? Martin

30th Nov 2015, 3:02 pm	#2
Paul Adams Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 253	Re: Avo on TFI Probably just an ornament! And gathering dust, as long as it's not one of mine! Paul. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Paul Adams; 30th Nov 2015 at 3:09 pm.

30th Nov 2015, 3:07 pm	#3
Martin Bush Octode Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 1,911	Re: Avo on TFI I'd like to think either he or a member of the crew has a link to it, even if its just the fact that they like the design. It's probably doin' more than mine is at the moment!

30th Nov 2015, 7:49 pm	#4
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Avo on TFI Despite first impressions he isn't daft (that makes a good presenter), might be one of his own.

1st Dec 2015, 1:08 am	#5
Martin Bush Octode Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 1,911	Re: Avo on TFI We should ask him... Maybe he would want to test out some vintage radio kit in a vintage car on Top Gear. Anyway, it was nice to be able to say to my girlfriend ' you see that thing in the background? There's one of those in the outhouse'... Nice for me anyway

1st Dec 2015, 2:05 am	#6
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,966	Re: Avo on TFI I very much doubt if Evans restores vintage electronics. He owns lots of vintage cars, but he pays other people to work on them (this is true of most rich vintage car enthusiasts of course). The Avo is almost certainly 'wacky' set dressing, bought in by the production designer along with all the other background tat.

1st Dec 2015, 11:37 am	#7
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,398	Re: Avo on TFI Yes- as with the Bourdon tube gauges next to it, picked out from "bought by weight" industrial scrap simply on the grounds of "looks cool". A shocking amount of delectable vintage kit gets bulldozed under, so to speak, in the professional/industrial/military world. AVOs might be rather nice to us, but to a business moving on, they're just large, heavy, delicate, unpredictable through age liabilities when the field/bench techs get issued with slim, light currently traceable Flukes. I've left sets long-faced at the stuff that's been used as set dressing, acquired from salvage dealers and discarded at the end. Only so much stuff one can dare to save....

1st Dec 2015, 6:15 pm	#8
Martin Bush Octode Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 1,911	Re: Avo on TFI Isn't there an AVO register? I might ask Chris to join...

1st Dec 2015, 7:05 pm	#9
bikerhifinut Octode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK Posts: 1,993	Re: Avo on TFI What harm can it do to email the breakfast show team on Radio2? It might get a bit of good publicity for the hobby?

1st Dec 2015, 7:22 pm	#10
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,007	Re: Avo on TFI "Set dressers" will do whatever looks good [in their eyes] - if they're scavenging scrap and giving it one last outing before it gets landfilled, surely that's better than it going straight to landfill? I once spotted a pre-WWII ARRL Handbook on a high-up shelf in a 'hipster pub' in Bristol. Unable to pull it out from the shelf I was told by the landlord that historic-looking books are supplied "by the yard" by the pub fitout company. To reduce the risk of books being disturbed and falling on drinkers (so leading to an insurance-claim) a 15mm hole is drilled through a block of books and the bookshelf-ends, a length of wooden dowel threaded through then glued in place with PVA.

2nd Dec 2015, 1:21 am	#11
Martin Bush Octode Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 1,911	Re: Avo on TFI That's sacrilege... Poor books. I hope the AVO hasn't been pinned down like that... I will try to investigate.