I've just bought a record player! - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Nickthedentist · 27th Jun 2015, 9:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

No-one seems to have picked up on my suggestion in the "Death Sentence" thread that Forum registration might be made subject to answering correctly a few basic technical questions. Anyone not passing this 'test' would only be allowed to post requests for restoration services. Clearly I have no idea whether the Forum software would support this, but at least one other online forum includes a technical test as part of their registration process. It strikes me that this would eliminate the bulk of the posts on which this thread is based.

This seems like a good idea, but wouldn't it deny newcomers to our hobby the information that they so badly need? Human nature is such that most of us would rather ask a few questions than sift through pages of theory, much of which may be irrelevant to the job in hand.

Surely it's better to tinker with some sound advice at hand, rather than do it in the dark?

N.

TonyDuell · 27th Jun 2015, 9:33 pm

Unfortunately the 'Death sentence' thread is locked, so I will comment here.

I would be in favour of a simple technical test before you can post advice, but not before you can read the forums. The latter would seem to be in the same category as manufactuers who will not sell service manuals 'because you're not qualified'. This generally causes me to (a) write my own service manual for the thing and (b) buy from a different company in the future...

I also don't see what is wrong with not knowing something. Are you all claiming you fully understood electronics before you pulled the back off your first radio. If so, I really don't believe you. I have lost count of the things that I didn't know how to do when I needed to do them, the result being that I taught myself.

Some of the comments in the 'Death sentence' thread seem a little unreasonable. Like the one about checking the voltages on the primary of the output transformer, the chap getting odd results and it turns out he's probing the mains transformer. Faced with an
unfamilar unit, I suspect many of us might not spot the output transformer instantly.

As for regulations stating you don't work on live equipment, that seems to be something drawn up by somebody who has never actually done any electonic design or repair. Obviously you isolate and discharge if you can. I would not, say, remove the chassis from a radio set while it was plugged in. But I certainly would plug it in once dismantled to check voltages. I can think of no other way to trace a fault.

Even if I say so myself I like to think I have some electronic knowledge. Not as much as many here, but some. But I have lost count of the number of things I didn't know and the number of mistakes I made.

dave walsh · 27th Jun 2015, 10:12 pm

It's obvious that you have electronic knowledge Tony. that's been said already and it's why you are not included in the non technical new comers group that was mentioned. You have our general support-so far. You simply posted re a record player-there is no connection with that and these threads. It will help if you can accept this and not be tempted into rehearsing various other issues that seem to relate to your sore point but are nothing to do with it. Don't miss the point yourself.

No one has an argument with you but you will appear unreasonable if you continue to raise matters in an unrelenting fashion. The discussion is simply about making safe and helping [if we can] people with little knowledge and no real interest in technology who want something fixed but don't know the boundaries or when to stop and how fair and reasonable all this all for Forum members.

It's been a long hot day

Dave W

Phil-I'm sure your suggestion will have been noted by everyone-certainly by me-it's possibly becoming more attractive with each new thread.

MotorBikeLes · 28th Jun 2015, 9:26 am

Re Phil's comment. I have been "playing" with electrics/electronics for more than 65 years, but certain areas of my "theory" are WEAK. However not all, and I have amassed tons of (to many) useless info.
I needed to pass such a theory test recently to download a manual. One of the questions was badly written, and as I am very pedantic, I knew the box I would tick was correct, but almost certainly not the required answer. I failed, emailed my pal, and he downloaded it for me.
Yes, I am in favour of test questions, but make sure some pedantic beggar like me checks every question first, with somebody like David (RW) as a backstop.
Les.

Radio_Dave · 28th Jun 2015, 10:54 am

Most people today are buying record players, just like they always have done, because they want to play records and there's absolutely nothing wrong with this. In fact this is what "normal" people do

.

It's our assumption that everybody wants to be electronically minded, or interested, is the problem.

Perhaps once a repair gets more complicated than a new cartridge or idler then the OP should be advised to seek out a competent repairer, unless they show an genuine enthusiasm to learn?

David

Mike Phelan · 28th Jun 2015, 11:00 am

We think this thread is starting to get a wee bit argumentative; as it was already covered in the "Death Sentence" thread mentioned above, we'll apply the electric chair to this one as well.

27th Jun 2015, 9:33 pm	#22
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,208	Re: I've just bought a record player! Unfortunately the 'Death sentence' thread is locked, so I will comment here. I would be in favour of a simple technical test before you can post advice, but not before you can read the forums. The latter would seem to be in the same category as manufactuers who will not sell service manuals 'because you're not qualified'. This generally causes me to (a) write my own service manual for the thing and (b) buy from a different company in the future... I also don't see what is wrong with not knowing something. Are you all claiming you fully understood electronics before you pulled the back off your first radio. If so, I really don't believe you. I have lost count of the things that I didn't know how to do when I needed to do them, the result being that I taught myself. Some of the comments in the 'Death sentence' thread seem a little unreasonable. Like the one about checking the voltages on the primary of the output transformer, the chap getting odd results and it turns out he's probing the mains transformer. Faced with an unfamilar unit, I suspect many of us might not spot the output transformer instantly. As for regulations stating you don't work on live equipment, that seems to be something drawn up by somebody who has never actually done any electonic design or repair. Obviously you isolate and discharge if you can. I would not, say, remove the chassis from a radio set while it was plugged in. But I certainly would plug it in once dismantled to check voltages. I can think of no other way to trace a fault. Even if I say so myself I like to think I have some electronic knowledge. Not as much as many here, but some. But I have lost count of the number of things I didn't know and the number of mistakes I made.

27th Jun 2015, 10:12 pm	#23
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: I've just bought a record player! It's obvious that you have electronic knowledge Tony. that's been said already and it's why you are not included in the non technical new comers group that was mentioned. You have our general support-so far. You simply posted re a record player-there is no connection with that and these threads. It will help if you can accept this and not be tempted into rehearsing various other issues that seem to relate to your sore point but are nothing to do with it. Don't miss the point yourself. No one has an argument with you but you will appear unreasonable if you continue to raise matters in an unrelenting fashion. The discussion is simply about making safe and helping [if we can] people with little knowledge and no real interest in technology who want something fixed but don't know the boundaries or when to stop and how fair and reasonable all this all for Forum members. It's been a long hot day Dave W Phil-I'm sure your suggestion will have been noted by everyone-certainly by me-it's possibly becoming more attractive with each new thread. Last edited by dave walsh; 27th Jun 2015 at 10:21 pm.

28th Jun 2015, 9:26 am	#24
MotorBikeLes Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kirk Michael, Isle of Man Posts: 2,350	Re: I've just bought a record player! Re Phil's comment. I have been "playing" with electrics/electronics for more than 65 years, but certain areas of my "theory" are WEAK. However not all, and I have amassed tons of (to many) useless info. I needed to pass such a theory test recently to download a manual. One of the questions was badly written, and as I am very pedantic, I knew the box I would tick was correct, but almost certainly not the required answer. I failed, emailed my pal, and he downloaded it for me. Yes, I am in favour of test questions, but make sure some pedantic beggar like me checks every question first, with somebody like David (RW) as a backstop. Les.

28th Jun 2015, 10:54 am	#25
Radio_Dave Nonode Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 2,543	Re: I've just bought a record player! Most people today are buying record players, just like they always have done, because they want to play records and there's absolutely nothing wrong with this. In fact this is what "normal" people do. It's our assumption that everybody wants to be electronically minded, or interested, is the problem. Perhaps once a repair gets more complicated than a new cartridge or idler then the OP should be advised to seek out a competent repairer, unless they show an genuine enthusiasm to learn? David __________________ http://www.youtube.com/ My Nixie Clocks

28th Jun 2015, 11:00 am	#26
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: I've just bought a record player! We think this thread is starting to get a wee bit argumentative; as it was already covered in the "Death Sentence" thread mentioned above, we'll apply the electric chair to this one as well. __________________ Mike.