Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Skywave · 16th Apr 2016, 11:04 am

Found on the BBC News Web Site. I found this particularly interesting and think it will be of interest to other members.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-36027407

Al. / Skywave.

G3VKM_Roger · 16th Apr 2016, 12:44 pm

There was a dramatised TV documentary made of the Kettering Grammar story and it's on YouTube:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59s_d7YVC6o

It's a five-part piece and is called "Sputniks, Bleeps and Mr Perry".

Cheers

Roger

deliverance · 16th Apr 2016, 1:16 pm

I remember watching that TV documentary interesting stuff.

G6Tanuki · 16th Apr 2016, 5:46 pm

I remember reading my brother's copies of "Practical Wireless" from that era: several surplus dealers were offering the WWII-vintage "R208" radio and advertising it as the "Sputnik Special".

http://vk2bv.org/archive/museum/r208.htm

Skywave · 16th Apr 2016, 6:19 pm

In the attached article: 4th. picture down: the CR.100. Interesting to observe the (probable) S-meter add-on - which is mounted upside-down. At least that's in keeping with the "Marconi style"!

Al.

deliverance · 16th Apr 2016, 6:53 pm

Indeed

turretslug · 16th Apr 2016, 7:13 pm

Possibly they had adopted the simple expedient of connecting the meter in series with the cathode of an AGC-controlled stage, as in the AR88, resulting in reducing deflection with increasing signal strength. The AR88, of course, famously uses a meter with right-hand zero but someone using a conventional left-hand zero meter might have wished to keep to a convention of deflection towards the right as signal strength increased. Hence the meter arrangement (with the implication that that the receiver is pictured unpowered).

I always found the Kettering space group story to be an impressive illustration of "where there's a will, there's a way". A very British tale too- on a shoestring, boosted by amateur enthusiasm.

16th Apr 2016, 11:04 am	#1
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts Found on the BBC News Web Site. I found this particularly interesting and think it will be of interest to other members. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-36027407 Al. / Skywave.

16th Apr 2016, 12:44 pm	#2
G3VKM_Roger Heptode Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Southeast Norfolk, UK. Posts: 773	Re: Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts There was a dramatised TV documentary made of the Kettering Grammar story and it's on YouTube:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59s_d7YVC6o It's a five-part piece and is called "Sputniks, Bleeps and Mr Perry". Cheers Roger

16th Apr 2016, 1:16 pm	#3
deliverance Heptode Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 711	Re: Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts I remember watching that TV documentary interesting stuff.

16th Apr 2016, 5:46 pm	#4
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,007	Re: Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts I remember reading my brother's copies of "Practical Wireless" from that era: several surplus dealers were offering the WWII-vintage "R208" radio and advertising it as the "Sputnik Special". http://vk2bv.org/archive/museum/r208.htm

16th Apr 2016, 6:19 pm	#5
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts In the attached article: 4th. picture down: the CR.100. Interesting to observe the (probable) S-meter add-on - which is mounted upside-down. At least that's in keeping with the "Marconi style"! Al.

16th Apr 2016, 6:53 pm	#6
deliverance Heptode Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 711	Re: Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts Indeed

16th Apr 2016, 7:13 pm	#7
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,399	Re: Tracking a satellite by amateur enthusuiasts Possibly they had adopted the simple expedient of connecting the meter in series with the cathode of an AGC-controlled stage, as in the AR88, resulting in reducing deflection with increasing signal strength. The AR88, of course, famously uses a meter with right-hand zero but someone using a conventional left-hand zero meter might have wished to keep to a convention of deflection towards the right as signal strength increased. Hence the meter arrangement (with the implication that that the receiver is pictured unpowered). I always found the Kettering space group story to be an impressive illustration of "where there's a will, there's a way". A very British tale too- on a shoestring, boosted by amateur enthusiasm.