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Clubs, Groups and Societies For discussions about various clubs, groups and societies relating to our hobbies, such as the BVWS (incl RetroTechUK), BATC, RSGB, APTS, CLPGS, THG, TCC, BECG, MCR21 etc. This is NOT an official forum for any of these organisations.

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Old 3rd Mar 2012, 9:55 pm   #1
'LIVEWIRE?'
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Exclamation 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Did anyone else visit the above exhibition at Daventry Museun earlier today? There were lots of photographs of the BBC station at Borough Hill from its inception in 1925, when the first LW transmitter, call 5XX, went on the air, through the Empire service, later World Service era and the MW transmitter for the Third Programme and Radio 3 up to the closure of the whole site in 1992.

Besides the pictures there were many examples of transmitting valves, an early and very large metal
rectifier (water cooled I believe) and a mercury arc rectifier which replaced the metal one. Other exhibits included SW transmitters, various test instruments and a range of radio receivers from very early types onwards.

A special event amateur station (call G5XX) was on the air.

Altogether a fascinating and interesting event, which will be staged again on Saturday April 7th and Saturday May 5th.
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Old 3rd Mar 2012, 10:09 pm   #2
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Only 10 minutes down the road for me and I didn't know it was on!

But thanks for the dates, I'll hopefully go in May

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Old 3rd Mar 2012, 11:55 pm   #3
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

What?! I live in Daventry, and didn't know a thing about it!!
I still remember them pulling down the masts on the hill when I was still at school, we could see them from the window.
I shall definately go along to the other events, thanks for posting this

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Old 2nd May 2012, 8:31 pm   #4
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Just giving this thread a bump as a reminder re proposed 5th May exibition.

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Old 2nd May 2012, 10:24 pm   #5
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Thanks for that, I'd forgotten! I missed the last one, as I was stuck at work

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Old 6th May 2012, 11:57 am   #6
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Smile Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Good morning,
I went along yesterday and it was a very interesting exhibition with a lot to look at and read. They had some very big bits of equipment on display as well as one of those giant aerial tuning trucks (Bet that took a few people to get that in there !!) No suprise there was a Bush DAC90 in a cabinet with other recievers. There were some nice valves and a mercury arc rectifier bubbling away (Out of reach of children !!)

All a bit sad now it is all gone and passed into history like the Rugby transmitting site up the road.
Wish they kept radio 3 on MW at Dodford

Christopher Capener
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Old 7th May 2012, 10:27 am   #7
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

I, too, was there on 5th. May. Had a quite interesting chat with an ex-BBC Man (didn't get his name) about some of the items on display, including the truck, and the vintage radios.
Didn't ask, but I assume some of the things on display, are usually housed in Daventry Museum.
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Old 7th May 2012, 1:20 pm   #8
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Likewise I went with my son, very interesting display, well put together. The aerial 'tuning truck' looked like something you might find in a kids playground!

Well worth the visit.

Greg
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Old 7th May 2012, 11:02 pm   #9
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Good evening,
A few pictures of the exhibition

Christopher Capener
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Old 19th Jun 2012, 12:01 am   #10
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

I'm glad you enjoyed your visits to Daventry. I was one of the volunteers on duty for two of the days. The large white insulator (feeder outlet from R3 ATH) is now safely back in my garden, where it's been since the mast was felled. It was, and still is, my intention to convert it into a water feature, I may get round to it one day if I ever find the time. Sadly the SWB18 final stage output truck will have to be dismantled later this month and put back into store. It's great that there are still a few of us left who remember how it goes together.
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Old 19th Jun 2012, 12:29 pm   #11
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

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Originally Posted by antenna441 View Post
I'm glad you enjoyed your visits to Daventry. I was one of the volunteers on duty for two of the days.
Have you got the BBC Matheran matrix switch up and running yet, with a big lever at the bottom to simulate the pneumatics?
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Old 19th Jun 2012, 12:30 pm   #12
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

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Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?' View Post
I, too, was there on 5th. May. Had a quite interesting chat with an ex-BBC Man (didn't get his name)
Rod Viveash?
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Old 19th Jun 2012, 2:34 pm   #13
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

At one time on 5th May there were 10 Ex Daventry engineers at the exhibition, including two who had travelled down from Sutton Coldfield. The place was knee deep in nostalgia.
I've not seen the Matrix switch yet, but it would be good to get it working especially as they were made in Daventry. I used to be a whizz with the 5-port valves.

Peter Wagstaff

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Old 19th Jun 2012, 4:24 pm   #14
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Excellent! I'm pleased it's taking off. You could connect pots to the BD272 tuning controls and feed them back to the meter, to give all and sundry a go at balancing and dipping.

Is there anything left of G5XX kicking around?
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Old 22nd Jun 2012, 7:48 am   #15
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Hi Peter / Russell

When I did my MF/HF training with Norman Tomalin during early 1982, he took us across to the Daventry T3 building for a tour of the 464m/647kHz transmitter.

The cooling (air-handling) arrangements were most impressive, especially all the under-floor ducting; at one point, I had visions of Orson Welles appearing out of the back of the modulator enclosure ... cue zither music from 'The Third Man'

I like your idea of making the sender tuning panel 'come alive' Russ.

Guy Stanbury
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Old 22nd Jun 2012, 1:31 pm   #16
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

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Originally Posted by Nymrod121 View Post

I like your idea of making the sender tuning panel 'come alive' Russ.

Guy Stanbury
Thanks, Guy. Get prospective 'sender tuners' to rub their tummies and pat their heads at the same time! It felt like those sort of attributes were necessary on the BDs - especially on 9MHz.

We got Pete Bird when I was on my HF TTO course in April '84 - Norman T. had retired from training by then, and Dodford ATH and T3 had closed. Some of the lads were shown it being dismantled.

Don't know if you've seen my pics, but here we go anyway:
http://www.***********/photos/russell...7603795841149/

Some other transmitter site stuff on my 'Flickr' site as well. Incidentally, the fronts of the BDs in the museum are from the scrappers at Skelton, but they are exactly the same as those of the BDs at Daventry. I won't tell anyone if you don't!
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Old 26th Jun 2012, 12:05 am   #17
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Default Re: 'Daventry Calling the World' Exhibition

Yes indeed - footage of the Dodford mast being 'dismantled' can be viewed via the following:

http://www.bbceng.info/videos.htm#De...ast at Dodford

Regards
Guy
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