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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc. |
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1st Aug 2014, 10:59 am | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 761
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A Brace Of Squariels
The sport of Squariel spotting gets the occasional mention here so here's a double treat of two on the same chimney stack to feast your eyes on - they are about half a mile from me in Eve Road E15.
Alvin |
1st Aug 2014, 11:48 am | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,846
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Fantastic! They've lasted rather well, haven't they?
N. |
1st Aug 2014, 12:33 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Willand, Devon, UK.
Posts: 1,023
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Very smart, they look almost like new!
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1st Aug 2014, 2:37 pm | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK.
Posts: 469
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Look rather fresh still considering they must have been there a good 25 years!
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If smoking is so bad for you, how come it cures kippers? |
3rd Aug 2014, 7:25 pm | #5 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire, UK.
Posts: 525
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
There's one on the wall above a hobby shop in Cheltenham, I'm presuming it must have been a Granada or a Rumbelows or something. There's one on a house in Falling Lane, West Drayton Middlesex as well
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4th Aug 2014, 12:14 am | #6 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 347
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
They look to be in quite good condition given how long they've been up there. I had a go as an experiment a few years back to run a modern sky digibox off one on 28.2E. Even though they only pick up one polarity, i found by moving it 45 degrees clockwise and adjusting the LNB oscillator frequency, it did actually work quite well.
Last edited by marconi_pete; 4th Aug 2014 at 12:26 am. |
4th Aug 2014, 8:47 am | #7 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dukinfield, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 2,037
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
They're quite useful. When BSB went off, I modified mine for the 10 GHz amateur band and it was quite effective.
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Andy G1HBE. |
4th Aug 2014, 11:10 am | #8 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 761
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Here's another local one on Barking Road, Canning Town
Alvin Last edited by Alvin; 4th Aug 2014 at 11:20 am. |
4th Aug 2014, 12:04 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,846
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
They were certainly a very good advert, making it immediately obvious to any passer-by when someone had taken-out a BSB subscription.
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4th Aug 2014, 12:23 pm | #10 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 347
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
There's a few more in that area, I used to live round that way growing up. I remember there being a couple not far from there. Oone was on a low block of flats opposite Bull Rroad E15 (was still there when Ii passed by a few months ago), another I remember being not far from you Alvin, on the junction of Uupperi Rroad E13 and Hhermit Road E16. Tthere's a yellow painted house with a brown porch, just above that to the left sits a squariel. If Ii'm ever passing that way again i'll make sure to take some pictures.
Thanks, Peter |
4th Aug 2014, 2:16 pm | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
Posts: 5,185
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
I have not seen one of those for years, there are certainly none in my area.
I remember buying some brand new Philips receivers complete with 'squariels' when BSB was taken over by sky, for £20 each! I set up a few for friends who got a years use from them before they were switched off and the satellite was re-located. I remember that they were easy to set up, and produced a cracking picture. Before it was finally switched off, I fitted an amstrad SRX200 complete with solid white dish! Mark |
4th Aug 2014, 5:08 pm | #12 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 761
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Here it is
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4th Aug 2014, 9:52 pm | #13 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Waterford, Republic of Ireland
Posts: 259
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
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4th Aug 2014, 11:38 pm | #14 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 347
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
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5th Aug 2014, 10:00 am | #15 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 2,495
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Am I correct in remembering a debate at the time about the chroma noise merits of D-MAC (or was it D2-MAC ?) compared to the FM modulation of PAL signals? I think there was an IBA technical booklet extolling the virtues of D-MAC. Didn't Murdoch argue (successfully as it turned out) at the time that 'content' trumps 'technical performance?
Certainly the squariel looks a nice compact job! Thanks for the photos triggering a journey down memory lane. |
5th Aug 2014, 9:45 pm | #16 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 761
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
I strolled up that way today but couldn't spot it just this nearby square dish on the corner of Maud Road.
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6th Aug 2014, 12:34 am | #17 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 347
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
I recognise that building it's opposite the ford dealership. I don't think that was the building. I had a quick look on google earth but couldn't see it, but building was directly opposite Morley road and was called Maud gardens.
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6th Aug 2014, 7:43 am | #18 | |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: South Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,573
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
Quote:
http://www.ntlpa.org.uk/memorabilia. There's one reason why these squarials are in such good condition - They've hardly been used Keith |
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6th Aug 2014, 8:45 am | #19 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Severn Valley,Worcestershire, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 56
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
I had one back when BSB went bump, fitted a blown eprom and reversed the active antenna inside the squariel, and used to receive the TF1 d-mac txs on 19* west.( memory low emision now) Alyn
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6th Aug 2014, 6:24 pm | #20 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 761
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Re: A Brace Of Squariels
I've just realised the correct spelling is Squarial
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