AVO Multimeter survey - Page 97 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Sinewave · 8th Jan 2019, 9:36 am

Ian, that looks like a very good document.

Do you have any plans over the duration of the year/years to make ammendments when we add more serials to the survey?

Superscope · 8th Jan 2019, 11:27 am

Hi Barnmead,

Consider your Model 6 now correctly recorded as such.
(Next Edition, honest Guv!

)

Aitor,

Thanks for the Serial Number, yes, the Internet does provide a few Serials on occasions.

Raymo99,

Likewise, thanks for your Serial Number. Is there any chance we can also get the Serial Number from your Mk V mentioned on your other Thread?

Ian

Superscope · 8th Jan 2019, 11:55 am

Hi Sinewave,

I don't have any fixed plans for updates, because it all depends on how much Data is coming in.
As you know, the number of Serial Numbers reported has dropped considerably over the last year.

Although I envisage I will get the next one out, sometime around March as I have quite a few updates
and a few corrections to make.
There are Two glaring errors I'm waiting for somebody to spot, which make me smile!

As I mentioned previously, I would like to expand the Data-set to include any Military (NSN or earlier types) Numbers.
There are many Military Meters hiding in the list, but this information was never recorded previously.

My other plans are to include Case Styles, especially for the Model 7, 40 and the Model 8 Mk IV.

And anything else Forum Members would like to see added, within reason of course.

However, this is all dependent on this information being given to the Thread so it can be recorded.

Ian

Cathode Ray · 9th Jan 2019, 12:32 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superscope

Raymo99,
Likewise, thanks for your Serial Number. Is there any chance we can also get the Serial Number from your Mk V mentioned on your other Thread?

Sure no problems.
The Mk5 is serial 70482 8V/4/75

Superscope · 9th Jan 2019, 1:05 am

Great stuff, thanks.

For the purposes of the survey, it doesn't matter that the AVO is not working.

Ian

sven_swe · 9th Jan 2019, 8:04 pm

Avometer 8 MK2, serial 15XXXX-C-263

Sinewave · 9th Jan 2019, 8:51 pm

What are the xxxx for in the serials? Or are they undreadable?

9th Jan 2019, 9:40 pm

There are few people that for different reason do not want to give the complete serial number.

No problem if he xx se in the last 2 digit I think

Sinewave · 9th Jan 2019, 9:50 pm

Well that's not going to be much use in a survey is it.

sven_swe · 9th Jan 2019, 10:05 pm

No worries, I just read the first post and it sounded like a recommendation(?).

Again: Avometer 8 MK2, serial 153418-C-263

Disregard my previous post. And maybe remove that info from the first post.

Phil G4SPZ · 9th Jan 2019, 10:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sinewave

Well that's not going to be much use in a survey is it.

Please see below, which appeared in Post #1 of this venerable thread started by the late SPCh and has been understood by numerous contributors for many years:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPCh

I'm sure that many of (y)our multimeters were, er, liberated

, so in order that they and their owners remain untraceable 8) I suggest that all but the first digit of the first number group be replaced by Xs.

9th Jan 2019, 10:18 pm

Quote:

Please see below, which appeared in Post #1 of this venerable thread started by the late SPCh and has been understood by numerous contributors for many years:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPCh

I'm sure that many of (y)our multimeters were, er, liberated

, so in order that they and their owners remain untraceable 8) I suggest that all but the first digit of the first number group be replaced by Xs.

yes, but that was 14 years ago, and Avo still was in production, i think that now days it has no sense to put the Xs, but i respect that.

Sinewave · 9th Jan 2019, 10:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sinewave

Well that's not going to be much use in a survey is it...

Please see below, which appeared in Post #1 of this venerable thread started by the late SPCh and has been understood by numerous contributors for many years:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPCh

I'm sure that many of (y)our multimeters were, er, liberated

, so in order that they and their owners remain untraceable 8) I suggest that all but the first digit of the first number group be replaced by Xs.

Yes I understand that, but I can't see how you make a survey without the actual number.

Phil G4SPZ · 9th Jan 2019, 10:54 pm

Perhaps this is an example of 'mission creep'... the original purpose of the survey was to try to deduce approximately how many Avometers were made year-on-year during production. Therefore the initial digit of the serial number, combined with the month/year date group, would have been more than adequate. Hence, Sven's 15XXXX-C-263 places his meter amongst other production in February 1963 (for which we do have some full serial numbers) whilst hopefully concealing the batch or original customer involved.

As you say, many years have gone by. Few owners now worry about such matters and quote the serial numbers in full, but not that long ago an Avometer was unaffordable to the average hobbyist, and the majority of meters that are now happily preserved in private hands started life as corporate assets or public property (as in the MoD, NHS or other public sector bodies). It is helpful to have a means of concealing the full history of such instruments.

sven_swe · 10th Jan 2019, 8:03 pm

Thanks for info! So it's 55 years old now, it has some issues but I think it will be solved with some help lately from this forum.

sven_swe · 11th Jan 2019, 2:56 pm

One more...

Avometer 8 MK2, serial: 104874-C-360

11th Jan 2019, 4:09 pm

Thanks!

That 8Mk2 was made in March 1960.

Don Henschel · 11th Jan 2019, 7:31 pm

I now have an AVOmeter Model8 MarkV but where do I find the serial number? It has calibration seals on it from 96&97 and none are broken. Also there is an EMICS tag on the side with the Instrument No. as S170-211. Is this a partial of my serial or is it the number of EMICS instrument used to calibrate it?

Superscope · 11th Jan 2019, 8:46 pm

Hi Don,

The Model 8 Mk V had it's serial number on a sticker attached to the right hand side of the case.
I have attached a Photo of the type of Label so you can see what it should look like. The Photo is not a Mk V, but the label style is the same.

The Label was normally but not always repeated inside the Battery Bay.

For what ever reason, the Label is very often missing on the Mk V's.
If it is missing, you may still be able to see a mark on the case where the sticker used to be.

Ian

AndyGilham · 12th Jan 2019, 1:33 pm

Really fantastic survey results. I added the Braille meter, having obtained it from a forum member. I did not realise he had already added it.

I was investigating at work whether we held any sales records for Avometers. Sadly, it seems not! So much data was lost/discarded once computers came online. However, I am gathering some detailed data on product builds.

In 1965 when avo manufactured the millionth avometer from here in Dover; 12 special instruments were produced. These were given the serial numbers 1,000,000-01 to -12, and had the front panel machined to accept this unique serial label. They were also placed in a presentation box. The 12 were handed out at an Avo held event to some industry bigwigs. I wonder how many of them still exists somewhere!!

8th Jan 2019, 9:36 am	#1921
Sinewave Octode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Oxfordshire/Bucks borders, UK. Posts: 1,604	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Ian, that looks like a very good document. Do you have any plans over the duration of the year/years to make ammendments when we add more serials to the survey? __________________ Avometer, vintage Fluke and Marconi collector. Also interested in vintage Yaesu and KW.

8th Jan 2019, 11:27 am	#1922
Superscope Octode Join Date: May 2017 Location: St Austell, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 1,018	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Hi Barnmead, Consider your Model 6 now correctly recorded as such. (Next Edition, honest Guv! ) Aitor, Thanks for the Serial Number, yes, the Internet does provide a few Serials on occasions. Raymo99, Likewise, thanks for your Serial Number. Is there any chance we can also get the Serial Number from your Mk V mentioned on your other Thread? Ian

8th Jan 2019, 11:55 am	#1923
Superscope Octode Join Date: May 2017 Location: St Austell, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 1,018	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Hi Sinewave, I don't have any fixed plans for updates, because it all depends on how much Data is coming in. As you know, the number of Serial Numbers reported has dropped considerably over the last year. Although I envisage I will get the next one out, sometime around March as I have quite a few updates and a few corrections to make. There are Two glaring errors I'm waiting for somebody to spot, which make me smile! As I mentioned previously, I would like to expand the Data-set to include any Military (NSN or earlier types) Numbers. There are many Military Meters hiding in the list, but this information was never recorded previously. My other plans are to include Case Styles, especially for the Model 7, 40 and the Model 8 Mk IV. And anything else Forum Members would like to see added, within reason of course. However, this is all dependent on this information being given to the Thread so it can be recorded. Ian

9th Jan 2019, 1:05 am	#1925
Superscope Octode Join Date: May 2017 Location: St Austell, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 1,018	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Great stuff, thanks. For the purposes of the survey, it doesn't matter that the AVO is not working. Ian

9th Jan 2019, 8:04 pm	#1926
sven_swe Pentode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Cologne, Germany Posts: 104	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Avometer 8 MK2, serial 15XXXX-C-263

9th Jan 2019, 8:51 pm	#1927
Sinewave Octode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Oxfordshire/Bucks borders, UK. Posts: 1,604	Re: AVO Multimeter survey What are the xxxx for in the serials? Or are they undreadable? __________________ Avometer, vintage Fluke and Marconi collector. Also interested in vintage Yaesu and KW.

9th Jan 2019, 9:40 pm	#1928
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: AVO Multimeter survey There are few people that for different reason do not want to give the complete serial number. No problem if he xx se in the last 2 digit I think

9th Jan 2019, 9:50 pm	#1929
Sinewave Octode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Oxfordshire/Bucks borders, UK. Posts: 1,604	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Well that's not going to be much use in a survey is it. __________________ Avometer, vintage Fluke and Marconi collector. Also interested in vintage Yaesu and KW.

9th Jan 2019, 10:05 pm	#1930
sven_swe Pentode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Cologne, Germany Posts: 104	Re: AVO Multimeter survey No worries, I just read the first post and it sounded like a recommendation(?). Again: Avometer 8 MK2, serial 153418-C-263 Disregard my previous post. And maybe remove that info from the first post.

9th Jan 2019, 10:54 pm	#1934
Phil G4SPZ Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 4,748	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Perhaps this is an example of 'mission creep'... the original purpose of the survey was to try to deduce approximately how many Avometers were made year-on-year during production. Therefore the initial digit of the serial number, combined with the month/year date group, would have been more than adequate. Hence, Sven's 15XXXX-C-263 places his meter amongst other production in February 1963 (for which we do have some full serial numbers) whilst hopefully concealing the batch or original customer involved. As you say, many years have gone by. Few owners now worry about such matters and quote the serial numbers in full, but not that long ago an Avometer was unaffordable to the average hobbyist, and the majority of meters that are now happily preserved in private hands started life as corporate assets or public property (as in the MoD, NHS or other public sector bodies). It is helpful to have a means of concealing the full history of such instruments. __________________ Phil Optimist [n]: One who is not in possession of the full facts

10th Jan 2019, 8:03 pm	#1935
sven_swe Pentode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Cologne, Germany Posts: 104	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Thanks for info! So it's 55 years old now, it has some issues but I think it will be solved with some help lately from this forum.

11th Jan 2019, 2:56 pm	#1936
sven_swe Pentode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Cologne, Germany Posts: 104	Re: AVO Multimeter survey One more... Avometer 8 MK2, serial: 104874-C-360

11th Jan 2019, 4:09 pm	#1937
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Thanks! That 8Mk2 was made in March 1960.

11th Jan 2019, 7:31 pm	#1938
Don Henschel Banned Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Rosthern, Saskatchewan, Canada. Posts: 39	Re: AVO Multimeter survey I now have an AVOmeter Model8 MarkV but where do I find the serial number? It has calibration seals on it from 96&97 and none are broken. Also there is an EMICS tag on the side with the Instrument No. as S170-211. Is this a partial of my serial or is it the number of EMICS instrument used to calibrate it?

11th Jan 2019, 8:46 pm	#1939
Superscope Octode Join Date: May 2017 Location: St Austell, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 1,018	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Hi Don, The Model 8 Mk V had it's serial number on a sticker attached to the right hand side of the case. I have attached a Photo of the type of Label so you can see what it should look like. The Photo is not a Mk V, but the label style is the same. The Label was normally but not always repeated inside the Battery Bay. For what ever reason, the Label is very often missing on the Mk V's. If it is missing, you may still be able to see a mark on the case where the sticker used to be. Ian Attached Thumbnails

12th Jan 2019, 1:33 pm	#1940
AndyGilham Pentode Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Dover, Kent, UK. Posts: 237	Re: AVO Multimeter survey Really fantastic survey results. I added the Braille meter, having obtained it from a forum member. I did not realise he had already added it. I was investigating at work whether we held any sales records for Avometers. Sadly, it seems not! So much data was lost/discarded once computers came online. However, I am gathering some detailed data on product builds. In 1965 when avo manufactured the millionth avometer from here in Dover; 12 special instruments were produced. These were given the serial numbers 1,000,000-01 to -12, and had the front panel machined to accept this unique serial label. They were also placed in a presentation box. The 12 were handed out at an Avo held event to some industry bigwigs. I wonder how many of them still exists somewhere!!