[MRCA] Seventies Technology

[KA1LHZ]

LOL
I remember as a kid our family got a used TV that had an ultrasonic
remote. Every time our dog shook in proximity of the TV her tags would
cause the channels to change... :-)
KA1LHZ
Steve

On 05/24/2014 04:40 PM, Tim wrote:
> Hi Rob -
> In the 1970's - 80's we had a laser lab at work and we used an old
> mechanical (Zenith?) TV remote to remotely turn on and off the
> overhead lighting while working on experiments. The remote handheld
> consisted of 4 tuning forks with 4 buttons that hit them to operate 4
> different functions - worked great, no batteries. 
>
> However, all the optical tables had zillions of 1/4-20 tapped holes in
> them to mount optical gizmos and those mounts all had 3/16 allen head
> screws.  Unfortunately, dropping a 3/16 inch allen wrench on the table
> top generated the exact freq that then turned the lights off (or on).
> Drove us crazy.....
>
> Solution?  Wrapped the wrench with a bit of tape to kill the "Q", no
> more problems... Except occasionally when the old telephone rang....LOL
>
> Tim
> N6CC
>
>
> On Sat, May 24, 2014 at 4:49 AM, Rob Flory <farmer.rob.flory at gmail.com
> <mailto:farmer.rob.flory at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     The primary television set, actually the only one in my house that
>     isn't a computer monitor of some kind, is a 70s-era RCA XL-100. 
>     We like to demonstrate it to our kid's friends as "not even
>     needing a remote".
>
>     I did find myself wishing it had a remote one time, when I had a
>     hernia repair and wanted to watch a movie and then go to sleep. 
>     The problem was that when the VHS tape was done, the screen would
>     go to snow and sound to annoying noise.  I installed a remote in
>     the form of a 20-foot piece of nylon cord attached to the power
>     plug of the TV set.
>
>     I still have the manual for the thing and would probably make a go
>     at fixing it when it quits, if it quits before I do.
>
>     The only problem I have had is the one we have with a lot of our
>     gear, the mechanical switches in the tuner.
>
>     RF
>
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