Dick Smith - Amateur Radio & Adventure - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2014, 10:45:35 pm
content: Link:http://youtu.be/fK2KBDo7ISYThis was one of my favourites ever. I am based in the UK, but I'm well aware of the Dick Smith electronic stores in my occasional trips down under in my role as a Pommy Bastard (TM, Dave L. Jones, and others, apparently)I was not aware, being a mere tourist down under, of Dick Smith's career or his non-vocational exploits.I am certain that being a ham radio operator and more recently a private pilot made it all the more superb viewing for me, but it was a really pleasant surprise in the early Friday morning here in London as I spent my mundane life sticking on another few hundred CE labels on one of my products.The content speaks for itself.Thank you.Howard

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2014, 03:45:18 am
content: There's a book called "Freedom Flight" (Alan Honeyborne, Rickey De Agrela) documenting a round-the-world trip by a couple guys in flex-wing microlights, a really good read. Anyway, in it they call into to Dick's strip at Bowylie, he wasn't there at the time.A few days later they are in Sydney airspace, Dick must have heard them on the radio and calls them up , dashes out and formates on them in an Augusta to escorts them to an airfield. There on he flies them to his place for lunch and shoots the breeze a few hours before flying them back. Before he left them, he handed a folded cheque "don't open it until you need it".

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 22, 2014, 06:48:05 am
content: --- ..- - ... - .- -. -.. .. -. --.-- ..- - - .-.. . -.--

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 08:10:29 pm
content: .- --. .-. . . -.. --..-- ... --- -. --- .-- .-- . ... .... --- ..- .-.. -.. .-- --- .-. -.- .- - --. . - - .. -. --. -.. .- ...- . .... .. ... .-.. .. -.-. . -. -.-. .

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 10:45:12 pm
content: Some now I don't think Dave's as enthused about RF as some of the rest of us!

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2014, 05:54:55 am
content: Quote from: German_EE on November 24, 2014, 08:10:29 pm.. ..-. .. -..- . -.. - .... .- - ..-. --- .-. -.-- --- ..-

author: 84GKSIG
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2014, 08:41:08 am
content: already commented on the video as i really enjoyed Dick Smiths story as much as i enjoyed running around his stores buying stuff back when they were awesome and i was a little kid developing my interest for electronics. RF radio and transmitting hasnt really been something ive been into but i did get a massive kick out of building my own crystal radio and an even bigger kick out of seeing it actually work when i was about 8 years old ( well hear it actually work) i wanted to ask those of you who are really deeply into it, what it was that interested you the most about amateur radio that made you want to be a part of it.how did the interest come to be? cheers

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 25, 2014, 09:08:14 am
content: For most of us I would expect that it was, and still is a communication's medium not dissimilar to this.The internet forum that you have when there is no internet.Also there is a bit more involved than just pressing a key or clicking a mouse, and the amateur radio community are generally very welcoming and hospitable people.Thank you for your interest in this field.Muttley

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2014, 09:32:56 am
content: In my own case, I too started off with making a radio when I was eight, about 1973, but with some help from the old man as we did a single transistor version. I tinkered with various other non radio related electronics like amplifiers, as my uncle was a field repair tech for electronic typewriters at the time, as well as a radio ham. He used to give me old boards out of equipment and I'd scavenge the parts, and make oscillators etc.When I was eleven, in 1976 we had an old computer at school, it filled an entired school room, and I learned Algol. The kids were left to their own devices, and we did electronics too. This introduced me to 74 series TTL and I designed and made a digital clock out of about 20 TTL chips, pretty impressive for my age I always think. In 1977/78, I built my own computer from someone else's design, another school kid in fact, just a hex keyboard and LEDs, but it worked, and I spent hours and hours writing machine code in raw hex, manually calculating jumps etc. In the end, by the age of 14 or 15 I was designing my own computers.About 1981, CB finally hit the UK and I got a set. However it was pretty limiting and I took my ham exams a few months later and received my callsign around 1982. It was self-study too, I just read the books. In those days, although you could make RF stuff, it was hard because test equipment had very limited availabilty, so there were a lot of failed RF projects. In real terms, equipment was expensive, and we could only yearn after the radios advertised on the magazine pages. I did my own two-way digital RF link before packet radio became popular, it didn't work very well but it did at least work a bit. Most of what I did was homebrewing antennas badly and making computers work with radios.Then at university I discovered booze and women and the electronics largely took a back seat to that and computers until the late 90s when I rekindled my RF and ham interest. I had a bit more money so could afford an oscilloscope at least. I spent a lot of time with antennas, particularly around 2.4GHz which is also a ham band, and this was before WiFi took off. I purchased a VNA for tuning the antennas, and I guess that was the start of doing RF at least reasonably seriously. The previous voodoo of RF was gradually making a bit of sense, the stars were aligning in my head.I then got involved with space comms, and have been directly involved in a number of successful launches, from designing the telemetry and coding schemes to transponder design to hardware integration in the clean room.So RF and embedded computing remains to this day my favourite poison, and I'm never more than moments away from a soldering iron.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2014, 10:02:34 am
content: Quote from: 84GKSIG on November 25, 2014, 08:41:08 amWhereas with a crystal set you're hearing 10 - 50kW broadcast stations, with ham radio you can use a low powered transmitter and make contacts far and wide, with an antenna wire short enough to wind on an old solder reel.It's a bit like fishing, cast your line out and you never know where or who you'll contact.Even better if you've built the transmitter/transceiver yourself.

author: 84GKSIG
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2014, 12:15:56 am
content: well I think now my level of curiosity in this particular area of electronics is starting to growhows one go about starting amateur radio as a hobby ?

author: AG6QR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2014, 12:55:54 am
content: Quote from: 84GKSIG on November 26, 2014, 12:15:56 amThe specifics depend on your country of residence. Since your profile says you're in Australia, here's a good source of info:http://www.wia.org.au/Generally speaking, you've got to take a test to get a license from your government, but the specifics change from one country to another. I believe no country requires Morse code these days, though Morse code is still in use by many hams. The test will usually be a mix of radio theory (fairly straightforward for most people who have a background in electronics) plus operating rules, regulations, and procedures, which aren't too complicated, but which you should probably study.A local radio club is a good way to find specific info on how to get your license. They can also help you with practical advice about how to set up a good working antenna, radio, and that sort of thing. There's no personality exam for getting into ham radio, so it's hard to be sure exactly what kind of people you'll find at your local club, but since many people like to talk with others who share their interests, it's usually not hard to find a ham or several who will be knowledgeable and helpful to an interested newcomer.By the way, I know you're in Australia, but since I know the US situation better, and since some of our readership is in the USA, I'll point out that the starting point in the USA is the arrl,http://www.arrl.org. The USA exams are multiple choice, and the questions and answers are posted on line, so it's not hard to study up and pass one, especially if you already know some electronics. There's a fee of around $15.00 to take an exam, and then you get a license good for ten years. When the license expires, you can renew at no charge. Our licenses are a bargain, and if someone in the US has the least bit of interest in radio, there's really no good reason NOT to get a ham license.I haven't yet talked to Australia, but I'm still fairly new at the radio hobby, and I'm sure I'll get there eventually. I have used 5 watts to contact New Caledonia from the USA, so I've made it most of the way. There is something magical about using a few watts of battery power to send waves out into the ether, and having someone halfway around the globe catch them and send a message back.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2014, 07:22:13 pm
content: Quote from: AG6QR on November 26, 2014, 12:55:54 amA good starting point. Note in particular the links to local clubs, licensing and exams.I also recommend the Australian amateur FAQ at:http://vkfaq.ampr.org/index.phpThis has brief descriptions of the various sub-interests within amateur radio. There's likely something in there that will appeal.At one time you walked along the street, noticed the antennas and knocked on the door to get a demonstration of amateur radio.These days articles and videos of all facets of amateur radio are available online, with the links below being a small sample.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2014, 07:45:04 am
content: I still have to get myself a box of dickhead matches to sit on the shelf.I did my private plane license up to and including my 1st solo (several touch-and-go circuits), in a Cessna 172. I had to abort on the the first attempt at the solo flight as the engine suffered partial failure half way down the runway at full throttle. My elderly instructor also used to nod off once we got into the air. Then I moved out of home an acquired a mortgage and suddenly had other things and pursuits to spend my money on.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2014, 08:13:47 am
content: For those in the UK wanting to get into amateur radio, then the royal society of gibbon bashers is the best place to start looking.http://rsgb.org/

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2014, 06:50:55 pm
content: Quote from: GK on November 27, 2014, 07:45:04 amI would post a pic of the giant box of matches I have, but Simon would ban me..........I could never be a pilot, like my dad was, as I would fail the eye test....... At least I did not inherit his blue green colour blindness. Only one time I wanted to use a parachute though was on a C47, where the flight engineer and me were both looking under the wing out of the door looking to see if the undercarriage was down and locked unlike the cockpit display. Best landing though in a Dakota, kind of marred by the fire engine belting along to be close to the crash.Then there was the time a paraglider crashed into the surf in front of me at the beach.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 03:08:57 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on November 27, 2014, 06:50:55 pmJust guessing here - anything to do with a certain love affair in your parts with the British?But back on topic, I get a laugh out of Dick's self-deprecating matchbox humor. I couldn't imagine a Yank entrepreneur by the name of Dick pulling the same publicity stunt.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2014, 12:03:32 pm
content: Quote from: GK on December 03, 2014, 03:08:57 pmYes, Dick was the master is self promotion and self publicity. I guess that goes with being a salesman.In general, however, real engineers and technicians are poor at self promotion.You never hear of an electronics engineer or technician ranking alongside the best sportsmen, politicians or actresses in receiving a country's top honours awards. Imagine being recognised in the Australia Day Honours List for services to the electronics industry, or for outstanding soldering abilities, or innovative schematic and PCB design. And yet this barely known class of electronics people contributed to the betterment of mankind in a bigger way than all the sportsmen, politicians, actresses andartists put together in the last 100 years.In Australia, the average person has no clue as to what an electronics engineer is.Dave is doing something to promote electronics and he is to be commended. One day he might even become David Jones, OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia).... going up to the Governor General to receive his medal, in a clean room suit and an oscilloscope dangling off his back.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2014, 07:38:29 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on December 11, 2014, 12:03:32 pmThough radio people seem to appear sometimes:Bob Padula OAM (also an engineer) -http://bpadula.tripod.com/autobiography/id54.htmlfor services to shortwave listeningArthur Cushen MBE -https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm98/bm980411.htmPeter Weeks VK3YZP -http://www.ses.vic.gov.au/media/news/news-items/peter-weeks-rewarded-with-order-of-australia-medal

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2014, 09:11:42 am
content: Another video about other facets of Dick Smith. Includes some old pictures of stores and his current interests. Highly recommended!

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 08:27:20 am
content: _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _. ... .. _... .._ _ _ ._ _. . _.. .. _

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 09:06:10 am
content: This just tweaked a few old grey cells...!Who else remembers Dicks first 'office ' under the ramp at Big Bear bus depot in Neutral Bay? Followed by his move up to the Pacific Highway at St Leonards...?

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 09:44:35 am
content: It, and the Colin Mitchell series, comprise my favourite interviews on YouTube. Definitely worth watching - and rewatching.

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 10:16:39 am
content: Very entertaining, watched it twice.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 10:18:14 am
content: Well considering that it's been almost 12 months since we first viewed it and that it was originally posted on EEVblog2 as indicated in the comments, I agree and think a repeat performance is in order as not everybody may have seen it.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 10:28:01 am
content: Quote from: vk3yedotcom on December 11, 2014, 07:38:29 pmI think you first have to get nominated by someone.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 12:47:44 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 13, 2015, 10:28:01 amTrue. Radio people (eg at least some of the above) have organised themselves into clubs for over 100 years so there's potential for others to know of their achievements and nominate them.There were a lot of computer & CB radio clubs in the '70s and '80s but most seem to have died.Judging from old electronics magazines there were hardly ever any high-profile electronics hobbyist clubs - possibly until the advent of hackerspaces in recent times.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 12:56:28 pm
content: Quote from: vk3yedotcom on November 13, 2015, 12:47:44 pmI don't recall reading about a single one in any of the Oz mags since I started reading them in the late 70's.There were computer clubs, but that's all I can remember.