May 27, 2025May 27 Popular Post Love going through my old junk every time I return to Canada. Just look at this beautiful piece of American made history. Look at this beautiful Atari logo shining brighter than Jingthing's avatar. Nearing 40, with strength that defies expectations of the most resilient bar girl. MAGA....F yeah Tell me about the oldest thing you have that's still functional?
May 27, 2025May 27 I have a 30 year old Walkman CD player that I still use daily. I do need a new DVD player, but their getting hard to find.
May 27, 2025May 27 Popular Post Let me be the first to say that my junk is 65 years old and more or less functional depending on the circumstances and the dosage.
May 28, 2025May 28 I still have a Fluke 77 DMM , bought in 1985 , so 40 years , still works , still accurate. I made a frequency counter in 1990 , still works with the original EPROMs. = 35 years. A DAT player from 1995 , still good when I was home last year. And I can go on.
May 28, 2025May 28 46 minutes ago, FlorC said: I still have a Fluke 77 DMM , bought in 1985 , so 40 years , still works , still accurate. I made a frequency counter in 1990 , still works with the original EPROMs. = 35 years. A DAT player from 1995 , still good when I was home last year. And I can go on. I've got one of those Fluke meters, similar vintage, used it last week. Worth checking the battery isn't corroded from time to tome, btw Also a 1970s vintage QUAD 44 pre-amp, with the associated 405-2 power amp. And, finally a pair of Spendor BC1 loudspeakers that I bought second-hand 54 years ago! Sound quality out of this rig still brilliant.
May 28, 2025May 28 Popular Post Simpson 260. From the late '50s. My Dad gave it to me in the '60s when we were building our Heathkit Ham radio. Still works when I change out the batteries. This is a file photo. Mine's uglier because it has the genuine leather hard case. The leather hinge is cracked, but I still keep the case. No printed circuit boards inside. All soldered connections. Edit: I store it without the batteries because they tend to leak after a few years. I've had to clean the mess up a couple of times.
May 28, 2025May 28 48 minutes ago, VBF said: I've got one of those Fluke meters, similar vintage, used it last week. Worth checking the battery isn't corroded from time to tome, btw Also a 1970s vintage QUAD 44 pre-amp, with the associated 405-2 power amp. And, finally a pair of Spendor BC1 loudspeakers that I bought second-hand 54 years ago! Sound quality out of this rig still brilliant. Yes batteries in those old Flukes last a long time . I've just checked . The Chinese 9 V battery from the 20 Baht store is still ok. I did replace the polarized filter for the LCD.
May 28, 2025May 28 I have a sliderule and set of log tables from when I became an apprentice in 1964. Both would work perfectly well if i could remember what they were for and how to use them.
May 28, 2025May 28 16 minutes ago, sandyf said: I have a sliderule and set of log tables from when I became an apprentice in 1964. Both would work perfectly well if i could remember what they were for and how to use them. My slide rule is bamboo with a white phenolic face. They were spendy for that time. I can still use it but I haven't seen it in several moves. When I moved to China in 1999, they still used an abacus in the retail stores, and those marked sticks for weighing stuff. They still do in some places out in the boondocks. Back then, I had to pay 7% extra if I wanted a VAT receipt, called a fapiao (sp?)
May 28, 2025May 28 2 hours ago, impulse said: Simpson 260. From the late '50s. My Dad gave it to me in the '60s when we were building our Heathkit Ham radio. Still works when I change out the batteries. This is a file photo. Mine's uglier because it has the genuine leather hard case. The leather hinge is cracked, but I still keep the case. No printed circuit boards inside. All soldered connections. Edit: I store it without the batteries because they tend to leak after a few years. I've had to clean the mess up a couple of times. My dad also had this, along with oscilloscopes and other meters. he built his own Ham radio. Wish I had some of his things.
May 28, 2025May 28 4 minutes ago, fredwiggy said: My dad also had this, along with oscilloscopes and other meters. he built his own Ham radio. Wish I had some of his things. I need to correct myself. We built a Heathkit short wave receiver. Not a Ham radio. Though that sounded like more fun, I think the regulatory requirements were stiffer for 2 ways than for receivers. We did listen to people from all over the world.
May 28, 2025May 28 8 minutes ago, impulse said: I need to correct myself. We built a Heathkit short wave receiver. Not a Ham radio. Though that sounded like more fun, I think the regulatory requirements were stiffer for 2 ways than for receivers. We did listen to people from all over the world. He was a quality control engineer in a job that made things for the government. He built all kinds of things, including that Ham radio. I remember him talking to a man in Russia back in the 60's. He had a Ham license . His call letters were B2BVO. I remember him saying King 2 Baker Victor Ocean countless times. I also remember Heathkit things.
May 28, 2025May 28 The "ultimate scanner" of its time cost a fortune...still working. The AOR AR3000 offers high performance and wide coverage: 100 kHz - 2036 MHz in FM-N, FM-W, USB, LSB, CW and AM. 400 memory channels are provided in four banks of 100 channels each. Each memory channel can store: mode, frequency, RF attenuator setting and lockout status. Up to 48 frquencies may be locked-out. The scan rate is 20 channels per second and search rate of 20 steps per second. The front panel is angled for optimum LCD viewing and keypad entry. Other features include: signal strength indicator, clock with sleep timer, tuning knob, keypad entry, record jack, attenuator and RS-232 port. The rear panel antenna input is a 50 ohm BNC.
May 28, 2025May 28 1925 kodascope 16mm movie projector. At least when I sparked it up 15 years ago. You could plug it into AC or DC. Interesting considering the power distribution controversies of the day.
May 28, 2025May 28 12 hours ago, impulse said: Simpson 260. From the late '50s. My Dad gave it to me in the '60s when we were building our Heathkit Ham radio. Still works when I change out the batteries. This is a file photo. Mine's uglier because it has the genuine leather hard case. The leather hinge is cracked, but I still keep the case. No printed circuit boards inside. All soldered connections. Edit: I store it without the batteries because they tend to leak after a few years. I've had to clean the mess up a couple of times. That's a classic. I have a Sears meter from the 70's.
May 28, 2025May 28 My Texas Instrument Calculator. The first scientific calculator because it could do square roots and had a larger number screen with 2 digits for exponents Bought it in 1975 for $110 Cdn that I made shooting, skinning, and selling the hides of about 50 muskrats. It was the first one in my High School when I was in grade 12 Still works, but the original battery pack fell apart
May 28, 2025May 28 Well stuff was built for a reason back then—to last and be functional FIRST—where today it’s all about efficiency and money, then gets mass produced in China. Still got an old Fluke 77 and solar powered 80s Casio calculator. But bearing in mind, processor-heavy though it was at the time, those old Ataris and Spectrums were running basic / assembly for ping pong tennis etc, where phones today make calls, take pictures, play and make music & video, do banking, map routes etc etc etc. Stuff can still be well made but it costs!
May 29, 2025May 29 On 5/27/2025 at 9:12 AM, Celsius said: Love going through my old junk every time I return to Canada. Just look at this beautiful piece of American made history. Look at this beautiful Atari logo shining brighter than Jingthing's avatar. Nearing 40, with strength that defies expectations of the most resilient bar girl. MAGA....F yeah Tell me about the oldest thing you have that's still functional? I got a commodore 64 I haven't started for 42 years. And a Nokia 5210 I know still turn on. Bought a new battery just for fun
May 29, 2025May 29 On 5/28/2025 at 3:55 AM, impulse said: When I moved to China in 1999, they still used an abacus in the retail stores, and those marked sticks for weighing stuff. They still do in some places out in the boondocks. Back then, I had to pay 7% extra if I wanted a VAT receipt, called a fapiao (sp?) I went to a tiny restaurant in Shanghai total 4 guys nobody can read the menu had a few foods and maybe six beers. Then Uncle pulled out an abacus. Clak Clak Clak Swish. I think it was a dog and pony show for the gweilos, close to $100 USD total
May 30, 2025May 30 On 5/28/2025 at 4:55 PM, impulse said: My slide rule is bamboo with a white phenolic face. They were spendy for that time. I can still use it but I haven't seen it in several moves. When I moved to China in 1999, they still used an abacus in the retail stores, and those marked sticks for weighing stuff. They still do in some places out in the boondocks. Back then, I had to pay 7% extra if I wanted a VAT receipt, called a fapiao (sp?) Yes, been to China a couple of times and seen the abacus. Probably a greater span in methodology there than anywhere else.
May 30, 2025May 30 On 5/27/2025 at 9:12 AM, Celsius said: ell me about the oldest thing you have that's still functional? Colt SAA in 32-20, made 1895
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