The COVID-19 & Corona free thread.

[V8Ian]

Bugger me! Another idiot like me. It fools you for sure.

It was less boring than the other static I could pickup, Federal Parliament.

[3toes]

Had a crystal radio for listening to of an evening while in bed. Aerial going out the window to a metal fitting on the fence.

Was my fathers idea. We spent some time finding the parts required. Most were recovered from other devises that we found and assembled into the radio we were building.

[3toes]

In the nice try category

After WW2 the American’s are departing and there is an auction of equipment they are not taking with them at Eagle Farm airport.

Uncle is at the auction and wants one of two cranes listed for sale. Now these cranes are different makes and condition however listed in the Catalogue by serial number with a general description which does not include the make. Uncle sees an opportunity and switches the serial numbers which were bolted on to the crane. After the auction has ended Uncle is pleased as thinks has a bargain with his purchases pays as quick as possible and starts removing the crane he has ‘purchased’. This is of course the better of the two which he has got at a very good price. Almost at the gate when stopped by authorities as it seemed there had been some kind of mixup and they were cancelling the sale and refunding both purchasers. Another 100 meters (or should that be yards) and he would have been out of there

[JDNSW]

In the nice try category

After WW2 the American’s are departing and there is an auction of equipment they are not taking with them at Eagle Farm airport.

Uncle is at the auction and wants one of two cranes listed for sale. Now these cranes are different makes and condition however listed in the Catalogue by serial number with a general description which does not include the make. Uncle sees an opportunity and switches the serial numbers which were bolted on to the crane. After the auction has ended Uncle is pleased as thinks has a bargain with his purchases pays as quick as possible and starts removing the crane he has ‘purchased’. This is of course the better of the two which he has got at a very good price. Almost at the gate when stopped by authorities as it seemed there had been some kind of mixup and they were cancelling the sale and refunding both purchasers. Another 100 meters (or should that be yards) and he would have been out of there

I recall hearing of a somewhat similar situation at a council Auction in NQ. No serial number swapping, but lot numbers were somewhat confusing, and a small farmer succeeded in getting a ten year old motor grader - for a bargain price; and the earthmoving contractor bid on the wrong lot number and paid top dollar for a fifty year old horsedrawn grader that had been sitting abandoned by the roadside two hundred miles out of town thirty years earlier.

[DiscoMick]

I remember the first TV broadcast. I was only a little kid, but the neighbours all gathered at our house to watch, as Dad had bought the only TV in the neighbourhood. Don't remember the actual program, but I hear it was pretty boring.

[4bee]

Had a crystal radio for listening to of an evening while in bed. Aerial going out the window to a metal fitting on the fence.

Was my fathers idea. We spent some time finding the parts required. Most were recovered from other devises that we found and assembled into the radio we were building.

When I was a littly a Crystal Set was made for me by a couple of distant rellies, (brothers who would later enlist in the RAAF as radio Techs) Just expecting something in a shoe box attached to a jam tin I was very surprised that they had done a proper job & it came in a lovely varnished wooden polished box with Zelemite front surface & internally mounted components. Dare I say it was the cat's whisker? I had that for some years & like things then, it gradually got broken, lost & finally discarded.

By that time I had "graduated" to an Astor (?) in a tan real leather carry shoulder bag portable with heavy dry cell battery inside. Felt a right dude with that one.

Dunno what happened to that, probably one of my 4 bruvs lifted it for his own enjoyment.

The next radio I got to play with was a UK PYE No.62 Set in RA Signals with a 12v wet cell battery.

Wireless Set No. 62 - Wikipedia

And the rest is history & I became a Fridgie.

[scarry]

There used to be a Sunday evening segment on Colour Radio 4IP, hosted by Father Some-one-or-other.
This particular Sunday evening, when our kids were very young, we were returning from a family visit, the segment came on. A fellow, whose lift obviously didn't reach the top floor, was blubbering on about his missus doing the bolt. Father-Some-one-or-other, in a sickly, sympathetic tone, asked "Why do you think she left?" The reply "Because she put her clothes in a port and hasn't come back.", left the front seat occupants in stitches and the kids looking at Mum and Dad as if they'd grown second heads.

Spot on I recon that was the show,stretching the memory a lot.

It came on about 8.30 or 9.00 pm

[austastar]

Hi,
I remember one of the early portable battery radios had a huge (expensive) 90V battery.
We only used it on mains after the original battery died.
Cheers

[Bigbjorn]

I recall hearing of a somewhat similar situation at a council Auction in NQ. No serial number swapping, but lot numbers were somewhat confusing, and a small farmer succeeded in getting a ten year old motor grader - for a bargain price; and the earthmoving contractor bid on the wrong lot number and paid top dollar for a fifty year old horsedrawn grader that had been sitting abandoned by the roadside two hundred miles out of town thirty years earlier.

Ten to twelve years is about normal for a Shire Council to trade in a motor grader. Usually done in the range of 8000 to 12000 hours. Industry rule of thumb for a Shire grader was 800 hours a year. They would get better deals if they traded them at five years. A ten+ year old grader to a used equipment dealer is an old beater that is usually bought by the Bent Axle Bob class of contractor or primary producers.

[Saitch]

There used to be a Sunday evening segment on Colour Radio 4IP, hosted by Father Some-one-or-other.
This particular Sunday evening, when our kids were very young, we were returning from a family visit, the segment came on. A fellow, whose lift obviously didn't reach the top floor, was blubbering on about his missus doing the bolt. Father-Some-one-or-other, in a sickly, sympathetic tone, asked "Why do you think she left?" The reply "Because she put her clothes in a port and hasn't come back.", left the front seat occupants in stitches and the kids looking at Mum and Dad as if they'd grown second heads.

Yep, I remember that programme. Afetr one show, the good sky pilot got a rap over the knuckles for playing Tull's 'Aqualung' as one of his deep and meaningful songs. It was banned from Oz airplay back then.............................................. .......................and curse you, Ian. I'll be laying awake all night trying to remember 'Father ????????'.


No, I remember, Clarrie White.