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Jeff Urban <jurb6006@gmail.com>: Jul 07 06:02PM -0700 I work on vintage audio. A but slow now but I am fine, I won't starve.   Anyway, lately I have been seeing very weird failures. It always used to be outputs and drivers. People beat on them running them under a rug and burning it up, shit like that. Or they had lower impedance speakers ad the amp was too wimpy. Whatever.   Now that this is all old the failure modes changed. We got three modes now.   The first is referred to as infant mortality. Some parts are simply no good ad they fail soon and it is all under warranty usually. The company will get them elsewhere.   Next comes normal failure. Zero to a hundred degrees all the time, that can take its toll. that was the usual outpts ad drivers.   Now with this stuff approaching fifty years old, it is not just a matter of bad caps. We are talking stupid ass resistors, standard diodes that the PC board glue ate up the leads, shit like this. Some obscure transistor nobody even knew the thing had.   The business is not what it used to be. "Order some 2SDXXX ad 2SB xxx and a 2SCXXX and the rest of it we got. Not no more.   For example, I forget the model now but the diff pair had all negative voltages, but there was no sound and no significant DC offset. The diode for the current source to the emitters of the diff pair was open. Who would ever have thunk that ?   Mechanical things are even worse, I won't even work on cassette decks anymore. I'll do some of the better turntables and reel to reels.   Yeah, a week or so ago I emailed a client with "I don't know if you can afford the parts for this, EIGHT CENTS".   That is what it is, you can't fix the new shit and the old shit takes some real skill sometimes. Like 25 years ago "Blown channel, we got 3281s and 1302s ? Not no more.

"pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jul 08 05:16AM -0700 Wait until you start seeing low-end phenolic boards - mostly from Pacific Rim stuff - start to turn to powder. Or metal-fatigue on solid-wire connections.   On the other hand, we have better materials, better glues, better solvents, better lubricants, better belt materials - just plain better chemistry - and so forth.   Most of the stuff I deal with is either point-to-point vintage radios from pre-WWII, Zenith TransOceanics, or 1960s/70s US/Euro audio stuff. So far, so good on getting parts as needed.   Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Jeff Urban <jurb6006@gmail.com>: Jul 08 07:04AM -0700 Man I like that old shit. Friend of mine is even worse.   Talk about old shit ? Alright, an HP VTVM, I THINK a 412A. This thing has four lightbulbs in it and a spinning disk that somehow tells it the reading. The range of this thing is almost incredible, and the input impedance is non existent. We are talking 100 meg on many of the ranges. Those ranges are really out of this world, down to millivolts full scale n shit. Look up the specs. You might just throw that Fluke in the trash.   He won't sell it. Fucker.   But this is a prime example of something that is older and better and that they probably can't even build today.   And that is progress.

"pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jul 08 07:15AM -0700 https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m47623413470/?gclsrc=aw.ds&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=2065917279&utm_content=t0&adgroup=78855541600&network=g&device=c&merchant_id=189924233&product_id=m47623413470&product_id=527918100373&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3ZX4BRDmARIsAFYh7ZL03v9YhvN8j22nd7sMbQWqsq07LkLQqKlcht_Boa52NtNzvcTZxhcaArUAEALw_wcB   Not that hard to find. The internet is your friend.   Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Jeff Urban <jurb6006@gmail.com>: Jul 08 07:22AM -0700 Hey, do you have anything that gets the forbidden bands ?   Those are the bands that are omitted on most SW radios sold here because they are supposed to be for foreign audiences. You have to pay extra to get those.   That reminds me of something fro the 1980s. We hired this Black guy at the shop (he was surprised) and he said he would like to make a all band receiver. From zero to as high as it gets, or at least got back then. I like the idea actually. but now that I know more about engineering and all that I know how much of a pain in the ass it would be. It is easy to just say "Do it" but it is not quite as easy to do it.   I learned alot in the last 25 years or so, they can't do this and that. They would love to because their pockets would be busting out with money.   Like, alright politics but not too much. One party in the US wants to mandate all kinds of shit about new energy sources. They don't realize that there are people working on that. BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE THE ONES WHO SELL IT. there is no more power than money. A fuckig corporation, they don't give a fuck about the law, they give a fuck if they can get sued. Some of you have been there.   >start to turn to powder   I have never seen that but I guess I believe you. Why would you make it up ? Maybe you are working on things that are older and my little experience has not reached that point. Well, whaddya gonna do ?   But you would love some of the old shit my friend has. I was thinking of telling him to put me in his will for a few things but he might outlive me.   An HP 412A and he fixed it without my help. Damn. I am so useless.

"pfjw@aol.com" <peterwieck33@gmail.com>: Jul 08 07:42AM -0700 The Grundig Satellit 700 gets the "forbidden bands". The Zenith RD7000Y also gets them, along with the US Weather Band. I keep both.   It is entirely legal to *receive* any transmission from any source in the United States, as the "people" own the airwaves. It is NOT entirely legal to transmit on certain frequencies - where this gets awkward is with super-het sets receiving some signals - as super-het sets also 'transmit' in the process. Look it up. During WWII, the US military through proxies, routinely crippled SW sets owned by foreigners in the US. Only Italy and Saudi Arabia (in the so-called 'free' world) would forbid the manufacture or sale of SW receivers capable of receiving certain frequencies. Of course, China, the USSR, and once-up-a-time Cuba do so today, and India severely limits amateur bands.   Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA     p.s.: Funny thing, though - I purchased my Grundig NIB in a Souk in Al Khobar, along with 18 others that I distributed around the world, and which paid for two very elaborate vacations for my wife and me.

Tim R <timothy42b@aol.com>: Jul 08 08:15AM -0700 On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 10:22:54 AM UTC-4, Jeff Urban wrote: > Hey, do you have anything that gets the forbidden bands ?   > Those are the bands that are omitted on most SW radios sold here because they are supposed to be for foreign audiences. You have to pay extra to get those.   SDR. DC to Daylight.   You're still going to have to build an antenna tuner I imagine.

Jeff Urban <jurb6006@gmail.com>: Jul 07 05:25PM -0700 Running Vista, which I know sucks but I don't have XP drivers for this thing and I am not putting a newer OS on here that will just slow it down more.   I want to go from 52.0 to 52.9 and already got the files but I don't know how to use them. There is an EXE in there and I tried it and it did nothing.   And I do not want to hear "Get off the bucks and just buy a real computer". I do not want that. It is not the money, it is actually that I do not want that. There are also things I use that won't run in anything newer. That involves money so it is no fucking joke.   There are all kinds of things I do not want. Surround sound. HDTV. Self driving cars. Hell I would prefer a manual transmission.   But what do I do with these files ? I actually downloaded them by mistake a while back but I didn't have the right version of Firefox. It could not work. Now I do and I can't make it work. WTF ?

stratus46@yahoo.com: Jul 07 08:27PM -0700 On Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at 5:25:32 PM UTC-7, Jeff Urban wrote:   > And I do not want to hear "Get off the bucks and just buy a real computer". I do not want that. It is not the money, it is actually that I do not want that. There are also things I use that won't run in anything newer. That involves money so it is no fucking joke.   > There are all kinds of things I do not want. Surround sound. HDTV. Self driving cars. Hell I would prefer a manual transmission.   > But what do I do with these files ? I actually downloaded them by mistake a while back but I didn't have the right version of Firefox. It could not work. Now I do and I can't make it work. WTF ?   Surround sound and HDTV are actually pretty cool. Sorry I don't know how to fix your Firefox.   G²

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>: Jul 08 01:08PM +0100 Jeff Urban wrote:   > Running Vista > I want to go from 52.0 to 52.9 > But what do I do with these files ?   I don't know what files you have, but I'd suggest you just run the 52.9 installer   <http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/52.9.0esr/win32/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%2052.9.0esr.exe>

Tim R <timothy42b@aol.com>: Jul 08 08:10AM -0700 If your computer and OS still do what you need, I don't see why you would upgrade (other than if you're on line a lot and running XP and worried about malware.)   I'm running a dual boot XP and Mint on an old laptop. I use only Mint but keep it dual boot for that rare stuff that needs Windows.   My Google Chrome stopped working. It turned out I could not reload, because my system was 32 bit and Chrome now only runs 64 bit. The solution was Chromium, which works just as well, maybe better. You might want to consider changing browsers.

Adrian Caspersz <email@here.invalid>: Jul 08 05:20AM +0100 > After such a complete and detailed request, you are sure to get any number of equally complete and detailed responses.   Test CDs it seems.   -- Adrian C

Independent <independent@independent.com>: Jul 08 12:48PM Hi   Sorry for short description. They are indeed test CD/DVDs.   On A-bex TDC784 I've found this: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8 &ved=2ahUKEwj9zOHS173qAhWSyqQKHRHwA8sQFjADegQIBRAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.a-bex.jp%2FA-BEX_TEST_DISC_HP%2F2CD_% 2Fstandard_product_tcd_%2FTCD-784_.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2MRu4V0Id30PGjjuJIYleK   On DVD-MJK1 I can't find much info   A lot of manufactures refer to them in their service manuals. Often used for calibration of tracking.   KR Kim       -- ----------------------------------------- --- -- - Posted with NewsLeecher V8.0 Beta 4 Free Newsreader @ http://www.newsleecher.com/ ------------------------------- ----- ---- -- -

Independent <independent@independent.com>: Jul 08 12:51PM Hi   Sorry for short description. They are indeed test CD/DVDs.   On A-bex TDC784 I've found this: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8 &ved=2ahUKEwj9zOHS173qAhWSyqQKHRHwA8sQFjADegQIBRAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.a-bex.jp%2FA-BEX_TEST_DISC_HP%2F2CD_% 2Fstandard_product_tcd_%2FTCD-784_.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2MRu4V0Id30PGjjuJIYleK   On DVD-MJK1 I can't find much info   A lot of manufactures refer to them in their service manuals. Often used for calibration of tracking.   KR Kim       -- ----------------------------------------- --- -- - Posted with NewsLeecher V8.0 Beta 4 Free Newsreader @ http://www.newsleecher.com/ ------------------------------- ----- ---- -- -

John-Del <ohger1s@gmail.com>: Jul 07 12:42PM -0700 On Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at 5:30:29 AM UTC-4, Trevor Wilson wrote: > gearboxes. Maybe I can ask some random people on the internet?   > -- > Trevor Wilson     To be fair, he might be looking to hire someone to fix it for him.

Trevor Wilson <trevor@rageaudio.com.au>: Jul 08 06:43AM +1000 On 8/07/2020 5:42 am, John-Del wrote:   >> -- >> Trevor Wilson   > To be fair, he might be looking to hire someone to fix it for him.   **In that case, I sincerely hope that English is not his/her first language.   I can just see my mechanic's face, when I present my car to him and and him to fix it, but don't provide any description of a fault.   -- Trevor Wilson www.rageaudio.com.au   -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

Jeff Urban <jurb6006@gmail.com>: Jul 07 05:43PM -0700 >**I wanna fix my car, but I don't know anything about engines and >gearboxes. Maybe I can ask some random people on the internet?   Sounds reasonable. :-)   I tried to get a print for that thing on Hifiegine and it redirected me to some really frigged up site.   HA, reminds me, my buddy Jack sold a car many years ago. Soon the guy calls and says it doesn't run. Jack says "Hmm, well as far as I knew it was in good condition, is there gas in it ?".   He says "Gas ?".   You know there are people who would like to have a real mechanic drive their car to see if anything is wrong. But that is not the situation here. They better not ask me, I'll rip the tread right off the tires. Tires are not cheap anymore.   How about a description of the problem ? Is that too much to ask ? If so just change all the capacitors with really expensive ones, don't even check them, just change them and hope for the best.   The thing most likely has the standard amplifier circuit which usually poses no problem. However it could need real troubleshooting.   Just ship it here to Ohio and I'll do it for a small fee, and then probably fix it. But I would guess that round trip shipping would be like $200 or more. That is if you are closeby, if you are i Califuckingfornia it will of course be more. Some truck drivers get almost double pay to go there. They also get better money for going to New England. And NYC, they can live well for a month for one trip there.

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