Author Topic: Who knows what this is?  (Read 2796 times)

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Offline TerraHertzTopic starter

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Who knows what this is?
« on: August 01, 2017, 11:17:39 am »
Here's an interesting bit of Australian tech-history. I first saw it a while ago, and today went back and took a photo.

Before I say what and where it is, does anyone recognize it?
Collecting old scopes, logic analyzers, and unfinished projects. http://everist.org
 
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Offline NivagSwerdna

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2017, 11:24:03 am »
Speaking clock?

Yeap. Pretty sure it's a speaking clock.  The glass discs hold the sound recordings.

"At the beep the sound will be twelve, twenty seven and fifty seconds..."

There used to be one in the science museum here in London. 

http://www.britishtelephones.com/clocks/spkgclock.htm

You are at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Telecommunications_Museum ?

« Last Edit: August 01, 2017, 11:30:27 am by NivagSwerdna »
 

Offline NivagSwerdna

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2017, 11:40:16 am »
« Last Edit: August 01, 2017, 11:42:56 am by NivagSwerdna »
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2017, 11:52:43 am »
And it always worked, better than NTP  8)
 

Offline TerraHertzTopic starter

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2017, 12:06:42 pm »
You got it!

This is the original PMG talking clock, at the Telstra Museum on 12 Kitchener Parade, Bankstown.
It still runs perfectly, and they are happy to demonstrate it.

The museum is a fascinating place. Saw my first wire recorder today. It works too, and they demonstrate it with a wire reel from hmm, I forget. Around 1950? The sound quality is excellent, which was a surprise to me. I'd like to see tape last that long.
Collecting old scopes, logic analyzers, and unfinished projects. http://everist.org
 

Offline NivagSwerdna

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2017, 12:14:17 pm »
"Here's an interesting bit of Australian tech-history."

Made in England

 ;)


"This is one (number 2) of the four Mark II machines produced in England for use in Australia"... I wonder what modifications they had to make for down-under?

"From January 2003 to March 2006 there was a period of "uncertainty" during which the 1194 service was provided by a third party and the service was inconsistent.  There were occasions when the spoken time was pretty good (i.e. within 0.1 sec), but other occasions when the systems drifted away by anything up to 5 or 10 or 20 seconds.  This lack of reliability made the service unusable."     :palm:

« Last Edit: August 01, 2017, 12:21:39 pm by NivagSwerdna »
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2017, 12:22:58 pm »
I wonder what modifications they had to make for down-under? 
At least another voice, no way the Aussies will tolerate a stiff upper lip english voice.  :-DD
 
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Online Zero999

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2017, 12:34:12 pm »
I wonder what modifications they had to make for down-under? 
At least another voice, no way the Aussies will tolerate a stiff upper lip english voice.  :-DD
A local accent would be nice but I doubt it. The Brits tended to standardise on received pronunciation for official voice recordings, especially if they were distributed around the empire.
 

Offline CJay

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2017, 12:37:07 pm »
Speaking clock?
There used to be one in the science museum here in London. 
There certainly was one last year, fascinating machine.

Did you spot the Cesium standard though?
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2017, 12:42:38 pm »
It is labeled: "robotic equipment"  8)

 
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Offline Cubdriver

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2017, 05:08:33 pm »
... I wonder what modifications they had to make for down-under?

Well, obviously they had to make it so it spun in the opposite direction.  Coriolis effect and all that in the southern hemisphere...  :P

-Pat
If it jams, force it.  If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway...
 
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Offline steve30

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2017, 08:05:00 pm »
Looks good.

What's the speaking clock like nowadays? I used to use it till about 9 or 10 years ago when I started using the pips on Radio 4 instead. You have to pay to call the speaking clock, but the pips are free :).
 

Offline eugenenine

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2017, 09:33:23 pm »
.. I wonder what modifications they had to make for down-under?

Turn them upside down ?

And in the toolkit replace the standard size with a bigger knife.
 

Offline MarkS

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Re: Who knows what this is?
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2017, 10:47:40 pm »
I wonder what modifications they had to make for down-under?

Special mounting brackets had to be installed to keep it from falling off the planet.
 


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