[morzh]

Chugging along, 3/4 done.

   
   

[MrFixr55]

Lookin' Good, Mike!!

[MrFixr55]

I run into a lot of people whose careers are not exactly what they went to college for, but they fell into the bigger better deal. My Bachelor's degree was in Clinical Lab Technology, which qualified me to work in a clinical lab, where "blood tests" are performed. I did want a career in BioMedical Equipment repair and was told to pick an Allied Health profession as the BioMed program at the college I picked was all pure science and no exposure to technology. I wish I picked Radiology but the college did not offer it, and this college gave a 33% discount to anyone who transferred in holding an associated degree (mine was from a 2 year college in the State Univ of NY (SUNY) system, in liberal arts and sciences) Being one of 6 kids and paying for my own education, this was a large consideration. My hobbies were mechanics, plumbing, electricity and electronics. I broke my first TV at the age of 3, fixed my first radio at the age of 11, and my first TV not long after. Fixed my first lawn mower at 12, my first washing machine at 11, my first car at 14 and so on.

Worked as a Lab technologist for 3 years, then as a Field Engineer for a 3rd party BioMed contractor for 2 years. Finally, a 41 year career with a manufacturer of automated large scale clinical chemistry and hematology analyzers, spectrophotometers, centrifuges, gamma and liquid scintillation counters, laboratory automation and informatics.

My hobby experienced fit in very well with my job as it involved my education as a Lab Technologist and my experience with plumbing, pneumatics, refrigeration, mechanics, electricity and electrical distribution and electronics. I picked up computers along the way.

[radiorich]

Hello mike,
Wow, that is a time consuming task and it looks like you got the hang of it .
Sincerely Richard

[Arran]

Mr. Fix;
A bit off topic but a few years ago I was watching some videos of home experimenters who would go to scrapyards, around London England, and but old X ray machines, not to generate X rays, but for the high voltage power supplies in them some more then 100 KV. It was interesting to see how they were put together, it was through watching those that I identified a mystery tube I had that I got in a box of junk from a HAM auction.
Speaking of radiology, what do they use for the large coils in an MRI machine? Is it copper wire inside that donut or aluminum? They look like they are quite heavy, like large machine tool heavy.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

This is the AI sumamry of MRI materials:

MRI machine coils—including main, gradient, and RF coils—are constructed primarily from conductive materials like
copper, niobium-titanium alloys, and aluminum. These materials are often wound, layered, and insulated with materials such as epoxy, resin, or Kapton to create the precise magnetic fields and antenna functions required for imaging.
Key Materials and Components:

Main Magnet (Bo) Coils: These are typically made of superconducting materials, most commonly niobium-titanium (
) cooled in liquid helium, though some designs may use high-temperature superconductors.
Gradient Coils: Usually constructed from thick copper sheets or wire, designed to create varying magnetic field strengths across the body.
Radiofrequency (RF) Coils: These antenna-like coils are often made of copper or silver-plated conductors, designed to send and receive signals. They can be flexible and use silicone materials, or in advanced research, liquid metals like gallium indium.
Support/Insulation: Materials such as epoxy resins, fiberglass, and Kapton are used to insulate and securely hold the conductive windings together.

Coil Types and Functions:

Main Coils: Create the primary strong, stable magnetic field.
Gradient Coils: Used to create spatial encoding of the MR signal, allowing the machine to locate where the signal originates.
RF Coils: Act as antennas to transmit and receive signals.

Modern developments are increasingly using lighter materials, flexible materials, and even 3D printing techniques to improve patient comfort and image resolution.

[morzh]

As far as off-topics go, unlike many people, I don't mind them, as long as they do not totally take over and we lose track of what we have been discussing, which usually we don't.



My profession is not exactly what I learned in University.

I was given my radio kit as a birthday present when I turned 8. I remember being sick in bed, and my dad came, gave me a kiss, showed me the kit and promised to sit down with me and create the "singing" thing, which was a 2-transistor multi-vibrator with an earphone "ТА-56М" (still remember the model; those that were used in tanks' radios were ТА-4) and a beautiful potentiometer with a blue dial and white pointer knob. I calibrated notes on it and played some simple melodies.
The kit called "Радиоконструктор" - "Radio-constructor" was pretty versatile. It had a plastic board with hole field, holes in both directions every 1cm, and the parts were mounted on panels with M3 screws for leads; it had 3 Ge transistors MP41, a detector type diode D2E, a relay RES-10, an RF transformer for reflex radio circuit, nice phosphor bronze chrome-plated sockets for connectors, true ferrite antenna, also mount and a photo-resistor. Way better looking thing than ELENCO.
After that we immediately assembled a photo-relay and used it as a railroad barrier for the German railroad I had, to allow or to stop the train.

So, at 8, in 1st grade, I knew what profession I wanted.

I largely taught myself electronics, as an amateur. There was a good state support for amateur community; the "Radio" magazine was, and still is (could be bought or found in libraries; I kept getting it from 1980 and to the day we decided to leave, 8 years worth) an excellent source of knowledge. Plus some books; I got my hands on Horowitz-Hill which somehow, translated in Russian, ended up in the bookstore where mom's friend was the manager.

I wanted to go for EE degree, but our college that had all engineering lacked the military department, which meant I'd have to be drafted as a private in the Army after I graduate, which was not something I wanted.
The University did have the department, which meant I would become a lieutenant after graduation and then might or might not be drafted for 2 years (I wasn't, we had about 30 volunteers and then filled the quota). And the University had a Physics department, which was the closest thing to what I wanted.

After I graduated I joined a factory as a NC tools repairman. So, my pro activity was in electronics anyway. I was 21.

[morzh]

OK, I am done with buss-wire, just the power wire remains.

One of the last wires required me to do this. Worse than the first time I showed it, almost like exercise in contortioning.
   

Last part.

   

And the whole board.

   

[radiorich]

Hello mike,
that reminds of needle point that wpould been the time to have a third hand !
Sincerely Richard

[Paul Philco322]

I hope you pick up some decent signals on that AK what a buster. Paul

[morzh]

At a minimum, we do have a local station in Lakewood.
Otherwise, most of my radios pick up plenty with good strength.
Though I think, it will, unlike the rest of them, require some sort of antenna and perhaps GND.

[RodB]

As you work your way to finishing the wire soldering have you paused to remind yourself those wires are 100 years old?

[morzh]

That thought is always in the back of my mind.
Doesn't make me pause though

Someone ob the Facebook asked me (after I pblished the photos): "Have you re-used your old wiring?"
(I have hi-res photos, I thought it was kinda obvious).

All things there, even the absolutely pristibe shiny-looking (inside the case) tuning caps are 103 years old (10A were produced in 1923). My grandpa just turned 20 and had no kids, my parents were 12 and 14 years from being born.
Vladimir Lenin was living his last year and NEP (New Economic Policy, that allowed capitalism/private enterprise in the Soviet Russia) was in its peak.

This radio has outlived its original owners, probably by a lot of years. And will outlive me.
It has lived through many world events and reported on many of them, though I doubt it saw lots of use by the time the talking furniture sets became widely popular.

But someone took care of it, preserved it and kept it, so someone else, and then Ron, and now me, could take it and bring it back to life.

In a way it is like flying an original Wrights' plane, or being inside an actually working watermill, or seeing a whiskey made in a 100-plus copepr still.

Pretty fascinating. For, of course, the people who could appreciate that.

[Arran]

Mike;
My oldest radio is likely either the FADA Neutrodyne or the Deforest Crosley Trirdyne Special. I'm not sure what model the FADA is as it is not marked, and what I have is the complete chassis, and front panel. The Triardyne is a Canadian built version of the American Crosley Trirdyne, it's a three tube set with a reflex or regenerative circuit in it, with 199 tubes, though apparently you can use either those or 01as, but not both, it's in good shape but I haven't checked it over electrically yet. I would like to build a cabinet for the FADA once I get it going, I suspect it came out of a console cabinet of some kind rather then a table one.
My connection with radios of the 1920s is more indirect, I don't think I knew any original owners of this stuff, but my late uncle, and a former neighbor used to collect them. The Bakelite panels, and collection of knobs, and dials have interested me from a young age. When I run into one for a reasonable price, or a speaker, I pick them up.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

ARBE III has just come. I opened it up, checked the voltages, all are OK, so will need to adjust them as per the AK10 needs, then connectorize the new cable: I intend to use spade terminals and some heatshrink printable tubing for marking.
Also need to check the speaker.