On Mon, 21 May 2001, Yaron wrote:

> On Mon, 21 May 2001, Jamie Ostrowski wrote:
> 
> >    Do you have any other ideas? I thought a trip to an old shop I know of
> > down by ABC Electronics might be rewarding, but I am not too
> > hopeful. Anyway, what do you think of these Hoyt meters?

OK, here's my suggestion.  Take a Saturday afternoon (or weekday if you
have it) and go to the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting in St. Louis Park
(Just east of Hwy 100 at 7, IIRC.)  Why?  Because I think you'll find that
the image in your mind is way out of whack with what you're shopping
for.  The Pavek has meters on things that go back to the 20's and 30's,
and I bet you see some of them and say, "Wow!  Now *THAT'S* what I had in
mind!"

If you do, and if you do fall in love with some of them, ask Steve Raymer
(the curator) or whoever is working there to point you in the direction of
old radio collectors so that you can pick some up.  You'll have to do them
one's or two's at a time, no doubt, but if you really want to match the
stylized thing that I suspect is floating around in your mind, that's the
way to do it.

(I think you want something circular with a big bakelite bezel and a
little heart with the pointy end at the tip of the needle, right?) :)

The Hoyt meters seemed fine to me -- probably closer to period looking
meters, if you've ever mucked around with 50's or 60's era lab
electronics.

I'll look and see if any of the out of state places I used to know have
anything or still exist.


[Back to Yaron]
> I'm sure ABC Electronics would have far more electronics surplus than
> axman. More cool stuff than ACME, too.

<rant on>
Can I offer what I hope is a rare negative opinion?  I am so strongly
opposed to the way ACME conducts their business that I not only won't deal
with them, but I'll take my toys and go home if anyone buys anything for
this there.  How's that?  If you replace every word in this paragraph with
*two* words, all profane and non-identical, you'll have some idea of what
my first draft looked like.

I don't usually subscribe to boycotting vendors, but in their case I'll
make an exception.  I should post the reasons on my web site when I get
the DNS all straghtened out.
<rant off>

> There's this place in Eden Praire that's supposed to have REALLY cool
> stuff, starts with a D.

What is this, charades?! Sounds like....   :P

-- 
"To misattribute a quote is unforgivable." --Anonymous