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Author Topic: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR  (Read 2757 times)

John W E

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CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« on: October 31, 2012, 08:33:21 pm »

Lets see if we can jog a few memories


Can you guess what this will be when its finished - can you guess the manufacturer - and can you guess who wrote an article about it and if you have used one of these when they first came out, no doubt (like me) you will feel quite aged - cos it only feels like yesterday since I read the article and made one of these.


aye
john
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DickyD

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2012, 09:19:33 pm »

Is it a motor mixer ?  {:-{
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Stavros

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2012, 09:49:00 pm »

ACTion 10 amp speed controller
 
 
Stav
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Stormbringer

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2012, 10:00:02 pm »

maplins kit of a speed controller about 1983 ish ( i still have 1 thats in my 30" armed trawler and it still works )
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2012, 10:22:46 pm »

Part of that RC kit your built yourself?
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malcolmfrary

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2012, 10:05:58 am »

I would go for the Maplin ESC as well.  Nice big space on the left for the reversing relay, on the right, holders for the ZN408 servo chip and the logic chip used to sort the outputs.  I got mine in the late '80s, but it had been going for some time then.
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Corposant

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2012, 11:36:10 am »

Here's mine!



Made up in the mid 1980's. Looks a bit more modern than John's!

I was planning to use it in my Puffer but a wayward wire injected some volts where it wasn't expecting them - after which it started to do some unexpected things!



The chap in question appears to be Dave Goodman and yes John I do feel aged!

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John W E

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2012, 08:12:01 pm »

This oldie cant fool you oldies then?


Yes, its a copy of the Maplins kit.    I have the original Maplins magazine dated November 1984 where the kit is described and built - and also there is the artwork for the circuit diagram as well - which I copied and used 'press and peel' method to apply the circuit to the copper board and then etched.    I sourced a lot of the original components/equivalents from ebay - but the big shock comes....the ZN409 chip - is a bit like hens teeth and if you buy one through ebay - it can cost up to £39 for one.    I realise I am lucky I have one or two at hand.   


The person who I was thinking of for the article was wor Bish - cos in Jan / Feb 1991 - of the Radio Controlled model boater - he wrote an article for that about the building of the Maplins kit.


It just goes to prove nostalgia can be a bit expensive these days :-)


I wonder why they stopped producing the ZN409 chip?   cos it was a good little chip that one.


aye
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Stormbringer

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2012, 08:27:42 pm »

they werent bad speed controllers either  :-))
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malcolmfrary

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2012, 10:18:24 pm »

Quote
I wonder why they stopped producing the ZN409 chip?   cos it was a good little chip that one.
I heard it was something to do with the copyright running out, opening the door to competition for use in manufacturers devices (i.e. they could commission their own versions, royalty free) and shortly after, the advent of PIC chips.  The result was that the only people who would want to use them would be hobbyists, too small a market.  Although Electronize used a cunningly contrived circuit using a quad op-amp to do the same job, they they went to PICs as well. 
There might have been a safety thingy as well - 409 circuits often had the characteristic of firing up with the motor running until they settled on the centre off, something that PICs can have programmed out.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS AND THE YEAR
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2012, 10:47:21 pm »

I still have one - and it still works after being swamped at one of the Mayhem events. The model only just made it back to the bank.
Colin
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