Pepijn1d ago

Hi! Can we entertain each other with our fun stories about the oldest or weirdest tech we've come across?

Please boost for science or cows or something. TELL US YOUR COOL STORY!

edit: as suggested, adding the hashtag #WeirdOldTech to keep this stuff going a bit (hint: you can follow hashtags).

#technology #WeirdOldTech

Show threadAstrid1d ago
@Pepijn Yes! not weird tech but a sweet story. Here goes:
Show threadAstrid1d ago
My dad was a techy, he was part of the team that built the radiotelescopes in Westerbork in Holland. So his work was already amazing. (Picture: him at his work, a place of magic for me.)
Show threadAstrid1d ago
At home he made us into techies as well. I have fond memories of the ZX Spectrum with the rubber keys. I felt so cool writing basic! (Ok copying it from a magazine).
Show threadAstrid1d ago
In our garden we had some huge antennas. Probably about 10 meters high, next to our house. It was the era of illegal radio stations, so every once in a while a special police car would slowly drive past our house.
Show threadAstrid
The joke was that we were only receiving, not sending. So we laughed a lot. And the best part is that the antennas had such a small task: we received data from weather satellites that would tell us if we needed to pack our raincoats to school.
We had a weather app before there was proper internet! He is dead now, but sometimes I still hear him laughing. ❤️
Apr 13 at 6:08pmWeb
Show threadPepijn1d ago
@astridpoot That's both awesome and super sweet. Thanks for sharing both the words and photos!
Show threadAstrid1d ago
@Pepijn 
Show threadAlex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK1d ago

@astridpoot @Pepijn

I'm amused that PTT RCD/ "witte muizen" would have kept checking the antennas, as surely they must have known what they were for, and PTT had some input into what satellites were around? maybe they still didn't trust your dad as just about *everyone* who had any knowledge of RF seemed to be building pirate transmitters (and some still are in NL and even occasionally across the North Sea in UK (we shared a lot of designs)

Show threadCaz Mockett1d ago
@astridpoot that is next-level fixation with the weather 😆👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Show threadAstrid1d ago
@cazmockett or just an excuse to build big things!
Show threadCaz Mockett1d ago
@astridpoot that too 😁
Show threadFelix21h ago
@astridpoot Reminds me of an anecdote I've heard about the free radio @RDL: A few years ago in the 80s, back when they weren't on air legally yet and the Grether area in Freiburg (where they have their studio) was a squatted factory site, the police searched for their antennas a lot, all over the grounds. They never managed to find them, hidden away in the old chimneys :D