Does your interest in TVs rise and fall ?

[zenith2134]

My interest in TVs plateaus and wanes depending on other factors in my life. Often times, I focus more in on my hi-fi/audio hobby. I am however, always seeking out nice examples of vintage TV sets.

[bgadow]

I've been doing very little with the collection over the last year or so, mostly just trying to pare it down. My only real projects are some radios that other people have asked me to fix for them, and they've all been sitting way too long. Yesterday I was thinking that it wouldn't hurt to have a massive clearance-maybe get rid of 2/3 or more of the collection. So hard to do, not mentally so much as physically. I have no doubt that I'll have times ahead when I feel more like playing with the old sets.

[Jon A.]

Boy, if an interest is arcane, it's probably one of mine. Less dedication here than I thought, and I'm of an even smaller group preferring early solid-state. Seems the only way for me to get a social life would be to go drinking, which I'm not about to do.

[peter scott]

My TV interest waned for quite a few years then Darius came up with a clever design for a standards converter and building that rekindled my interest. Restoring a friend's large collection of old cars tends to dominate my spare time though.

Peter

[kvflyer]

Like some members above, my interest goes up and down. It is down right now because I am in the process of moving from MD to FL and have moved most of my stuff already. However, the move is on hold right now (unfortunately) do to some family issues that need to be addressed. Not bad stuff, just stuff that needs attention right now. That said, I am still paying property tax to MD AKA "The Free State" whatever in the heck that means! Oh yeah, we now have a Rain Tax.

But seriously, I miss working on my electronics and "Stole" a moment whilst in FL last time to re-cap a Heathkit C-3 Condenser Checker. It was nice to work on electronics again.

I will keep my eyes open and like a dummy, missed (yesterday) our meeting of the Mid Atlantic Antique Radio Club. Darn...

[cwmoser]

I've thought about relocating to Florida.
What areas to you like for retired guys who like to tinker with
stuff rather than play golf and lounge around the country club?

Carl

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by cwmoser

I've thought about relocating to Florida.
What areas to you like for retired guys who like to tinker with
stuff rather than play golf and lounge around the country club?

Carl

Carl, I think alot of vintage stuff moved to Florida along with owners in the 50s-60s, and was left there when they got too old to be so far from their kids again and moved back north.

ARC lists a vintage electronics club in FLORIDA
Jacksonville Antique Radio Soc.
www.jarsradioclub.com

. Maintaining a dry, bug-free space there would be a challenge, though.

I took a long break from electronics once I became a homeowner in 1988, and had to learn plumbing, roofing and everything else while keeping several vehicles roadworthy. At the time, a 1977 Magnavox Touch-tune T995 chassis set, Hi-fi VCR and audio equipment was all trouble-free. I still did install TV antennas though. as cable was not all over like it is now.

But I kept everything in a dry basement. It was not until a friend put me in the paper 14 years later that I got into it again. then I got all kinds of interesting offers and started repairing radios again.
Today, I look at my old Pontiacs (and do-lists in each) with resignation, which are surrounded by a TV-Radio collection now, and would rather engage in the only hobby I can afford.

[kvflyer]

Originally Posted by cwmoser

I've thought about relocating to Florida.
What areas to you like for retired guys who like to tinker with
stuff rather than play golf and lounge around the country club?

Carl

Hi Carl. I don't think that I will ever find stuff in Florida like the stuff in the Mid-Atlantic states. I don't play golf, don't intend to play golf but live in a golf course community. Prices of homes was not hard to take and I won't have to shovel snow any more. However I will hang the snow shovel on the wall in the garage.

Seriously, I got tired of cutting lots of grass and dealing with a long, long driveway when it snows. I figure since I am retired, if I have to, I can go to the location of any new "acquisitions". But most importantly, I need to do the stuff that I already have!!!

BTW, I bought in Nassau County, Florida, Fernandina Beach. It is in the most northeast portion of Florida. (Some like to call our location "South Georgia") Weather is great all year long albeit somewhat hot in the summer.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Originally Posted by cwmoser

Do you guys jump from one hobby to the other?

Carl

Yes indeed. Besides antique TV sets (and a few radios, VCRs, and test equipment to go with them), at various times I am involved in ham radio, computer building and setup, a 1970s GMC motorhome, home theater, and a long string of repair/remodeling projects on my house. By switching from one to another, they all stay interesting in the long term.

I first started buying and doing repairs on antique TV sets around 1979 but did not find many resources for them other than Sams Photofacts folders, so I didn't know about replacing every paper capacitor and therefore never got any set truly working well back then. I kept all of the sets and even bought a few more from time to time but really let the hobby go dormant for over 20 years. Then, I saw a mention of Audiokarma by Bob Galanter on another Web site in 2005-07 and that got me interested again, especially with all of the great resources available online. Since then, I have been active with restoration work along with those other hobbies mentioned above.