The TIV48 Injector/Tracer

[pwdrive]

I wonder what the cost of a couple of original NOS 300b valves would be today?

Lawrence.

[ex 2 Base]

I was on radio and TV servicing course (B&W) and the tutor brought in the class a device which he though might catch on.It was in a plastic box, he passed it around so we could have a look at the device with 3 legs, he told us it cost 30 bob. Later he had it connected into a circuit in place of a valve, we couldn't believe what we heard, no heater and so small. Later still, he had a portable radio with several transistors, in such is progress.Ted

[Yorkie]

I've got an old receipt here showing that someone paid 9/6 plus 3/1 tax making a total of 12/7 for a PL84 on the 22/4/61

John

According to the inflation index at the link I posted above, that equates to £13.00 today.

I've attached a couple of adverts from Practical Wireless, Sept 1958. The prices need to be multiplied twenty times to get today's equivalent prices. So for example the much vaunted Mullard 5-10 amplifier(five valves, 10 Watts) still often talked about today, back then cost £10, would today equates to £200. Fully built, it was an additional £1.10s. 0d, which doesn't seem too bad but was the equivalent of an addition £30!

A Mullard 3-3 amplifier kit (three valves, three Watts) was £7.00 (Today, equal to £140) and an extra £1.00 (today £20) fully built.

Not such a bargain then eh, bearing in mind that a skilled tradesman would in 1958 earn maybe £10.00 - £12.00 a week?

[pwdrive]

Building the Mullard 3-3 was one of the projects in the C&G practical lessons at the college I went to, can't remember what happened to them all.

Lawrence.

[Refugee]

What would a 25W amplifier with a cast chassis and two prat cast case have cost in 1953?
My avatar is a photo of the amplifier.
They must have cost an eye watering amount of money in there day.

[Old Sparky]

Even in early 1972, as a then newly qualified Radio Service Engineer I was only earning £25 per week, so prices for items such as those in that PW advert wouldn't have seemed quite the bargains they appear now. One of my early constructional projects was a 2-valve TRF receiver, based on the PW 'Denette' circuit published, IIRC, in 1967. The radio is long gone, but I'd guess the parts for it cost maybe the equivalent of at least £50 in today's money, yet in only consisted of two B9A valves & their bases, plus a couple of variable capacitors, some 'Denco' coils, a pot. and an o/p transformer & speaker, plus, of course, various Rs & Cs and an aluminium chassis.