11-12-2017, 10:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-12-2017, 10:13 PM by Murphyv310.)
Hi.
Well I did not get on too well with my very limited Czech to really get to grips with the book.
This afternoon i came across an app for Android phones "Camera translator" You take a picture of the page and it will translate many languages into English and any other combination. It works best if you sign up but you can get 7 days free.
It works very well with less than 5% words not getting translated.
I'm now half way through the book (It is picture heavy) but it tells the story of how the Communist government set the rules and of course the rules for how the masses could buy a car. They had to put any spare cash into a specific bank set up for the purpose in 1953, they then added to it and it could take 10 years to save enough, the price of course rose and this just lengthened the time. The government through the ministries set about either rejecting or agreeing to designs and prototypes. The brief was a car under 700Kg, 6l per 100km consumption and a minimum top speed of 115 Kph. They also stipulated it could climb to some of the communities in mountainous areas, could cope with heat and cold and was reliable and simple to fix, all very commendable but not so easy at the time.
They also rejected front engine RWD and also front engine FWD and being fair the rear engine rear drive layout worked well for a country with poor roads and areas with steep hills rough roads coupled with snow and ice.
The book so far is fascinating and well written.
Well I did not get on too well with my very limited Czech to really get to grips with the book.
This afternoon i came across an app for Android phones "Camera translator" You take a picture of the page and it will translate many languages into English and any other combination. It works best if you sign up but you can get 7 days free.
It works very well with less than 5% words not getting translated.
I'm now half way through the book (It is picture heavy) but it tells the story of how the Communist government set the rules and of course the rules for how the masses could buy a car. They had to put any spare cash into a specific bank set up for the purpose in 1953, they then added to it and it could take 10 years to save enough, the price of course rose and this just lengthened the time. The government through the ministries set about either rejecting or agreeing to designs and prototypes. The brief was a car under 700Kg, 6l per 100km consumption and a minimum top speed of 115 Kph. They also stipulated it could climb to some of the communities in mountainous areas, could cope with heat and cold and was reliable and simple to fix, all very commendable but not so easy at the time.
They also rejected front engine RWD and also front engine FWD and being fair the rear engine rear drive layout worked well for a country with poor roads and areas with steep hills rough roads coupled with snow and ice.
The book so far is fascinating and well written.
Cheers.
Trevor
MM0KJJ. Member of, RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC.
Trevor
MM0KJJ. Member of, RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC.