NVCF 2016

[Yorkie]

Hi Kevin,

Look forward to seeing you both!

[ppppenguin]

Car all loaded ready for tomorrow. Leaving at about 0430 since I'm also a steward and need to be there by 0630 at the latest.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

[Yorkie]

'Mrs Yorkie' and I are already here - Premier Inn at Binley, dinner tonight was at the Royal Oak at Brandon, brekkie tomorrow will be at Hilltop Farm, got my red helium balloon ready to attach to the car aerial so I can find it easy in the car park.

All sorted!

[Mark Hennessy]

Just got home after an enjoyable visit to the NCVF...

Usually I arrive late and stay to the bitter end - and have got some nice bargains that way in the past - but this time I shifted the day forward a couple of hours. I wasn't tempted by anything this year, but it's always fun to rummage, and to see what my collection might possibly be worth! Apart from a couple of books from the B&B stall, the only items I came home with were pre-arranged collections. But obviously the wife was happy with that

I've been going since 2010, and back in those days I came away with boot-loads of sets (mostly Hacker, of course!). But gradually the day has changed from being about the sets to being about the people, and each year is more sociable than the last. I lost count of the number of folk I caught up with today, but it was great seeing you all

Yorkie has the group photo - although a number of you managed to escape it! His journey is slightly (!) longer than mine, but we'll no-doubt see the results later (good luck with the Photoshopping )

All the best,

Mark

[Yorkie]

Had a nice day, and always great to hook up with chums. Didn't buy much - hadn't intended to. - I've got so many sets in the loft awaiting attention, that I really can accommodate any more . Just got an ECH35 valve and a pile of old ETI mags. On the Mullard Magic stand I did see some silk fabric covered wire on the Mullard Magic stand with tracer colours that will be ideal for an Ekco A77 that's a stalled project.  (It comes in 17 different colour options).  I'd drawn a scheme of wiring to use alternative colours using Phil Marrisons silicone rubber insulated wire in vintage colours, but it will be much better to use the genuine colours.

http://www.mullardmagic.co.uk/silk-braid...e-tracer-7

Back to business! Five of us on the forum did managed to meet up for long enough to take a quick snap, namely, from left to right: 'Valve Bloke'; Keith ('Keith's TVs); Myself; Mark Hennessey; Kevin Hoyland. Hamid-1 arrive after the pic had been taken, Jeremy 'Pamphonica' was very busy on the Bring & Buy, and Jeffrey (PPPenguin) had gone AWOL. Gary, 'Radio Fixer' (an understatement of a nickname if ever there was one!), had to leave early.

I must say that the BVWS Display Stand was truly outstanding - what a lot of trouble had been taken with that, on top of all the other effort involved in the event.  

There seemed to be a lot more telephone stuff than I've seen in previous years - a full aisle of tables, but maybe I've not noticed before as it's not a facet of the hobby that interests me? I took a few pics of those stands. I noticed on the Brimar stand that they've brought out a valve tester kit (can also be had ready built. Can't recall the exact price but I think the kits was £475, and ready built, £575. Looked nicely styled and made, with a nice double sided PTH PCB to reduce the risk of errors. They had a neat valve amp too. (See pics). There seemed to be a lot more record players than previous years - maybe the ludicrously high priced spawned on e-bay has encourage people to wheel out more record players than in previous years? I noticed that Sid Chaplin's Stand was absent. I know Sid's retired, but his son took over from Sid and his business is now called 'Retrospecialist':  http://www.retrospecialist.co.uk/

A lovely weekend weather wise. Due to the distance, we always stay overnight at Binley Premier Inn (£35.00 if you're lucky), and on Saturday, visit a few local places Compton Verney is quite outstanding:
http://www.comptonverney.org.uk/ then we visited Packwood House & Gardens. (National Trust).  Breakfast this morning was at Hilltop Farm, just up the road from the NVCF. When we left the NVCF it was 18 C - when we arrived home in East Yorks, it was 8 C and the central heating was on!

Hope the pics are of interest. I'll add a few more, of the BVWS Display Stand  in another post.

[Yorkie]

A few more pics - BVWS Display Stand. I think the Catalin radios were part of Carl Glover's fine collection. (Editor of BVWS Bulletin). Really, the pics don't do justice to the stand - AS I sad earlier, such a lot of effort to organise, with so many delicate and valuable radios and TVs to transport, set up and of course, dismantle at the end of the show.  With Jim having come outdoors from the cash desk and down the queue to collect the entrance fee and issue the wrist bands, it helped a lot to speed up entry. All in all, and extremely well-organised and enjoyable event which went very smoothly. For me and 'Mrs Yorkie' at any rate, well worth the 300 mile round trip.

Hope the pics are of interest, especially to those who were unable to attend.

[ppppenguin]

Got home about half an hour ago after a long day. Sorry I was AWOL for the photo. I was stuffing my face in the canteen.

The Bring and Buy smashed the previous record with proceeds to the Museum in excess of £950. Thanks to all of you who brought and bought so generously. Special thanks to Brian and Jeremy who worked very hard on the stall and also to Edward and Chris who helped out when it was most needed.

The display was superb. A huge amount of effeort by a lot of people to make that happen. I took a few snaps but Yorkie's say it all.

I went with a full car, came back almost empty. Hooray!

[Old Sparky]

I arrived on the Dhuttle bus which left Leamington Station just after 12 noon, but I missed the photo shoot, which was no doubt happening whilst I was waiting to pay my admission fee. Had my Camcorder with me but didn't take any pictures. All I bought was a Ruasian Multimeter type U4324, or, more correctly Mu4324 for the princely sum of £4.00. Apparently the battery used in this is 'unobtanium', so the ohms ranges are unusable, unless I can modify it to take an easily obtainable battery, but as I have 3 other meters, 2 analogue & 1 digital, which can measure resistance, that isn't too important. Other that a set of 5" diameter records made by 'Aircraft Productions Ltd' I came away empty handed, and left on the 3.30PM shuttle bus as I had to be back in Leamington to catch a 4.15 bus to Stratford.

[murphymad]

Hello Yorkie,

The Catalin radios and the other small very colourful midget sets are actually part of Jim's (cash office) radio collection.

Unfortunately there was nothing in the display from Carl Glover.

Mike...

[kevin.Hoyland]

Hello.

Peter and me had a good time at the NVCF , Talking to  David Keith and old John. Came home with a RCA- AR88LF With origanal manual/ Heathkit V-7AU valve voltmeter/Racal Dana 9917A  Frequencie counter/some NOS valves and a replacement UA meter and a Camera from the Bring and buy stall. We had a good day , on the way out my son Peter put the AR88 on is shoulder and walked out with it and all the way to the car people were saying look at that hes got a AR88 on his shoulder if you have ever lifted one you will know why the people were saying God he got a AR88 on his shoulder.

Regards
Peter and Kevin