05-11-2013, 09:28 AM
You're quite right about how much preparation is needed. For last years talk in November I started preparing it around April and the same for this years talk. Much of the time is spent writing and rewriting the notes then building any demo units and testing them. I try to go through the demos several times to ensure I know what to expect although it doesn't always work out as witnessed by the FM demod not working as expected.
Sometimes there is an unexpected result such as being able to use the loop I built to measure the local oscillator frequency of an AM radio. I didn't demonstrate this but it is mentioned in the notes.
I already have a rough plan for next years talk so am beginning to work out what demos are needed and what needs to be built up. Fortunately one of the proposed demo units coincides with a PSU I need to build for an old radio I have, so there's added incentive to build it.
As you say it's an added bonus to visit the event and hopefully people will go away having learnt something useful. In fact at least a couple of people on Sunday said they had come to the event specially to hear the talk.
I would like to think we could make this a regular attraction at Golborne providing Mark is in agreement although I'm not sure I could do one every year. We'll have to see about 2015.
Anyway thanks for all the positive comments from everyone it somehow makes all the effort worthwhile. Having been interested in electronics since the 1960s and working in the electronics industry for the best part of 40 years I feel it's only right that I should transfer some of the knowledge gained over those years to others.
Keith
Sometimes there is an unexpected result such as being able to use the loop I built to measure the local oscillator frequency of an AM radio. I didn't demonstrate this but it is mentioned in the notes.
I already have a rough plan for next years talk so am beginning to work out what demos are needed and what needs to be built up. Fortunately one of the proposed demo units coincides with a PSU I need to build for an old radio I have, so there's added incentive to build it.
As you say it's an added bonus to visit the event and hopefully people will go away having learnt something useful. In fact at least a couple of people on Sunday said they had come to the event specially to hear the talk.
I would like to think we could make this a regular attraction at Golborne providing Mark is in agreement although I'm not sure I could do one every year. We'll have to see about 2015.
Anyway thanks for all the positive comments from everyone it somehow makes all the effort worthwhile. Having been interested in electronics since the 1960s and working in the electronics industry for the best part of 40 years I feel it's only right that I should transfer some of the knowledge gained over those years to others.
Keith
