Devon County Radio / BBC Radio Devon

INDEX

BROADCAST EQUIPMENT:
Here's a selection of some of our finest technical friends (and foes) who helped to keep the needles wagging across the decades.


UHER Portable Tape Recorder.		For the early years the UHER portable 1/4inch tape recorder was the workhorse for reporters. Normally the 4000 Report and later the 4000 IC models. Heavy and clunky, but very robust and predictable. Powered by a heavy 6 volt - 2.6 Ah Lead Acid battery, these would normaly be set to record a mono recording at 7.5 i.p.s Problems were often casued by using recycled tape with Uhers. The "low tech" pinch pressure design meant that the tape could skid when a shiny piece of editing tape passed through causing "wow" and speed fluctuations. The BBC modified many of them to lock out the speed controls and other functions. UHER's Although the technology is old, if you have and can maintain one of these it will probably outlast much of todays technology, - if you can still buy reels of tape!

STUDER B67 Studio Tape Machine		The Radio Station was equipped with B-67's from the outset. A beautiful crate full of Swiss engineering, crammed into an extremely ugly but functional housing by the BBC. When new lining these up was great fun. When worn and expensive tape guides and rollers had to be replaced then it could be a bit trickier. Trying to haul one of these battle-cruisers upstairs to the workshop could cause a lifting and handling nightmare ( don't mention the stair-lift!) People still managed to break these significantly!

STUDER A807 Studio Tape Machine		Willi Studers fine A807 machines were to take us to the end of the reel-to-reel tape era. Rumour has it that maybe one or two are lurking in deep basements waiting for the day the the digital theory disappears into a puff of logic, or someone turns up to dub a piece of archive tape. ( Wax cylinder anybody?) An evolved B-67, but the line up was all menu driven with push buttons so no need for a trim tool ( well not much!). They still suffered from sticky brakes like many reel-to-reels, - the A807 had a lot more to it's brain, - hence no right hand tension arm, it worked it out for itself. Also a muh more attractively pagacked unit in a smart trolley with wooden sides - smart until the razor blade hackers got to it. These sort of machines are still much sought after, and fetch silly money on auction sites - even when broken.

BBC Mark III DESK		At the time of writing this ( Jan 2008 ) - the Exeter studios are still working on the BBC built Local Radio Mk.III Desks. These analogue desks which basically are fader panels, with rotary wafer switches to select sources, and key switches to divert telephones etc. Some of the well worn switch panels have had the load removed by replacement with touch panel screens, and digital routers, but the deak units are still being used to mix and transmit 50% of the programmes. These desks were maufactured in 1978! When the sister station Radio Cornwall was upgraded to Calrec system X, their Mark III suite was dismantled and many spares taken to keep Exeter going! There are no immediate plans to change these desks.