Guy, what kind of hobbies do you have?

[crfriend]

Y'all have heard of "solid-state" (at least those of you over a "certain age") devices, well here's a chuck of iron out of a computer that predates transistors. That's with, this thing used valves.

I haven't got an entire example (it'd fill the house and sink it even deeper in to the water-table that's threatening to drown us), but here's an example of one module:

IBM-register.jpg

I've not done any deep research into this little beastie, but it likely came out of an IBM 703 system or one of that ilk.

The bulk of the work is done with point-contact diodes; the tubes are there to amplify the boolean decisions that the diodes and general electrical bits come to. Imagine if you had to have several tens of millions of these things to build what we now have sitting on our laps....

The shaft to the left of the second valve from the right actuates a cam that latched the module into the mainframe -- yes, that's right, this is a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) device, and it was in use 40 years before the technology became "standard practise" in the microcomputer world.

[sapphire]

Araucana eggs:

eggs.jpg

The egg in the center was laid by Ginger (Fred's mate)
The uppermost two were laid by Tiny
The others wwere laid by Harley

Bacon, eggs and salad for dinner tonight!

[Kirbstone]

Great eggs, Sapphire. I see that Araucana hens come in a bewildering variety of colours, also do their eggs. Here ordinary hen eggs are either white or brown. Green or blue ones are invariably duck eggs and are significantly larger.

It's interesting that you have named your hens. To us they are just hens, no names.

Tom K.

[Jack Williams]

Ones I can think of here are bantoms (small) and white orpingtons (big) but a poultry person could undoubtedly come up with more. I will consult!
Thanks Kirbstone (below!) Rhode Island Reds are here as well.

[Kirbstone]

......Andalucian Blue, Rhode Island Red.....My She-who-must-be-obeyed has an encyclopaedic knowledge of hen types. Good luck to her. As I said earlier....They're all just hens.

[sapphire]

Do you refer to all poultry as "hens"?

Just curious because I wrote about my cockerels: young males/roosters. The young females are pullets, hens when they grow up.

Yes, there are many breeds and they come in a dazzling array of colors.

Then there are different sizes. Bantams are small. Standard/large fowl are big. The Araucana breed comes in both bantam and large fowl. Then there are the Serama chickens which weigh less than a pound when mature.

It is delightfully complicated.

[Kirbstone]

In our poultry area we have four geese, seven various ducks, who converse with wild visiting mallards on their little pond during the day, and of course a variety of hens & roosters as well.
They are all put away at night in various little houses to protect them from the local predators, but so far as I know none of them have names.

[sapphire]

Well, I just name animals: Fred and Ginger, Dashiell and Lillian, Vernon and Irene, Alastair, Harley and Tiny
Haven't named some of them yet as I haven't thought of appropriate names yet.

[Big and Bashful]

My current family are two cats, 2 stroke and Rover. They had another brother called Bovril.
The mother was Goulash Bill, changed to Goulash Billie when we figured out she was a her, not a he. She had a brother called Napalm Eddy, who left home once the kittens happened.
Before that tribe my first cat was Greebo, who escaped from a cattery while I was away sailing.
I have had a few dogs, a Dane called George, a Heinz 57 called Morgan who could jump like a cat. Finally there was Ben the Akita.

Cats are easier!

[Since1982]

On this Hobbies thread, I don't remember if I've mentioned I spend from 1 to 4 hours a day playing online poker about 3 days a week. I only play low stakes, $1/$2 NL Holdem but it suppliments my income after taxes for about $300.00 to $500.00 a month. Of course, sometimes those figures are in reverse when I have bad streaks. I do enjoy it though.

[Since1982]

called Napalm Eddy, who left home once the kittens happened.

Lots of males do that...I watch 2 court shows a day when I'm not doing anything active and see lots of males who's "way of life" is making young'uns and then beating feet until their better half drags them into court.

[Jack Williams]

Y'all have heard of "solid-state" (at least those of you over a "certain age") devices, well here's a chuck of iron out of a computer that predates transistors. That's with, this thing used valves.

I haven't got an entire example (it'd fill the house and sink it even deeper in to the water-table that's threatening to drown us), but here's an example of one module:

IBM-register.jpg

I've not done any deep research into this little beastie, but it likely came out of an IBM 703 system or one of that ilk.

The bulk of the work is done with point-contact diodes; the tubes are there to amplify the boolean decisions that the diodes and general electrical bits come to. Imagine if you had to have several tens of millions of these things to build what we now have sitting on our laps....

The shaft to the left of the second valve from the right actuates a cam that latched the module into the mainframe -- yes, that's right, this is a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) device, and it was in use 40 years before the technology became "standard practise" in the microcomputer world.

That module looks a lot like many valve audio modules I've seen. Mostly junction diodes in use these days though.

[Kirbstone]

Sapphire,
Today I counted our 'hens' at evening feed time....Three roosters (two are for the chop) and seventeen hens. We're not into naming all those! Our four cats, four dogs and three donkeys all have names, of course.
Skip,
It is nice that you can derive some income from your pleasure in poker playing. I personally found the game very absorbing, but only sat in on a 'school' in recent years a few times, encouraged by a friend who alas has since died.
Nowadays we (the wife & I) find time for cards about twice a week but it's bridge, and not for money.
Jack,
I can't but admire your in-depth knowledge of computers and diodes & valves & radios & anything electrical/electronic. Alas I cannot contribute a single informed comment. It's all way above my head.

Tom K.

[sapphire]

Named a 4 week old chick last night. I have no idea if this chick is male or female, but it certainly is a Drama Queen!

[Kirbstone]

This one's for Sapphire....
When I got home from work yesterday I found this note on the kitchen table

Hen emergency note.jpg

The poor hen in question was already dry and enjoying the heat

Hen in AGA drying out.jpg

,
So she can return unscathed and continue to lay eggs like these

Hen eggs morning discovery.jpg

When my better half returned her to the hen run there was a nice warm fresh egg in the Aga bottom oven where she had been!

Tom K.