Blonder Tongue Buys R.L. Drake

[NQ6U]

I know this doesn't really qualify as ham radio news seeing how it's been years since Drake manufactured amateur radio equipment but I thought my fellow Island Drake fans might find it interesting anyhow:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Blonder-Tongue-Buys-R-L-Drake-bw-2268262321.html?x=0

(The name "Blonder Tongue" always generates interesting mental images for me. But, then, I'm a weirdo.)

[kb2vxa]

If you're a weirdo welcome to the club founded by Professor Blonder. Once upon a time there was WBTB-TV channel 68 in West Orange where "Uncle" Floyd Vivino and his gang of weirdos gathered to broadcast live. Rather like Soupy Sales' "children's show" geared for young adults with a flavor all its own. When it was sold to Home Shopping Network and became WHSN I was crushed. Then I discovered Dr. Blonder's experimental UHF station at Stevens Institute in Hoboken and his early experiments with 3D-TV. It takes a weirdo with audacity to make progress and make it work, now Blonder-Tongue Labs is growing.

I don't know about Tongue beyond the Rolling Stones but I can tell you one thing; if you gargle with peroxide you'll have a blonder tongue.

[N2RJ]

BT still makes some good RF equipment, specifically TV reception gear and cable headend and line gear. They were famous for that.

[NQ6U]

BT still makes some good RF equipment, specifically TV reception gear and cable headend and line gear. They were famous for that.

Yep, it's true. I know the name from back in the days when I was the Chief Technician for the CATV system in Bellflower, CA.

[N2RJ]

I think I may have a couple pieces of their gear in my setup at home.

Oh wait, nevermind, I don't. It's pretty much all pico macom, CM and winegard for the passive stuff (combiners mostly).

NOt sure what's used at work for our in house system but I suspect we may have a couple of pieces of their gear.

[N8YX]

Welcome back, Ryan!

As far as the B-T/Drake connection goes: Drake's big source of revenue over the last couple decades has been video signal handling and processing equipment. This move makes sense, especially if B-T is looking to acquire facilities...or patents.