Nostalgia has an odor

What is it with the older (FT-101, FL-FR-101, FT-301 era) Yaesu rigs and the distinctive smell that wafts up at you when the case is removed?

I got hold of a nice FT-301 ensemble today and upon removing the transceiver's top lid the familiar odor was back. Maybe that's why I keep buying these things. :lol:

All in all this isn't a bad outfit. An FC-301 is inbound and that will make the last piece. On the future project list is a WARC-band (30/12M) conversion and I really need to find an AM filter for the rig. Fortunately, it had a CW filter installed.

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Nostalgia has an odor

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So does a hamfest. :yuck:

Yeah, I noticed that rather unique smell to my FT-101EE. Never did figure it out, unlike that strange odor in the car a few days after a fishing trip. Forgot the bait bucket in the trunk. Give it a thorough going over, you might find a dried up piece of squid or a spearing?

Ah yes, that smell. Like opening the back of a Zenith TO. It's like a trip back in time with real physical sensations, not just memories.

Just imagine the odor Pat's Crest Museum must have!

Ahh......:)

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Originally Posted by NY3V

Just imagine the odor Pat's Crest Museum must have!

Ahh......:)

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I believe he's spoken on that.
Litterbox, dog droppings and spider venom.

"It's like a trip back in time with real physical sensations, not just memories."

Then unplug the radio before you stick your fingers in it.

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Originally Posted by kb2vxa

"It's like a trip back in time with real physical sensations, not just memories."

Then unplug the radio before you stick your fingers in it.

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Have you ever thought about being out on a boat on a Summer day and felt the heat from the Sun and season and started a slight sweat?
Cerulean Blue

Every time that happened I came home smelling of fish. That's how the bait bucked got in the trunk. Cerulean Blue, cobalt stannate pigment used to paint the ocean in boat scenes. Dirty Green, more representative of the water I fished in.

Cloth wire & cooking Bakelite. Nice.

Nag Champa and rosin smoke.

Ah yes, the in scents of hippie hams. Bet you didn't know hash oil is good flux and makes soldering fun.

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Originally Posted by kb2vxa

Ah yes, the in scents of hippie hams. Bet you didn't know hash oil is good flux and makes soldering fun.

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But you always end up with cold joints.

The smell is probably outgassing from insulation or other plastics inside. Same principle as new car smell, and with similar results: the plastics get brittle, and ultimately fail.

Some of the old wax-coated capacitors also have unique smell.

So do blown selenium rectifiers.

73,

.dale.

I'd rather not blow salmineo rectumfryers, thank you. Early signs of selenium poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, irritability, garlicky smelling breath, and numbness and loss of control in the arms and legs. Long-term effects can include hair loss, discolored nails, skin rash, and loss of nails.

Bet you didn't know hash oil is good flux and makes soldering fun.
"But you always end up with cold joints."
These things have more than one use.

I love the smell of Millen parts in the morning...

Smells like... IF cans.

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Originally Posted by kb2vxa

Smells like... IF cans.

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or SSB phasing units ! or antenna bridges !

Smells like Tune Spirit.

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Originally Posted by ab1ga

The smell is probably outgassing from insulation or other plastics inside. Same principle as new car smell, and with similar results: the plastics get brittle, and ultimately fail.

Some of the old wax-coated capacitors also have unique smell.

So do blown selenium rectifiers.

73,

.dale.

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I've had the pleasure of experiencing the fumes from an overheated selenium rectifier on more than one occaision. First time it happened I was looking behing the work table to try and find out what died back there. Quite putrid and very toxic in high concentrations.

Far as the smell of old radios I love the smell of a nice boatanchor transmitter that hasn't been run in years. The smell of the iron heating up, the dust burning off the finals, the power resistors getting hot. Or the smell of burning urine residue because the dog or cat peed on it at some point when it was not in use. :lol:

The smell of the dust burnig off of the finals is wonderful. As for the semll of animal urine, you could be happy that the hollow state stuff still works after fido pisses on it.

It could be worse.

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Originally Posted by kb2vxa

It could be worse.

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I'll bet that thing produces some pretty ratty sounding audio.:lol:

Alas, that mouse has de-ported.

I'll nefver forget the time that a friend of mine brought over a computer that had been sitting unused in a basement for several years to see what was on the hard drive. We put it on the bench, hooked it up, and the second we turned it on several roaches came scurrying out.

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Originally Posted by n2ize

I'll nefver forget the time that a friend of mine brought over a computer that had been sitting unused in a basement for several years to see what was on the hard drive. We put it on the bench, hooked it up, and the second we turned it on several roaches came scurrying out.

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http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...ps2f3234c5.gif

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Originally Posted by n2ize

I'll nefver forget the time that a friend of mine brought over a computer that had been sitting unused in a basement for several years to see what was on the hard drive. We put it on the bench, hooked it up, and the second we turned it on several roaches came scurrying out.

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2199/...022bb974f5.jpg

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Originally Posted by KJ6BSO

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2199/...022bb974f5.jpg

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Is there a bird butt in that pile?

Don't run the time approaches
Hotels and midnight coaches
Be sure to hide the roaches

Somebody forgot, somebody found a gold mine.

Speaking of dead mice, have you considered taking taxidermy to the next level?

Indeed it does--and by decade has s different bouquet.

This was demonstrated by the SB-303/401 pair brought home yesterday. The 303 being old solid state is ever so slight as it warms up--but has a very characteristic aroma under the case. The 401 is full-blast, not fired up in years.

Smell is our most powerful memory trigger. As that transmitter warmed up I was transported back 40 years, thinking about long summer nights--people, places and things long gone. There is more nostalgia to these old rigs than just the owning and operating of them... :peace: