Lionel Communications Lab Mark I
One last Christmas related post. I received one of these either as a Christmas or birthday present in the 1964 time frame:
The obligatory inflated price:
They do come up on ebay regularly and the price is possibly justified by inflation:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386455878323
But I haven't bought yet. As I recall the Communications Lab wasn't that great. Maybe this letter from that auction explains things:
The Communications Lab did include the solderless breadboarding area:
possibly it was the source of trouble that the more modern ones often are ? But a neat idea for a kid related item. Interesting that the components were fastened on the bottom to the clips:
The obligatory inflated price:
They do come up on ebay regularly and the price is possibly justified by inflation:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/386455878323
But I haven't bought yet. As I recall the Communications Lab wasn't that great. Maybe this letter from that auction explains things:
The Communications Lab did include the solderless breadboarding area:
possibly it was the source of trouble that the more modern ones often are ? But a neat idea for a kid related item. Interesting that the components were fastened on the bottom to the clips:
here is a detail of an uninstalled clip:
The clip could be pinched together and the component leads could be put into the slot. Then when the clip was released the leads would be held "Fahnestock clip style" to make the connection. I ended up transplanting the Communications Lab items from the plastic housing to a Masonite panel screwed to a pine board with a big speaker from an old GE television. I didn't keep any of that assembly other than the silly speaker :)
I'll keep checking ebay, perhaps an unopened Communications Lab will show up some day ?
Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm
The clip could be pinched together and the component leads could be put into the slot. Then when the clip was released the leads would be held "Fahnestock clip style" to make the connection. I ended up transplanting the Communications Lab items from the plastic housing to a Masonite panel screwed to a pine board with a big speaker from an old GE television. I didn't keep any of that assembly other than the silly speaker :)
I'll keep checking ebay, perhaps an unopened Communications Lab will show up some day ?
Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm
