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of the first twentieth-century antiques, and remarkably functional as welł!

Australia played a major role in early radio and these sets embody an era of prosperity and imagination that managing director Stephen Moignard hopes will come again.

The display and workshop is at 53 Lang Street. South Yarra, w herc servic-

Large sale of Australian ear microphones to the USA

Heydcn-Spike has sold 2,000 of its ear microphones which were dcveloped, manufactured and designed in Australia to the US Air Forcc in a deal worth $500,000. It has also bought its US dis-tributor.

The managing director of Heydcn-Spike, Mr Bob Spike, said the deal could lead to the sale of “an incredible amount” of the in-the-ear units to the US military. “The purchase of our US distributor. Magnum Distribution, seemcd a logical movc because we wanted to expand our opcrations in the

Old radios coming back to

An innovative Melbourne based company has begun reviving Australian valve radios from the 1920’s onwards, many of which were fcatured in the earliest issues of this magazine when it was known as Wireless Weekly.

Rcsurrection Radio uses original components, many new in boxes, to restore the sets to mint condition — examples

US. It is our biggest market,“ said Mr Spike. “Magnum has about 450 distribu-tors in North America so we are trans-ferring our international headquarters to the US”.

The smali ear microphonc and receiv-cr, which relies on air movement in the car to create vibrations that are trans-mitted via a module attached to the user's hip to a radio receiver, is already uscd by NASA, the NSW and Australian Fcdcral policc, the FBI and the CIA.

The microphone was developcd six ycars ago in the basement of a Sydney home by Mr Spike and his partner, Mr Paul van der Heyden. The pair realised there was a market .for the device after working in the safety Communications area in North America..

“Once we dcvcloped the microphone for use in the safetv Communications area for firefighters, policc and the likc,” Mr Spike said, “we realised it had a dynamie application in other arcas — cspecially military and survcil-lance.”

The microphone has bcen uscd in Australia for the past few years. Mr Spike said Australia was uscd as a “test-ing ground”.

“Our experience herc hclped us iron out the bugs and prepare us for sale and marketing overseas. The Australian Air Force had great success with the device as did Australian airlines and Ansett Airlines.”

The microphone can be used in high noise arcas where conventional head microphonc and communication Systems are usually inaudible.

Heyden-Spikc currently employs 45 pcople in its Sydney plant and 14 pco-plc in the US.

lite in Melbourne

ing and components sales are also avail-able. A visit is likely to bring many mcmories for those who lived through the period and provides a constant sourcc of amazement for younger pcople accustomed only to plastic and digi-tal wizardry.

Enquiries mav be directed to Stephen Moignard on [phone].

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Airline provides in-flight electronic games

On board all Singapore Airlines flights to and from Australia, you can now while-away the hours playing a series of “Brain Games”. You can climinate boredom by choosing from six games which you can rent for SUS2.00 per hour. The “Brain Games” on offer are:

•    Electronic chess

•    Electronic backgammon

•    Electronic poker

•    Black jack and Gin Rummy

•    Frogger

•    Donkey Kong

Rental costs are charged dircctly to your American Express, Visa, MasterCard, or Diners Club account.

In addition to games being on offer in English, the airline also has French, German and Japanese versions available.

There is a minimum charge of one hour rental to get the games, and you are then chargcd for every additional 15 minutes. For those without credit card facilities, SI A cabin crcw can provide hourly access.

All of the games are designed to fit on your tray tablc and come with step-by-step instructions.

Singapore Airlines marketing services manager for Australia, Paul Howard said “The new ‘Brain Games’ are avail-ablc in First, Business and Economy Class cabins. They are designed to keep passengers entertained and occupied particularly on long flights.” '

“We promise not to tell, if the business cxecutivc prefers to play “Frogger” and wants to watch a frog leap between cars, across the highway while avoiding snakes and hopping onto lurtles and logs to get home”.

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ELECTRONICS Australia, September 1987