University days

1967-70 I was an electronics student at Liverpool University. The photo from 1970 shows our year. 

As I recall we had 109 students in our year with just one woman and I don't think she is even in the photo!

To think I had hair then 😄.  I am on the left a few rows back. Perhaps you can spot me?  Happy days.

By the way, I chose Liverpool as it had the best amateur radio society (G3OUL) at the time! I don't think it is there now?

When I was there Liverpool University had about 7000 students. It now has about 22000 .

Outside Anfield, Liverpool, UK

Anfield is where UK league champions Liverpool FC play their home football matches. They recently lost a key player in a road accident. Judging by the flowers outside the ground he clearly meant a great deal.

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

 

This was consecrated in 1967 and known locally as “Paddy’s wigwam”. 

From the outside it looks like a concrete edifice but inside the light is spectacular. Whatever your faith, or none, it is well worth a visit.

 It has been upgraded to Grade 1 status, meaning it is one of the most important buildings in the country. Well worth it.

Memories - NOT amateur radio

 

My wife and I met in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral in 1968. I see it is now part of a UK set of stamps.

Liverpool reunion - NOT amateur radio

As many know, I was in Liverpool for a reunion of old university friends. 

The photo shows me after my train arrived. 

I was taking a photo of my train.

That reunion - NOT amateur radio

As mentioned before, I have been away for a few days at a reunion of old university friends. This was us (less me as I took the photo!) at a meal last night. 

It looks a bit like an old masters painting of the last supper! I used my camera phone on panorama.

Later we were treated to a firework display as a newly named cruise ship left.

Liverpool trip - NOT amateur radio

We have just returned from a long weekend in Liverpool. 

We were there for a reunion of old friends who were all university students in the late 1960s. I had hair back then!

Liverpool skyline - NOT amateur radio

We have just got back from a few days with our best man who lives on the Wirral near Liverpool. This is a photo showing the Liverpool skyline from Birkenhead. We had a good time. 

KW2000 series

When I was at the University of Liverpool (1967-70) we had a very good amateur radio society with the call G3OUL. A member at the time was Ian Vance G3WMS who later headed a major electronics company. I think he was made an MBE too.

Whilst there we had a KW2000. At the time we thought it was wonderful. I can recall working some impressive DX with it. I cannot remember the antenna we had, but I don't think we had a beam.  In the following years, we had a later version of the KW2000 and a KW linear. I think the original version was 90W pep. There was an article in Short Wave Magazine on the KW2000B.

I took my morse test in the Liver Building and used an El-Bug on CW with the KW2000. I also recall working ZB2VHF on 4m AM from the club on 70.26MHz with 4W.

See http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/Surplus_Radioamateur/KW_Electronics_KW-2000B_review_1971.pdf

Oh to be young again! - NOT amateur radio

Whilst going through some old pictures I came across this one of me when about 18. Then I had hair and life was mostly before me. Good old days in autumn 1967.

This was the photo on my Liverpool University Student's Union card. Gosh, I do look a fresh faced country bumpkin!

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

My wife told me to watch a TV programme called "Flog It" as it included a piece on Liverpool's catholic cathedral.

When I was at university this had just been finished. Inside it is a sea of colour. Outside it is (perhaps) uninspiring and some call it "Paddy's Wigwam". Inside it feels very calming. I like it.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Metropolitan_Cathedral

Liverpool Quiz Book - NOT amateur radio

A good friend of ours is a blue badge guide to Liverpool. These blue badge guides are trained guides who take people around this vibrant UK city.  He often takes visitors from cruise ships. He has recently had a quiz book published. You can buy this at various places in and around Liverpool, or from Amazon.

See https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076L86Y4C/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0

A Liverpool Street - NOT amateur radio

Apparently, this street, off Hope Street, is widely used when after old street scenes for TV and films.

Liverpool - NOT amateur radio

We spent a few days in Liverpool for a reunion with old friends as it was 50 years since we were there as students! One of our friends does guiding for cruise ships now he is retired and he took us on a walking tour of some of the city's highlights.

One of the places visited was the docks area, which has been renovated in recent years. At one time the docks were abandoned and avoided. Now they are the centre of the city and very attractive with lots of museums and cafes.

University of Liverpool - NOT amateur radio

"As a graduate from the department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology you are invited to share your career insights with students at an informal careers event on Tuesday 21 March 2017, from 5pm to 7pm at the Liverpool Campus....."

From LinkedIn.

No, I actually did Honours Electronics! If I talked they might be a bit confused.

Museum of Liverpool - NOT amateur radio

As I mentioned yesterday, we had 4 nights with our old friend Pete on the Wirral near Liverpool. As always he was a great host and we visited several old haunts.

Liverpool has been through a regeneration since we were there and we were impressed. The people were always warm and friendly but the changes make it an even better place. Anyone off to a UK university could do a lot worse than choosing Liverpool.

My wife (and my mum in the 1930s) went to St Kaths College. This has now become Hope University. It has changed a bit since my wife was there in the 1960s, but it is lovely with great grounds and just a bus ride from the middle of this vibrant city.

In the regenerated docks area is the Museum of Liverpool which is free and one of the best museums I have ever been to. In the docks area is a Tate Gallery and don't forget the Three Graces!

University of Liverpool on-line courses

Very many years ago (1967-1970) I was an undergraduate student studying Electronics at the University of Liverpool.  Since those days, the Department has become heavily involved with on-line learning as reported by the Southgate Amateur Radio News page. This course could suit someone needing a grounding in electronics. I think there is some (easy-ish) maths. To do the honours degree course we had to do maths to degree level. I found this very hard.

Proving how small the world is, one of our close friends in the village is the brother of my personal tutor at university. The brother is now a visiting professor at Liverpool. I believe my old tutor still works at the university as an emeritus professor.

A new Massive Open On-line Course (MOOC) covers Analogue/Digital Electronics, AC/DC Circuits, Electromechanics and an introduction to C programming.
Over the last few months here at Liverpool we have been putting together a MOOC (Massive Open On-line Course) which introduces aspects of electrical engineering. The course starts in September, but you can sign up now. It's free and there are no gimmicks.
The link to the MOOC info is here: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/electrify
Any ideas on how to make this course better are welcome.
Matt O’Rourke
MOOC developer
Liverpool University On-line Electrical Engineering Course