Greg's diary--May 1963

This page was entered manually from the paper originals. The days 1 to 12 May were entered between 31 January 2015 and 2 February 2015, and the rest between 26 April 2017 and 29 April 2017. Items in italics, like this, were added during this time.

Wednesday, 1 May 1963	N.
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... PCR, but need a ⅛" drill.

When I woke up, I was just in time for lunch, and being very peeved that no parcel had arrived for me. I mean to say, still no “return of post” after 16 days.

I was supposed to go into town for a haircut, etc this afternoon, but as I was feeling very tired, I went down to the coach house and had a rest, listening to the radio, and waiting to be called. The only person who came down, however, was Fadel, and then only to talk to me.

He soon left, and I carried on listening to the radio, after which I started getting everything ready for the power supply, but I still needed the ⅛" drill, and after supper solved that by going to the workshop and asking Papa Baudouy, and this certainly did help.

I then went down to the house, helped myself to coffee and biscuits, and went back to the coach house to start on the power supply, but I did not feel too well, and it took me a long time to do it - nearly 2 hours in fact. However, by midnight (2300) it was finished and working (?) although, as I had not found a DPDT switch, I had to plug in the Power transformer directly to the mains.

I was feeling lousy this morning, and thus went to bed at about ~~1155~~2355 hrs, and went to sleep not much later. As I guessed, Mrs Baudouy did not believe...

Thursday, 2 May 1963	N.	Images for 2 May 1963
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... me when I told her this when she came down at 1100 hrs, but eventually she realized that I was feeling lousy, and said that she would send Gui down in five minutes time to bring me up to the house. As soon as she had gone, I summoned up enough strength to get up, and put my radio in its case, and gathered some books to read while I was up there. About an hour later, along came Alain, who, without too much mishap, helped me to load all my stuff into the van downstairs.

This was probably the day I was due to go back to school.

I was later dumped at the house, in the room where Alain used to sleep, and a little while later came in Mrs Baudouy to make my bed, and then brought me some lunch (this at about 1300 hrs).

The radio, having a very short lead, had to be placed over the other side of the room, but even then did not work. When I had finally persuaded Alain to get me multimeter, extension cable and U50, I discovered that an HT connection had been dislodged by a jolt that it had been given when it fell up in the coach house, and it did not take long to fix.

After all this, and feeling a little better, I ventured outside to go to the fort, and ended up in the boys dorm — Chris and Fadel alone remained. Also, Jean popped in here earlier this afternoon. Very friendly. This room I am in seems to be a sort of meeting place. Dozens of people...

Friday, 3 May 1963	N.
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... in here all the time. After going to sleep at 2315 hours, I was woken up by Teresa at about 0745 hrs with my breakfast.

After breakfast I went back to sleep again, to be woken by Mrs Baudouy asking how I felt, to which I replied that I was feeling lousy. She then told me that Clive Ponsford was due to come at midday to stay the weekend.

This cheering news, however, failed to have much impact on me, with the way I was feeling.

Later, however, came in Fadel, and spoke to me for a while, later hopping it. Then came in Anis with a glass of milk, and started a conversation about ham radio, and gave me his views on the subject. He seemed to be very confused about what goes on.

In the afternoon, I removed the cabinet from the PCR2, and noticed that the power transformer was getting very hot, and as I turned it off for a while and watched its very slow cooling down. When I turned it on again, all the currents all seemed to be normal, and it did not heat up again. It much just be the cabinet.

After this, Clive finally arrived, did his bit, and left. Gui then came in with my supper, saying I was going tomorrow. I then went to sleep, and was woken by Doctor Cooper, who examined me, said that I might be able to go on Sunday, and I could get up tomorrow. That was all I needed, and it made...

Saturday, 4 May 1963	N.
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.... my day. I got to sleep at about 0030 hrs, and was woken by Miranda at about 0800 hrs with my breakfast, and had an argument with her about her uselessness.

Then to sleep again, woken by Fadel, and I started a petition for clothes, which I finally obtained at about 1100 hrs, and went down, where Clive was commenting on the books in the TV room, and recommended at least a dozen to me, half of which he had not read himself.

After lunch I went upstairs, feeling rather bored, to listen to the radio for an afternoon.

While thus sitting on my bed, lazily doing nothing, I suddenly had the idea of looking trough the ARRL SSB handbook, to see what I could find and did find a very cheap sample filter rig which would need very few valves, and with a BC221 (which I would need anyway) and a 2- 6146 PA would not come to more than £30 (I hope).

I then went down to the tuck shop, helped myself, and then got into a conversation with Clare, who happened to be hanging around, about shoving Daoud into the show case. We then went for a walk, and ended up at Netherton point, which reminded Clive of a song which he had heard on the radio, one of the lines of which ran “And when we got to Netherton Point”. Unfortunately he could not remember what the did do when they got there, but we had a lot of fun thinking about it. I got to...

Sunday, 5 May 1963	N.
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... sleep at about 0130 hrs, and was woken early for breakfast, where I was informed by Gui that I would have to go to church, as the new French boy (arr. Tues) did not know his way around. However, feeling rather tired, I went upstairs, got into bed, and went to sleep at about 0930 hrs, waking up at about 1045 hrs, hearing a request program which is the same as is played on radio Malaya (rec.) the same local time (1100 hrs) the following week. Oft have Jo and I listened to it.

This must be Ephreme Joseet, a friend of mine at school in Kuala Lumpur. That would have been 1960 at the latest.

After lunch it occurred to me to re-do the design of the revised 52, and later the TX. With this, and the utilization of the TX P. Supply for the RX, I divided the latter into 7 sections, and set to work on the design, and had got as far as the IF's when I felt exhausted enough to give up and head in the direction of the tuck shop, via Mrs Baudouy's study, and then back to watch TV.

The population has been gradually been [sic] decreasing, leaving now only Waleed, the new french boy, and myself. Just think — Waleed and I are easter, the French boy is summer. No rest at all.

Supper was deserted, and that is what Clive did, but not without giving me his promise to send a “Dracula”, and other horror stories, but I am not too sure to what address he will send them.

There were some very good programmes on TV...

Monday, 6 May 1963	N.
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... and did not get to sleep until 0130 hrs, to be woken at 1030 hrs by Alain, who had come in to get some stuff that he had left in here, and had only been hurried on because the room was to be redecorated as soon as I was well enough to hop it.

I stayed in bed for some time after that, and finally got up and went downstairs just in time for lunch.

After lunch there was a Schools broadcast on ITV, the subject of which was “Chemistry for 6th forms - extraction of metals”, but I did not learn much.

After quite a bit of sitting in front ot the fire and doing little else, I got down to the detector and AF stages of the 52, which I think was a great improvement on the last.

It is now 20 days since I ordered the 12K7GTs, and, getting rather impatient, I asked them to substitute EF39s, which were the same price.

I decided to bring up the 52, with accessories, etc, and took about half an hour in doing so.

After all this, I realized that I still needed an antenna, and, in my usual vandalistic way, helped myself to the flex on a bedside lamp which happened to be in the room.

After supper I did little apart from listen to the radio, and managed to pick up Luxemburg on 6.09 Mc/s, which, although spotty at first, improved as the night wore on. I noticed that the op was more when RF gain ¼ on than when it was full on, ...

Tuesday, 7 May 1963	N.
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... and must investigate. Got to bed at 0130 hrs again, after becoming interested in pulse, up in tome for lunch. 3 weeks today and no 12K7GTs.

After lunch, I went upstairs and realigned the 52 (the valves having been swapped round), and then had a go at the PCR2. The EM84 really comes in handy.

After that, downstairs again, and I managed to get Mrs Baudouy to open the tuck shop for me, and I stayed in the TV room reading and eating until 1545 hrs, when I went upstairs, and carried on doing nothing and eating.

Papa Baudouy got me a W.W, and it seems that the CR100/8s are back on the market. 52's are probably better except for bandwidth and coverage.

A fellow came along with a heavy truck across the newly tarred drive, with the result that Papa Baudouy exploded in his face and made him go back over the fields. What a laugh.

In the evening, distressed by the 15 second warm-up time on the soldering gun, I put in a much shorter bit. Wa time now down to 3 secs.

Because of the RF gain position, I decided to disconnect the HT from the RF gain pot, but this did not have any effect, other than to give a false zero to the S-meter. Then I realiezed the truth. The RX was overloading, and on a 12 foot peice [sic] of twin lead, too.

I was also experimenting with the relay, but...

Wednesday, 8 May 1963	N.
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... AC does not work.

Once more I was woken up by Teresa, and she seems to be amused by the noises I make when I am woken. I mean to say, she could have some manners.

After lunch, I hit on the idea of using the external position of the 52 meter as a forward reading S-meter, and proceeded to change the solder gun (too hot!), and went down to the coach house to get some resistors, etc, and used the EM84 in the bridge. This was mounted in the power supply, and when I had finally finished, I discovered that the length of the leads caused oscillation. I gave up for the while, but as the HT meter had gone funny, I checked the multipliers - 2 x 1.2 M in ||. Both were over 5 M, probably 50. I replaced them with a rather high 470 K and a 10 K, and the reading is about 2% on the high side. I hope it lasts without going any higher.

I spend some time after supper working out a double-bridge VTmVM circuit, but it would have to be well calibrated, and rather irregularly.

In an effort to tighten the knob on the wavechange switch, I broke it - they are very weak. Must buy some stronger ones. In the meantime, I used one of my transistor set, and it works fairly well. When Luxem-...

Thursday, 9 May 1963	N.
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...burg closed down (0203.00 hrs), I could not get to sleep, and did a bit of listening, and got radio Prague, VOA (N. Carolina, etc., and at about 0430 hrs hears a QSO between DJ8RN and G3KRY, after which they were joined by a whole mob of others, including PA0ELS, running IOW, about S8, but QSB.

I then went to sleep, was woken by Teresa for lunch, felt pretty lousy, looked it, and went back to bed directly after, not waking until 1645 hrs, when Miranda told me that we were having an early supper, which we had, after which I went back upstairs and tryed to tune in Luxemburg, but on MF the QRN was hopeless, and on HF the QRM was just as bad (5 kc/ het), and I finally settled for the M, which tended to seem to diminish after going for a while.

I then went down to the coach house, to get another knob, but by the time I got there I had completely forgotten what I had come to get, and it was not until I had come all the way back up to the house that I remembered, and had to go all the way down to the coach house again.

In the small hours of the morning, I damaged my meter, and in trying to work out how to fix it, discovered something about moving coil meters, but did not work out how to fix it. Instead listening to MSF/HBM...

Friday, 10 May 1963	N.
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... to see the exact second when Lux closed down. I noticed some QRM which I later discerned as “This is the National Bureau of standards, WWV. When the tone returns, the time will be: 8.50 pm ----- .---- ..... ----- 8.50 pm tone”. The reception was very good, the tone, code, etc often overpowering MSF/HBM. Luxemburg closed down at 0159.13 hrs. There seems to be no standard time to close down.

I finally got to sleep at about 0400 hrs, and when woken up for lunch, went right back to sleep, and slept until 1530 hrs, when, having woken up of my own accord, in walked Papa Baudouy and blew me up because my light had been on at 0000 hrs. Whew! If only he had known the whole truth!

Mrs Baudouy had gone out in the afternoon, and arrived back not until 1715 hrs, with the result that supper did not start until 1800 hrs.

After supper, in anticipation of having to go tomorrow, I went downstairs with paper, pen and PCR2 circuit, and redrew it complete with the modifications that I had added from time to time, I finally finished at about 2030 hrs, and, after watching TV for a while, went upstairs and did a bit of reading, but Mrs Baudouy and Alain came up at about 2130 with orders to go to bed, which I did, although I could not sleep, and after doing...

Saturday, 11 May 1963	N.
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... a bit of reading, finally got to sleep at about 0330 hrs, being woken by Gui at 0800 hrs telling me that I was due at doctors surgery in half an hour. He was optimistic. What with the car not starting, and then running into another car, we did not get to Bishopsteignton until 0920 hrs, when, of course, they had long since finished.

When we got back, my slippers (which I had put on the front table in the hall) had disappeared, and Mrs Baudouy told me they were out the back, but I could not find them, so I had to wear them. [?]

I head rumours from Brian that “my girlfriend” Ann Cootes was coming today. I wonder what gave him the idea that we were getting around together. True, I was pleased to see her, though not so she me, for she could not get over the fact that I was not yet back at school. In the end, I volunteered to go, and after being gentlemanly enough to help Ann fix her bike (whew), went down to the coach house, and started to pack my electronics equipment, and, having been ordered to put as much in the cupboards down there as possible, filled it up, came down with the RSGB communications receiver handbook, lay down on the bed, and went to...

Sunday, 12 May 1963	N - KCT
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... sleep at about 1830, transferring to bed at 2130 hrs.

I was woken by Gui at about 0900 hrs to go to church, after having been awake from 0315 hrs to 0500 hrs.

For once, I did go, and did not regret it, although we had a half wit in front of us, and the only Missal we had was in french, and I could not follow it.

When we got back, after being soaked, I hung around in the kitchen until lunch time, arguing with Miranda and Mrs Baudouy.

After lunch, I did little for a while, until about 1400 hrs, and then started to pack, aided by Mrs Baudouy, who had, amongst other things, found my slippers.

It took about half an hour to pack up the PCR2, and Gui offered to take the meter into town to be repaired. I wonder how long it will take.

The journey to Taunton was uneventful except that I dropped the PCR2 on the platform.

When I was about to enter the new building, out came Popsy and told me in whispers to keep quiet: he was looking for a bird - a crow.

The HT lead in the PCR2 was dislodged by the jolt, but nothing else of note happened to it. At least it was appreciated.

Monday, 13 May 1963	KCT
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Although I slept little last night, I nevertheless heard both bells, and managed to beat the five minutes for about the third time.

After breakfast, I discovered that Daw was taking the scholarship exams. I wonder how he will do.

In french we were correcting a paper, and I was given Daw's. We then went on to translation.

Latin was as amusing as ever. Poor old Masheder.

Jimmy has obviously been going through trig again, and gave us a hell of a prep.

In break, I was stuck in the tuckshop until the bell went, and did not have any time to eat. Nevertheless, Clod was late for his test, in which he worked out the number of mols H₂O of crystallisation in Na₂CO₂.10H₂O.

PE I spent in the front hall reading chem.

Corps is a — nuisance. Today we had notes at first, and then drill - all in my Sunday suit - Somebody had pinched my KD's, and Q stores don't have any more. Seem an inefficient mob this term. Next week is a map reading experiment.

Popsy is a flipping slow teacher. Took nearly all the period doing about 10 lines of translation.

Deutsch makes me think that I have not missed much. Tyson was making me do all the Prüfung questions orally.

In fact, I missed one of the most important parts of German syntax: adjective declension, something that I never quite caught up on.

Tuesday, 14 May 1963	KCT
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During breakfast this morning, Zebedee shoved in front of me a magazine which was only too obviously QST, although it was rather early. Quite a good copy. Absolutely full.

In maths, I did as well as could be expected, and as well as most others. Jimmy blew up Howlett as usual.

Deutsch, and once more no Prüfung. Instead a sheet on the relative pronouns in which I did not do too badly, but ought to pull my socks up.

Latin - what more to be said? -: Ugh.

T'was raining in break, and I had a chance to read more QST.

In double physics, we got the previously calculated 'ideal' results. No fiddling.

Boris appeared to be both dissapointed and pleased to see me, and gave us a stinking prep.

Popsy - dreary, and after tea I decided to have another go on my headphones, which conked out on Sunday, this time giving them parallell feed instead of series. Should be a better impedance match. Lloyd, of course, was sehr interested, and nearly had his eardrums blasted with the things (Better 2/M!)

Prep was boring and forgot my Deutsch book, but borrowed Greens.

My trunk has been unpacked at last.

Wednesday, 15 May 1963	KCT
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As I have stated many times before, Wednesdays are not bad.

Double chemistry was another titration to find the number of molecules of water of crystallisation in Sodium carbonate. Clod got the strength of the acid wrong, and most people got an answer of about 10.5. Rossiter, being the fool he was, got 6.

Latin was another laugh, but Kingcup really was in a bad mood, and nearly blew up.

English was just reading. What's wrong with Boris?

In the afternoon, I went to fencing rather than standards, and then discovered that Rees had missed games with no excuse at all.

I had got an exeat in the afternoon, but had no cap to wear. Found Wojteks in my mac pocket, but borrowed Callows.

Green, Callow & I went in together, at a terrific rate which Green and I could hardly keep up, but I left them at Smiths, where my pen had finally been repaired. It came to 6/-, and I had exactly 5/11, but they let me off it.

Tidied out my scob, and just in time, too, because got a call from matron to remove my books, of which there were quite a few, but not all of Wojteks.

Thursday, 16 May 1963	KCT
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I enjoy Deutsch, and usually do fairly well in it, but I always have mixed feelings about double Deutsch. This morning we spent the first period talking, and then were handed out another sheet which was vocab rather than grammar. Should be easier than the rest, anyway.

Prüfung (inevitable) in second period. I hope I did well.

English - finished off the murder book. Wonder what we'll do next.

Divvers was the 10 Commandments, and I discovered that hey are in the wrong order. The chaplain let me off in the R.C. way.

They're not so much in the wrong order as wrong numbering. The Jews, the Catholics and the Anglicans all number them differently.

Chemistry - all we had to do was a few problems from the book. Just finishing the last one when the bell went.

In the afternoon, little of interest happened. Got the highest mark (80%) in maths, but otherwise it was quite boring.

I had a flute lesson at 4.45, which got me off games, but next week it will be 2.30 on Wednesday - right in the middle of fencing.

Had to see the weed about last term. Just the mildest of tickings off.

There was a lecture on Rhodesian dams in the evening. Extremely interesting.

Friday, 17 May 1963	KCT
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Double Latin - ugh! Double latin is not really as useful as it seems, because most of the time Kingcup is blowing us up, or handing out detentions, or the like. Today we spent 80 minutes on Caesar, and took 10 minutes to do a sentence.

In physics Poop was getting on to the law of Moments. He then set us some “very hard” problems, which everybody found easy.

In break, Callow, Rees and Green were arguing about a coin, and as a result I could not get a word in edgeways.

Double art was dead boring, and as usual, all I did was splodge colour on to paper, and shove it into my folder.

During rest the caterer was lying on a deckchair outside the kitchen, easily observable from where we were, and various wolf-Whistles were emenating from the dormitory. Quite frankly, I can't see what they see in her.

No fencing today, so I put myself off games and went to the music rooms to do some music practice from 4.30 until 5.25.

After that, I went inside reading QST until 6.15, when quite a few people had still not come in. Got 40 lines from Swaffin-Smith for adjusting my slide rule.

Choir practice in 2nd prep.

Saturday, 18 May 1963	KCT
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Sports day today, but you would not have thought it from the morning - perfectly ordinary Saturday with me skipping PE as usual.

In maths Jimmy actually gave us some prep. Not very nice of him.

In french, I got caught not knowing my passage. No trouble, but I got warned.

At 1.0 pm, Gautam and I spent most of the time looking for Mrs. Baudouy, but she did not turn up, and we had to go in for a typical school lunch of second hand spam beetroot (unwashed) and baked mash.

In rest, I volunteered to go and help in the car park, but fairly soon Callow and Rees came along, intending to remove my scarf, and succeeded.

Mrs. Baudouy finally arrived, and we found her just in time for prize-giving, and after showing her round, arranging the the transport, Mrs Baudouy, Miranda, Van, Alixe (french girl), Wojtek, Peter, Laddie, Gautam, and I arrived at the Castle hotel, where after a wedding (not ours) we had tea, and sat talking, after which we made for the “Little east” Restaurant. Had a very enjoyable meal, and Alixe insisted on obtaining all the information that she could from my school calender.

We then went for a drive, arrived back at 9.00 sharp, and I got £2 from Mrs. Baudouy.

Sunday, 19 May 1963	KCT
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Sunday - what more to say?

Before chapel this morning, Callow, Rees, and I went over to the san to see Green, but Nurse informed us that he was “not visible”, and in disgust, we went back.

When robing up, Chivers told me that Wadland had got various records of baroque music, actually played on the old instruments.

Went along to wind band, but Reis was fiddling about with an organ in 26, and it turned out that we should have been in 24. However, it was a write off, and so I came back to the common room to discover that Daw had moved my radio to the front of the room, and they were now listening to it. I tidied up my scob, and then made some adjustments, which I carried on after lunch, fixing up the phone jacks for muting/non-muting, but the power supply earth connection went directly I had replaced it in the case.

After roll call I was still on it, and carried on until chapel, for which I was very nearly late.

Grosscurth came back from a day out with a hell of a lot of maths equipment, etc, and a slide rule closely resembling dads.

I did little after supper other than to have a look at Grosscurths stuff, and did lend him Scroggie, “Foundations of wireless”.

Monday, 20 May 1963	KCT
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Corps - ugh, but no longer table-clearing. I had not learnt my french by this morning, and I was going flat out to learn it, and did - 8/10.

Latin was supposed to be a revision of various things that we were supposed to have learnt.

In maths, Jimmy took us back into the realms of Trigonometry, and told us all about the sine rule. Most interesting, and something more to help me work out the map of Netherton.

Chemistry was Clod going over the work we did last week, in which I did not do too well.

For once I could not get out of PE, and had to go down to the bottom fields with everybody else, where we were playing softball.

Corps in the afternoon found me without KD's, and thus I had an emergency trip to the 'Q' stores to get some. We had to go on patrol of certain districts, and bring back answers to all. And we were first mob back under Kettlers command, although we got quite wet.

French, and we had to translate the passage we started on Saturday. Very boring, and I was half asleep.

Deutsch was no different from the usual. I suppose it teaches you German, anyway.

In prep, Mott seemed to be wondering if I was allowed to read Das Rad, but gave me the benefit of the doubt.

I was reading Tacitus in second prep.

Tuesday, 21 May 1963	KCT
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Maths first this morning, and Jimmy went over the trig, which was quite simple, but nevertheless, quite a few people didn't get them all right.

Deutsch, and we finally had a Prüfung, in which I don't think I did too well.

Latin, and Kingcup told me I hadn't learnt my prep. Trust him to give me the only part of the text that I hadn't worked out right.

Physics (double) and we were finding out the centres of gravity of blocks of wood, in which Lennox and I were astonishingly successful, but for some reason or another we didn't have to take the results down.

In english, Boris was threatening me with returned work for my writing.

If I can't read it, who can?

French I would have got all right but for acute accents.

During tea, it was raining cats, dogs, mice, rats, and cuckoos (the place is filled with cuckoos - the real type, too). As a result, it was declared a free day.

I was at the tuck shop for a good portion of the time, and spent so much money that I only had 16/4½d, but if I put on the stamps myself, I should be about to get so [?] for 16/6 for the speaker.

Back to the old habits in prep - Reading Prescott, and discovering H = 1·0077775.

Was this the atomic weight for Hydrogen?

Wednesday, 22 May 1963	KCT
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Double chemistry today, the ignition of sodium carbonate: To start with, I left my book behind, bringing the physics book instead. Then, we were given rather large crystals which were rather more difficult to do, and yet Howlett kept insisting that we heated it stronger. However, despite him, we managed to get some semblance of an answer, though it was on the high side (11.0).

Latin was a test, seemingly easier than usual, but I probably did worse than usual.

In english, we spent all the time tearing the test Boris gave us yesterday to pieces.

As quite a few people were away for a cricket match, Jimmy just gave us part of an 'O' level-paper to do, which once more I got all right.

In the afternoon, I was supposed to have a flute lesson at 2.30, but I was postponed until 3.00 pm.

After my flute lesson, as in rest, I was working on an SSB Xmitter. All I really need is the power supply.

After roll call, I went down to Mountlands and got a 16/6 postal order and also a 5/- book of stamps, and sent off for an 8" 12000 gauss 3 Ω speaker.

In the evening, I could not find my maths instruments, and as a result did not do my prep.

Thursday, 23 May 1963	KCT
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Today was Ascension Day, so as a result we were given a lie-in until 8.15, when, after going down to the Common room, I discovered that we were going to get curtains! Or so it seemed.

Of course, there was a service after breakfast, and this almost exactly occupied the time that Double Deutsch normally does.

English was third period, and we finished tearing the sheet to peices.

Divvers after break, and the Chaplain finally got round to tell us about Ghandi, who appears to have been an interesting fellow. In chemistry, we had a test of sorts, and had to carry on in prep.

World history “a few notes, and then reading”, but the notes took up 40 minutes.

Maths after that, and Jimmy let me off not doing prep, as without my instruments.

I could not play games, of course, as I had no clothes, but I had to go to the tuckshop and buy some, as well as some singlets.

After that, I headed to outside the Wireless club, where sat Jacob, Masheder i, and Risso Gill. I started a conversation with Masheder about the congested state of the ham bands, SSB, etc., and he told me that he was thinking of becoming a ham.

Friday, 24 May 1963	KCT
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In double latin, as we had done the mixed bag (or were supposed to have done), Kingcup spent the first hour going through it, and blowing us up, Hallett and Rossiter in particular.

The last half hour was just looking through Caesar, and we did a little constructive work.

In physics, Poop seemed to have forgotten that he had promised us a test last Saturday, and just developed the use of the principle of moments, to be taught to us on Tuesday.

Double art, and I spent mainly trying to work out the chassis layout of the xmitter, but it is so large that I will probably need a seperate power supply chassis.

In the afternoon, as usual, French was boring, but in Deutsch, Tyson gave us our order, and I came first equal with Moore, which I think is pretty good, seeing as though I must have missed at least 1 Prüfung.

During tea, Green & I were discussing supernatural occurrences, and decided to revive the attempts at telepathy, this time with Walker.

Fencing, and I did little except watch Khairy [?] show Lloyd through his movements. Me next week.

Green says there is a genuine pair of foils in an antique shop in town.

Saturday, 25 May 1963	KCT
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Tempus fugit. Saturday once more, and the week seems hardly to have begun.

In physics, we only went over last night's prep. Poop seems to have completely forgotten the test.

PE as usual, softball again, and again we lost.

Maths, and we had more graphs to do, which is a handy source of graph paper.

In break, Rosser i told me that White wanted me to go to the Woodard study, but he was not there when I got there.

In divvers, the Chaplain gave us a lecture on the church today, which was most interesting.

Popsy - what more to say? Dead boring.

In the afternoon, Green was talking about electric organs. Trying to work out the cheapest way.

After that, Rees, Green and I went down to watch the senior colts match and read the new Seabys bulletin.

After roll call, Green & I ended up talking about electronics and once more Callow came along, I made a resolution that I could collect £8 worth of coins by next term, and bet the oracle a mars bar (Green).

In second prep, I decided to finish the design of the TX. As far as the driver.

Sunday, 26 May 1963	KCT
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Today developed into a most aggravating day, after a fairly good start.

Before chapel, I managed to completely finish the circuit of the TX., but it may require redoing.

Chapel was boring as usual, but I managed to make some type of agreement with Brown about surpli.

Wind band, where I discovered that Smerdon had my part, and could not find him anywhere, so I played solo clarinet (with Rose.). The idea seems to be (Mum & Dad will not believe this) to play the melody an octave higher,

When learning music round 1960, I had a habit of playing music an octave higher than intended, loud and without very good intonation. It drove my parents to distraction.

which, after quite some playing, became very painful, and all through lunch my lips were throbbing.

After lunch, I got going on fixing up the headphone jacks on the radio (PCR) for Hi-2 operation, but when I had finally done it, discovered that reproduction was much worse, and volume not as much. Then to make matters worse, people started fiddling with my tools, and I was turned out, soldering gun in hand, which aroused some amusing comments.

On the spot, I was volunteered to clean the bass drum, by Robinson.

After supper, we soldered up Rosser ii's pencil box, which he did not appreciate, and went into my scob and sprayed Worcester sauce all over it.

Monday, 27 May 1963	KCT
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Corps was more than usual today, as it was a field day.

After french, in which Popsy did little but complain, and latin, in which Kingcup took in a list of all the projects, school broke up. I changed into my KD's, and went to find Green and talk to him about Lasers.

Soon, however, time was up, and down to the garages. I was promptly volunteered by Hobbs to move a stretcher.

Then the real business started, and we had to put up a tent, I with Little. Before we got halfway, we had to change over to axemanship [?]; and after little more time at that, we had to cook lunch, which was much better than the muck we get at school.

After lunch, of which there was unfortunately not nearly enough, Drax got our mob, who were the first to finish, and got us to build a bridge.

After that, back up to school for a speech and a free 6th period, in which Callow and I and Green sat outside the wireless club and argued with Rees.

There was, however, hobbies prep, and as there was no Deutsch, I discovered what it was like for once.

Tuesday, 28 May 1963	KCT
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First in line for use this morning was maths, in which Jimmy decided to do a bit of revision and went over quadratic and simultaneous equations.

Deutsch, and I did not do as well as I thought I would, but I passed nevertheless. Tyson was trying to sell some book or another.

Latin, and we were carrying on with Caesar. It is getting more and more boring.

In break, I was rash, and spent some money. I must persuade Mum to let me get food on the bill when she comes over (July 10th)

Double physics did not look very nice, so Lennox and I decided to excercise our powers in maths and fiddling, and did very well, ending up with a plan to have a variable centre of gravity.

I was late for my clarinet lesson, and then had to go into the common room while Skiv was already in there. He didn't like that.

The common room doubled as a classroom. It was directly next door to Skiv's study, so he used it frequently for classes.

For the first time this term, I had to play cricket, which was dead bring, but the most annoying part of it all was at the end at about 6.0 pm, when we had no room to move in the changing room, and I discovered that I had no pegs.

In the end I gave up in disgust and ensured that I got back by the beginning of prep.

Wednesday, 29 May 1963	KCT
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Chemistry first period this morning, but Clod was feeling lazy, and blew us up, so that we did not get started upntil early half time, when we were supposed to find out how much weight a marble chip loses on being boiled with HCl. At least we got a good answer.

Latin, and Kingcup inspected all the projects, and exploded several times.

English was a continuation of yesterday. I am sure Boris would prefer one triple period a week.

In the afternoon, I had a flöte lesson at 3.0, which effectively got me out of ag as well as fencing.

After that I went and argued with Green about eastern food, supported, of course, by Callow.

I went in to town with Green to go to Jeremiahs after roll call, and discovered a place completely different from what I expected.

There was a most interesting Thaler of Maria Theresa at 17/6, which seemed most interesting - a beautiful peice. I must scrounge the money by next week. As it was, I contented myself in buying a couple of Gulden of Willem II and III. To crown it all, though, I got a drill from Hobbs for not wearing a cap.

Thursday, 30 May 1963	KCT
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As I was feeling quite warm this morning, and permission had been given to remove blazers, I did that.

In Deutsch, Tyson did not seem to like this, and expressed his hope that I freeze. I did. I also did pretty horribly in the Prüfung, getting 40%, and he will hear us again tomorrow.

English, and we finally got round to changing to the other sheet, which was even more disgusting than the one written by Churchill.

I had received a loudspeaker and old 46 less coils, etc,. in the morning, and in break I was trying to find out what the valves were.

After break, still freezing, I replaced my blazer, and kept it on for the rest of the day.

Divinity was another discussion on the part of the chaplain, and chemistry was just a revision.

In rest, Rosser discovered a filthy book under the floorboards, and we spent most of the time looking at it (full of photos).

Games in the afternoon. I don't really object to games, but they take up far too much time. Today Vodden was trying to choose a team for the house matches, starting next Wednesday.

The net result was that I was batting for 10 minutes, and standing, staring, for the rest of the 90 minutes.

That sounds like cricket in a nutshell.

Friday, 31 May 1963	KCT
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Today started of as normally as any with a double latin period, in which, for the first double latin this term, Kingcup blew me up for correcting my mistakes. However, he religiously changed over to verse at half time, not realizing that he had already given us the first two lines as an illustration of Ovid's character.

Physics was Poop going over the principle of Moments for the umpteenth time, and gave us a stinker of a prep.

Double art found me very warm, so once more I stripped, but this time I froze not, but stayed that way doing absolutely nil except for eating.

After rest, I went to see Tyson, and he let me off until next week. French was dead boring, and I forgot my pen, and had to borrow a pencil from Daw, who could not find his.

School shut up at 3.00 pm for some mob to go to the Bath and West show, and I headed for the common room with intent to put the 46 to bits, but did not get far, with everybody trying to muck it up, and then fixed up Lloyds puncher for him, and knocked 300 holes in the 1958 Ham Handbook, and filed it. After prep, Callow, having decided that he was descended from Attila the Hun, and I, who am ¼ Deutsch, bear up Rhesus (Rees) [who was presumably a Briton, i.e. Welsh].