Michael Coslo wrote on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:23:05 EST:

Although I have a technical background, my post secondary "eddycaytion"
is actually in the art field, and In my job and life I cross between the
two.

So is mine...as an illustrator (an artist who draws/paints things as
they really are). I went for engineering after my Army service.

I stumbled upon this site, and was pleasantly introduced to "Steampunks"

I admire the heck out of the excellence of that website and its
gorgeous
photos. Really well-done craftsmanship on web page design. However,
it
begins to look a lot like 'eye candy' for those who love to do things
the old-fashioned way.

In a unique (and a little bizarre) melding of technologies, one
practitioner has built and implemented a Telegraph sounder that reads
RSS feeds.

NO WAY can that sounder 'copy' digital data from any Internet.

Sorry, but there's just TOO MUCH MASS in that sounder to move
anything that fast...not even at 60 WPM speeds of old Teletypes.
Those who get all upset about my absolute statements should
open up and study any OLD Model 15 to 19 TTY from Teletype.
That Chicago firm KNEW how to make machinery work fast and long.

Although the Amateur radio world does not have many examples of art -

Our 'art training' must have come from very different schools.

I would consider the Hallicrafters SX-28 to be of very aesthetic
appeal to many. Never owned one, just used one a few times. As
a 'communications' receiver it worked fine technically. It both
sounded great (with big speakers) and had a cool look to it.

As to transceivers, I would consider the Collins KWM-2 to be of
finer aesthetic value from the looks and proportions and general
useability of its outside. Never had one of those but I've used
one and tested several older ones. Neat and compact (for tubes)
it also had a 'with it' cool look with nicely-matched colors
with sleek proportions (even if the front was a bit off symmetry).

Some time ago I found a website that showed the evolution of the
Hallicrafters S-38 external appearance. Final versions of that
model were redesigned by a professional design firm. Technically,
that one was just a glorified All-American 5 with added 'SW' bands
and thus had (actual, by comparison with its contemporaries)
lots of deficiencies. Mythos of so much shared use among old-
timers made it some kind of icon. shrug

though some folks come pretty close with some old time stations, I found
the method I'm going to use for my next shack redo. I'll have to share
the pictures of the same. Now to start scrounging brass....

Try not to forget that brass will oxidize from exposure to air.
Stock up on Glass Wax too, it works well on a continuing need
to make brass shiny again. And again. And again.

PLATE the brass with something to avoid all that dog-work
shine-up that you will need. Find a good electrochemical shop
and make some deals there. It will save appearances a lot
longer than all that necessary polishing later.

Certainly some will find this odd, but I like a little aesthetics in my
hobbies along with the technical.

So do I. Our difference is that I do an innate merging of
technical functionality with outward design and color. Icom
'basic black' (with white accents and sparse color in legends)
does it for me...who also is on intimate acquaintence what the
functions are. The fine-grain, DISTINCT black on white screen
appearance does the final choosing for me. Sorry, but orange
and gray or green and gray displays of other makers don't sit
well with my taste. One is always looking at the front panel
of a receiver even if we don't 'see' it.

A SOUNDER for amateur RADIO use? The ubiquitous BFO is what I
consider the first 'DSP' for morse cognition. That's why it
became so popular in radios way back before my time on earth.
Okay, so von Statt doesn't know much about electromagnets and
didn't put finer wire with more turns on his replica.

If we get too retro on 1890s 'aesthetics,' perhaps he could
make a lovely, shiny, brassy Tuning Fork as a frequency
standard? Musicians still use those. An HC-6 holder of a
quartz crystal can never look aesthetic by itself. But it
will be a thousand or more times more accurate in frequency
than an all-mechanical vibrating Tuning Fork. But, what the
Fork? A Tuning Fork can LOOK so interesting...and it can
make a noise! :-)

73, Len AF6AY