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41-681: The Sinclair President is a calculator released by Sinclair Radionics in early 1978. There were two models, the President and the President Scientific . They were among the last calculators produced by Sinclair, and their large size was in contrast to the smaller, earlier models, like the Sinclair Executive , which made the company famous. The President models were related to the Sporting Life SETTLER ,

82-599: A calculator designed specifically for betting shops . The calculator was launched in early 1978, at the price of £17.95 . It was the only Sinclair calculator not made in England but instead made in Hong Kong by Radofin . Competition in the calculator market was by this point fierce, and the Sinclair did not fare well against cheaper Japanese calculators with more efficient liquid-crystal displays . The silver paint used

123-410: A calculator with a liquid-crystal display . The President, as well as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, had percentage, memory, square root and square functions. It was powered by a National Semiconductor MM57134ENW/M integrated circuit. The President Scientific added logarithmic and trigonometric functions and was powered by a General Instrument CF-599. The Sporting Life SETTLER

164-437: A range of issues in the electronics and RF industry, from design through to product implementation. The features are contributed by engineers and academics in the electronics industry . The circulation is split between electronic design engineers, senior managers, and R&D professionals within areas such as communications, manufacturing, education and training, IT, medical, power, oil and gas. The Marconi Company published

205-619: A revised model, the "Scientific Programmable", was released at £29.95. The Scientific Programmable Mark 2 was later released, reducing the price to £17.22. In 1975, Sinclair Radionics launched the Oxford range of briefcase calculators. Sinclair also attempted to capture the top-end calculator market with the Sinclair Sovereign , available in plated gold or silver. The calculator was critically acclaimed for its excellent engineering and design and enjoyed short success. Final attempts at

246-737: A £480,000 loss for Sinclair. Sir Clive Sinclair was certain that the TV1B model released in 1978 would be more successful, but sales were disappointing. In July 1977, the NEB increased its stake in Radionics to 73%. By June 1978 Sinclair Radionics was working on the NewBrain microcomputer project, which was later taken over by Newbury Laboratories. In May 1979, the NEB announced that it intended to sell Radionics' calculator and TV interests; they were bought by

287-476: The Black Watch digital watch at £17.95 in kit form and £24.95 ready-built, although this wasn't available to buy until January 1976. Including a five-digit LED display, it suffered from technical flaws related to the design of the case, the chip, the battery and accuracy. Not only was the watch unreliable, Radionics was not able to fulfil the orders it had taken. As a result, Radionics made its first loss in

328-456: The Executive , which was considerably smaller than its competitors' by the use of hearing-aid-sized batteries. What had made this possible was it had been discovered that there was considerable latency in the display and memory and that, with the addition of a timer, power could be withheld from these battery-draining components for much of the time, thus greatly extending battery life. During

369-463: The "Micro-FM" debuted as "the world's first pocket-size FM tuner-receiver", but was unsuccessful due to technical difficulties. Despite problems, illegal clones were produced in the far east. Sinclair's final 1960s radio kit was the 1967 "Micromatic", billed as "the world's smallest radio" like Sinclair's earlier radios. The "Micromatic" was a reasonable success and was sold until 1971. In May 1971 Sinclair Radionics made £85,000 profit on £563,000 turnover;

410-399: The "Sinclair Slimline" in kit form at forty-nine shillings and sixpence (£2.47½). A year later, in 1964, Sinclair released the "X-10" amplifier, one of the first commercial Class-D amplifiers . In the same year, Sinclair released the "Micro-6", matchbox-size radio, which the company claimed was the "world's smallest radio"—it could also be worn on your wrist with the "Transrista". In 1965

451-580: The "editress of 2011" that would not be acceptable today. Pat Hawker MBE, also well known for the "Technical Topics" feature he authored for exactly 50 years in the Radio Society of Great Britain's "Radio Communication" or "RadCom" magazine, contributed the regular column "World of Amateur Radio" from May 1969 to April 1982. An occasional contributor, Ivor Catt , sparked controversy with an article on electromagnetism in December 1978 by challenging

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492-400: The 'Tobey-Dinsdale Amplifier' and the ' Linsley Hood ' power amplifier. In the December 1975 edition an article described “feed-forward” error correction for audio amplifiers as embodied in the legendary QUAD 405 current dumping power amplifier designed by Peter Walker and M. P. Albinson. In 1975/6 Wireless World published the design of a decoder of broadcast TV Teletext information before

533-597: The ESL Bristol group (as Radionic Products Ltd.) and Binatone respectively. In July Clive Sinclair resigned with a £10,000 golden handshake . In September the NEB renamed what was left of Radionics (i.e. the scientific instrument business) as Sinclair Electronics Ltd.; in January 1980 this was changed to Thandar Electronics Ltd. In 1989, Thandar Electronics Ltd merged with Thurlby Electronics Ltd, forming Thurlby Thandar Instruments Ltd. This company now does business under

574-410: The NEB became involved in Radionics, Sinclair encouraged Chris Curry , who had been working for Radionics since 1966, to leave and get Sinclair Instrument up and running. Sinclair Instrument developed the " Wrist Calculator " to generate cash, which soon became a commercial success selling in surprising figures. In July 1977 Sinclair Instrument Ltd was renamed to Science of Cambridge Ltd . Around about

615-872: The complicated design the Microvision used. In April 1976, the National Enterprise Board bought a 43% stake in Sinclair Radionics for £650,000, and in October the National Research and Development Council agreed to provide £1 million for a revived portable TV project, which was finally launched in January 1977 as the Microvision TV1A and MON1A at £99.95. Supply exceeded demand, and 12,000 units were left unsold until they were sold off cheaply. This resulted in

656-473: The equatorial plane orbit at an altitude of 36,000 km, spaced 120 degrees apart, could provide global communications. The altitude is crucial as there a satellite rotates at the same angular velocity as the surface of the Earth, and therefore remains above a particular point on its surface – that is, it is geostationary. The article is now seen as the origin of modern satellite communications, and

697-535: The evenings in a room in London (he was still a technical journalist during the day), selling radio kits by mail order. Radionics initially developed hi-fi equipment; it released its first product, the Sinclair Micro-amplifier, in December 1962. The assembly and distribution of this product were contracted out to Cambridge Consultants . In 1963 Sinclair Radionics introduced their first radio with

738-501: The financial year April 1974 – April 1975. The Black Watch fiasco had a devastating effect on Sinclair's finances, and the company would have gone bankrupt had not the Government, through the National Enterprise Board , stepped in to support it. In 1966, Sinclair Radionics developed the world's first portable television, the "Microvision", but never attempted to sell it because development costs would have been too high based on

779-481: The first commercial decoder became available. Later it published regular columns of brief Circuit Ideas . In the August to December 1967 editions a series, Wireless World Digital Computer by Brian Crank, was published. It described how to build a "very" simple binary computer at home. It was constructed entirely from "reject" transistors (functional, but not meeting all specifications, consequently sold cheaply), and

820-562: The first issue of the journal The Marconigraph in April 1911. This monthly magazine was the first significant journal dedicated to wireless communication, and it circulated largely among Marconi engineers and operators. In April 1913, after two years and 24 issues, The Marconigraph was superseded by The Wireless World. An Illustrated Monthly Magazine for all interested in Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony as its first issue

861-527: The first public announcement of the Baxandall tone control circuit, a design now employed in millions of hi-fi systems including amplifiers and effects for musical instruments. In 1955 it published the design of the popular Mullard 5-10 audio amplifier using two EL84 power pentodes in ultra-linear push-pull configuration. In the 1960s and 1970s there were many further articles on advances in audio and electronic design, notably all-transistor designs including

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902-431: The following year profit increased to £97,000 on turnover of £761,000. In 1966, Sinclair Radionics re-entered the hi-fi market with the "Stereo 25", a low-cost pre-amp control system. Production was halted in 1968 due to low supply of transistors which had been purchased in 1964 as rejects from other manufacturers. In 1969 it was replaced by the "Stereo Sixty". This soon became Sinclair's most successful audio product, being

943-505: The geostationary earth orbit is sometimes referred to as Clarke's Orbit. For decades, Wireless World was a place where pioneers in audio and electronic design shared ideas. In 1947-49, it published articles on building what became the famous " Williamson amplifier " by D.T.N Williamson - using a pair of triode-connected KT66 kinkless power tetrodes (very similar to the American 6L6 ) in push-pull to give 15 watts output. In 1952 it made

984-531: The majority of the 1970s, Sinclair focused on building the most affordable pocket calculators with the best design. In 1972 Sinclair released the world's first slim-line pocket calculator, the Sinclair Executive , for £79.95. The calculator only included basic maths functions, and the LED display required much power. It is often credited as being the world's first attractively styled calculator that did not require mains power to be used like prior calculators. The Executive

1025-585: The mass-market for calculators, the Sinclair Enterprise and the President, did not sell well. In 1974, Radionics launched the DM1 digital multimeter. Such scientific instruments were to form a quiet backbone of Radionics business for the rest of its existence. In marked contrast to the rest of the Sinclair range, the instruments gained a reputation for reliable conventionality rather than often unreliable idiosyncrasy. In August 1975, Sinclair introduced

1066-609: The name Aim and Thurlby Thandar Instruments (Aim-TTi). When it became clear that Radionics was failing, Clive Sinclair took steps to ensure that he would be able to continue to pursue his commercial goals: in February 1975, he changed the name of Ablesdeal Ltd. (an off-the-shelf company he bought in September 1973, for just such an eventuality) to Westminster Mail Order Ltd.; this was changed to Sinclair Instrument Ltd . in August 1975. Finding it inconvenient to share control after

1107-529: The pen name "Cathode Ray". "Free Grid" was the pseudonym of Norman Preston Vincer-Minter (1897–1964), a classicist and ex-naval wireless operator who specialised in deflating pomposity with his biting wit. Amongst the early editors was W.T. Cocking (designer of the WW television sets); the last six editors were Tom Ivall, Philip Darrington, Frank Ogden, Martin Eccles, Phil Reed and Svetlana "Stella" Josifovska, who edited

1148-457: The power level was far below 10 watts and Sinclair's main advertising channel, Wireless World magazine, was so deluged with complaints that it supposedly refused to take further advertisements from Sinclair. Sinclair Radionics launched the System 2000 amplifier, FM tuner and loudspeaker in 1968. followed by the System 3000 in 1972. In 1972, Radionics launched its first electronic calculator,

1189-424: The publication for 20 years from 2004 to August 2024. Casey Porter took over the editor role from Stella. On pages 232 and 233 of the April 1961 Golden Jubilee issue, regular contributor "Free Grid" speculates what the next 50 years might hold and predicts that "long before our centenary year ... all positions now sacred to the male will have been taken over by women." He went on to make certain remarks in jest about

1230-469: The same issue, publication frequency of Wireless World became weekly. It was also aimed at home constructors, publishing articles on building radio receivers and, after the BBC started regular 405-line TV programmes from Alexandra Palace in 1936, complete details on building your own TV set - including the winding of the high-voltage CRT deflector coils (not a task for the faint hearted). A similar series

1271-643: The same time Ian Williamson showed Chris Curry a prototype microcomputer based around a National Semiconductor SC/MP microprocessor and some parts taken from an earlier Sinclair calculator. This was sold as the MK14 microcomputer kit. Science of Cambridge ultimately became Sinclair Research Ltd . Wireless World The editorial content of Electronics World covers the full range of electronics and RF industry activities including technology, systems, components, design, development tools, software, networking, communications tools and instrumentation. It encompasses

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1312-426: The second product of the "Project 60" range. The "Project 60" products sold well and were supplemented by the "Project 605" kit in 1972. It was eventually superseded by the more advanced "Project 80" kit in 1974. In May 1973 Sinclair Radionics generated £1.8 million turnover. The last Sinclair Radionics hi-fi product was the System 4000, in 1974. Another Sinclair Radionics product that was introduced in 1964 and failed

1353-449: Was Wireless Engineer which was more of a learned journal than a popular magazine, featuring high quality, technical articles. In Wireless World ' s October 1945 issue, Arthur C. Clarke (then of The British Interplanetary Society ) published a now-famous article, "Extra Terrestrial Relays", which foresaw the coming of communications satellites in synchronous orbit around the Earth. Clarke pointed out that three satellites in

1394-446: Was a calculator designed for betting shops, with development sponsored by Sporting Life . Due to the increased pressure on the calculator market, a number of calculators were produced for a specific purpose, where there was less competition. The Settler had National Semiconductor DS8881N and MM5799NBX/N chips, and was slightly larger than the President, at 163 by 93 by 29 millimetres (6.4 in × 3.7 in × 1.1 in). It

1435-527: Was a phenomenal success, earning Sinclair £1.8m in profit. In 1973 the slightly larger Sinclair Cambridge was introduced at a far cheaper price of £29.95 + VAT . A cheaper Executive was also launched shortly after. In addition to expanding the Cambridge range, the Sinclair Scientific was launched in 1975. It was a scientific pocket calculator for the very competitive price of £49.95. In 1977

1476-581: Was also produced in Hong Kong by Radofin. Sinclair Radionics Sinclair Radionics Ltd was a company founded by Sir Clive Sinclair in Cambridge , England which developed hi-fi products, radios, calculators and scientific instruments. After raising funds to start the business by writing articles for Practical Wireless magazine, and borrowing £50, Clive Sinclair founded Sinclair Radionics Ltd. on 25 July 1961. Sinclair initially worked alone in

1517-682: Was intended for teaching the basic principles of computer operation. In 1977 a series of articles was published based on the design of the NASCOM 1 computer. In 1979 they published a design by John Adams for a dual-processor desktop computer which included a novel high-level programming language. Entitled "A scientific computer", it was marketed as the PSI Comp 80 in kit form by the company Powertran . Contributors included M.G. Scroggie , who contributed articles of an educational nature on subjects such as applied mathematics and electronic theory using

1558-402: Was of poor quality and was notorious for wearing off. Both models were the same size, and intended for desktop use, being slightly too large to be readily portable at 160 by 94 by 28 millimetres (6.3 in × 3.7 in × 1.1 in). Power was supplied by two AA batteries . The screens were eight-digit vacuum fluorescent displays , which resulted in a higher power consumption than

1599-449: Was published after 1945 utilising the then ubiquitous EF50 RF pentode amplifier valve (tube). With the outbreak of World War II and the expected shortages of paper and other resources, the publication reverted to being monthly, a frequency that it still retains to this day. The title was changed in September 1984 to Electronics and Wireless World , and from January 1996 (vol 102, no. 1718), to Electronics World . A sister publication

1640-399: Was sold on news-stands. Publication of Wireless World continued uninterrupted throughout World War I, and from 4 April 1920 (vol. 8 no. 1) publication frequency was increased to fortnightly From 1 April 1922 it became known as The Wireless World and Radio Review following a merger with The Radio Review , a monthly journal that had first been published in London in October 1919. With

1681-428: Was the first class D amplifier kit rated at 10 watt RMS: a class D switching amplifier that was good in theory but sadly ahead of its time and available technology. The amplifier used low-frequency germanium transistors as pulse width modulators and switches and wrongly relied on the loudspeaker's inductance to filter the class D signal into audio. Most often this would short out the output transistors. When it did work

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