We made our studio desks last a very long time. This
is an OBA/8 - pre-war outside broadcast equipment, installed in Bush in
a hurry early in the war and still in use 30 years later - this
photo of S11 was taken in January 1969. Very limited facilities: no
transmission talkback, and passive mixing, so that opening a fader reduces
the level on any other faders open at the time. However there was a very low noise
level from the main amplifier. The taller panel at the extreme left is
a late addition to provide tape monitoring switching, a primitive meter
for tape monitoring, and a stopwatch. The cubicle mic is also an
addition - originally these were mostly ST&C 4038s (as in the studio) or the older AXBTs, slung over the grams (to enable
you to make the announcement then start a signature tune).
© Roger Wilmut. This
site is not associated with the BBC