This and that II

Something different this time, a few weeks ago I thought I make a journey to Pasar Road. The last time I was there was in 2012/13 when I did this entry.

The surrounding had changed a lot years before whereby  across the road once exist a row of old 80s style single story shop lot is now a row of modern shop several floors building. To begin with, I'm not familiar with that side of things so I'm not sure whether the previous shops are still there in the new building or had moved elsewhere.

My favorite row to shop has always been to the left row. It's been a habit of mine to walk along this row first before I check elsewhere.

Most of these shops are family run business. I still recognized their face and most of them has been there since the 90s. Most of the shops are bringing in security cams product.

The speaker repair shop in still there at the back lot. And so is the kari Kambing stall. I came too early so I didn’t wait for the kari kambing. I proceeded to look for replacement tips for my hakko, a spool of black hookup wire while knowing there will be some tiny impulse buy. I was also looking around for cheap analog scope as backup but there are no second hand unit I could find. Either everyone now has gone digital or I looked at the wrong place. If you know any shops in KL or PJ that sells used test instruments, do email me. I'm trying to put up a small electronic lab/bench of my own.

The patrons was average compared to the 90s. Back then it was like queuing for concert. When you walk in to buy something, you have to wait to be attended. It was so crowded that you bound to rub shoulder with the patrons. It's like pasar segar but dry with a nice smell of plastic and semi-conductors

There's a shop I remember well call Maplin. They still sells solder kit project. I saw some interesting power supply projects. I saw a couple of throwback project kit. I remember buliding that FM transmitter in the 90s. Used it few times to prank my neighbour and food stalls that have radio along Jalan Riong (near NST and the old TV3 or STMB building). The way it works is you dial your transmitter to the station they are listening to. Once you in their frequency, it'll be blank sound on their end. You can talk and hear your voice over their radio (if you want to). I did try it with my guitar but didn't pursue it because I knew everyone in the block would know who it is. hehe.

We used to live in a flat in Jalan Bangsar where our kitchen is next to the neighbour bedroom. Our neighbour would have his radio on from midnight to dawn. A few times when he's listening to the radio I used my transmitter to jam it. Whenever he switches station I give him a few seconds then jammed it. This was a time where there were less than 10 station in the FM band hence the puzzling escalated to anger that he started banging his radio thinking it had a loose connection or something. I laugh so hard in our kitchen listening to his rumbling and cursing at the radio set. I did felt a bit guilty depriving a person musical enjoyment.

You see back then there was no mp3 player, mobile phone could only store well..phone numbers of course but not everyone has them, CDs were expensive but purchase-able, Vinyl was thought to be extinct, Cassette Deck will break sooner in guitar players possession so Radio was the peoples number one entertainment. Oh ya VHS too. I think my prank was illegal but then again who listens to radio nowadays? I guess I can't prank anyone anymore now. Hehe.

Another project I built when I started working for music shop in 99 was the metronome. Thought I saved some pretty penny with it but eventually it became useless because it didn't have any speed indicator. The beep felt out of tempo (or was it me?). Gave it to my student. I hope the bloody thing didn't kill his interest/rhythm too. But still, those escol projects are still good for sharpening soldering skill with some feeling of achievement after building something. You'll also have an idea how old thing were painstaking hand soldered before the advent of reflow machines. Who knows, someday I might give those power supply kit a go. Could power up pedals? A power transformer not included of course.

I guess that's all for this walk on memory lane. Until next time I hope we gain something.

Thank you

yustech