The Continuity Guide
Moonbase Guide
Furnishings
by Martin Willey

Oscilloscopes

In Breakaway, Matter Of Life And Death and Guardian Of Piri, oscilloscopes are used to monitor brain waves. The unit monitoring Steiner's brain waves is a British-made "Advance Instruments" OS250 oscilloscope (on the front the brand is hidden by the "Steiner" name label, but the "A" logo is visible on the left side handle). The model number is almost visible on the top right of the front panel. There is no inputs connected on the picture, so the scope is just running by itself with a slow trigger selected. Also there is some sort of an adaptor connected to the channel 1 input connector. Thanks to Ville Laustela.

Advance Electronics started in 1932 with an engineer building electronics testing equipment in his garden shed. It became a public company in 1956, with headquarters in Hainault in Essex. It was bought by an American company called Gould in 1975, but still operated with the Advance brand. In 1983 a management buy-out took control from Gould. In 2018 it is still in existence, based in Wrexham.

In Year 2, the OS250 appears frequently as the Alpha Log Recorder, an oversized dictating machine on a trolley with attractive yellow wheels. The oscilloscope is hidden behind a hardwood panel, with holes punched out for the dials and sockets, and the 10cm x 8cm display. Thanks to James Cotton.

Tektronix 545B

In flight control in Breakaway and Experimental lab in Voyager's Return. This seems to be a Tektronix 545B oscilloscope (the text is almost readable above the screen), introduced in 1964 and produced until 1973.

Marconi

In The Lambda Factor this Marconi oscilloscope has a starring role. Although covered in Letraset stickers and radiation warning symbols, the text "Marconi Instruments Ltd. England" can be read on the all the panels.