Questionnaire

The B.A.E.C. Membership Questionnaire

In the last Newsletter I mentioned that J.S.Hind had offered to set up a database containing information about members' interests and experience. Since then, all members have received the questionnaire he devised, and to date he has received 62 completed questionnaires. A list of the categories under which the data has been stored is given at the end of this note. He has provided the following information about the way in which the database will be used.

"I would like to thank all those who have taken the trouble to complete and return the questionnaire. I have not entered into the computer those telephone numbers which are ex-directory. I suggest that the enquiry system should work as follows:

If you have an enquiry, send me details of the information required and a stamped self-addressed envelope. I will send back a list of members who may be able to help, along with details of what information the computer was given in order to produce the list. I shall supply only a list of names and addresses, and it will then be up to the enquirer to make direct contact with one or more of the members on the list by letter or telephone.

For example, you may wish to build a burglar alarm. In this case I would key in the requirement "has built a burglar alarm". I should then send you a list of names and addresses of members who had built one. There are endless possibilities; for example, you may want to build a project from a magazine but are missing an issue and want to know who else gets that particular magazine. You may want to know who has built a laser or a radio controlled car. You may be having trouble getting a constructional project working, in which case you need to know who else has built one or has a particular piece of test gear. You might want to know who is experienced in PCB production or transistor theory etc., etc.

I hope to be able to produce a statistical print-out of the results of the survey in the near future. As a result of having keyed all the information in, a number of interesting responses have emerged. For instance, the Maplin magazine 'Electronics' is by far the most popular, at least one member has a laser, several members have experience of fibre optic construction, nearly all the members are interested in solar and wind power, and more than half own a computer.

Finally, I would like to ask those who have not returned the questionnaire to do so. You too may need some help in the future."

One point which has emerged is that the database comes under the scope of the Data Protection Act, because data is being stored about B.A.E.C. members. As a result of information provided by the Data Protection Registrar, the club should be exempt from registration provided the following action is taken and members are notified of that action:

to state that all the information (with the exception of ex-directory telephone numbers) will be held on a computer.
to invite any member who objects to this information being held to let us know, so that their details can be removed.
to state that the information held may be disclosed to other members.
to invite anyone who objects to their information being disclosed to other members to let us know, in which case their details will be removed from the system.

Any member who, having read the above conditions, wishes to have any part of the information supplied to Mr. Hind in the questionnaire deleted should get in touch with him as soon as possible.

Categories of Data stored

1. Interests and experience.

Aircraft band listening            Oscillators
Antennas                           Passed radio amateurs exam
Antenna tuners                     Photographic aids
Audio amplifiers                   Power control A.C.
Audio mixers                       Power control D.C.
Battery chargers                   Power supplies
Boats and caravans, circuits for   Printed circuit boards, making
Burglar alarms                     Radar
CB radio                           Radio control for model boats
Cassette recorders (non hi-fi)         ditto     for model cars
Cassette/radio receiver                ditto     for model planes
Computer peripherals, adding       Receivers, MW/LW
Computer electronics                  ditto   FM
Computer programming               RF amplifiers
Computer use                       RF converters
DC-DC converters                   Robotics
Detecting/monitoring heat          Satellite Radio
       ditto         light         Short wave listening
       ditto         pH            Solar Power
       ditto         sound         Sonar
       ditto         temperature   Sound effects/synthesisers
       ditto         water         Sound recording
Electronic speech                  Surface mounting techniques
Fibre optics                       Telephone electronics
Filters                            Television, amateur
Hi-fi amplifier                    Television, broadcast
Hi-fi cassette deck                Television, closed circuit
Hi-fi compact disc                 Television, DXing
Hi-fi graphic equaliser            Television, satellite
Hi-fi record deck                  Timers/counters
Infra-red transmitter/receiver     Tuners, FM
Lasers                              ditto MW/LW
Licenced amateur                   UHF (TV) amplifiers
Lighting control                   Ultrasonic transmitter/receiver
Linear IC circuit design           Valves, circuits using
Logic IC circuit design            VHF band listening
Metal detectors                    Video recorders
Microphones                        Vintage Radio
Model trains                       Weather monitoring 
Morse                              Wind power
Motors                 
Musical keyboards 

2. Magazines 

Electronics and Wireless World     Maplin magazine (Electronics)
Electronics Today International    Practical Electronics 
Elektor Electronics                Practical Wireless 
Everyday Electronics               Radio Communication 
Ham Radio Today                    Television 

3. Equipment owned. 

Audio signal generator             Oscilloscope 
Capacitance meter                  RF signal generator  
CB radio                           Spectrum analyser 
Computer                           Sweep generator 
Frequency meter                    Scanner 
Inductance meter                   VHF receiver 
Short wave receiver                VHF transmitter 
Short wave transmitter

I should like to thank Mr. Hind most warmly not only for the considerable amount of work he has done in drawing up and distributing this questionnaire and analysing the responses, but also for his generosity in defraying the cost of the operation as a donation to the club. I feel Sure it will prove to be a valuable resource for members. H.F.H.