Why in the ell?

[Millberry]

test

 

[gmc2003]

 

[jcam222]

I’m intrigued by both the test and whatever that cool picture is that Chris posted :)

 

[gmc2003]

That's an old television test pattern. The stations would show this when they went off the air.

Chris

 

[JLeonard]

@gmc2003 was that right before or after the national anthem?
Jim

 

[Winterrider]

I remember the test pattern well. Woke up many times to that.

 

[gmc2003]

@gmc2003 was that right before or after the national anthem?
Jim

Forgot about the anthem being played. I think it depended on the station. Some if I remember correctly showed different patriotic pics, and others just showed the test pattern. Of course we only had about 5 stations back then, and the youngest kid awake served as the parents remote control.

Chris

 

[noboundaries]

Depending on station, also heard the poem High Flight and a PSA, "It's 12 AM. Do you know where your children are?"

Then came the test pattern and that maddening single note tone.

Still, it was better than infomercials.

 

[2Mac]

Sorry. I just had to look it up because I was curious. We had it in Canada also but I couldn’t remember what it symbolized.

“The Indian-head test pattern is a test cardthat was introduced in 1939 by RCA of Harrison, New Jersey, for calibration of the RCA TK-1 monoscope. It was widely used by television stations worldwide during the black-and-white television broadcasting era. It features a drawing of a Native Americanwearing a headdress along with numerous graphic elements that test different display aspects.”

 

[JckDanls 07]

"It's 12 AM. Do you know where your children are?"

It was 11 o'clock on our channels ...

 

[Brokenhandle]

Growing up as a kid... Oh no, the president is on and he's on every channel!!! Yep the wonderful 4 channels we got.

Ryan

 

[Fueling Around]

I think we're de-composting our memories?

I recall the test pattern with a spoken "the start of our broadcast day" followed by Star Spangled Banner (that's our national anthem in case we forget the title).

Closing was patriot film with the poem "High Flight" and concluded with Star Spangled Banner before the dreaded tone.

That was the 3 network channels.

Funny, I don't recall our PBS channel playing the Star Spangled Banner for either start or conclusion of the broadcast day.

 

[olaf]

We barely had ABC CBS PBS, dads telling us to move the antenna around to get reception. Must be why I spent so much time in the woods.

 

[BuckeyeSteve]

Saw that test pattern many times. I was probably in seventh or eight grade and my Saturday night was eating an entire large pizza while watching SNL. Followed by Midnight Special, where I ate lots of snacks because I was still hungry. After that I’’d hear the National Anthem followed by the test pattern.

The younger folks are saying wait....what? the television went off?

 

[OldSmoke]

Pizza, Saturday night wrestling, three feature monster movies hosted by Elvira, then the test pattern. I never fell asleep when Elvira was on. Three hours later, get up and deliver my 100-paper route on my Schwinn bike.

 

[BuckeyeSteve]

Pizza, Saturday night wrestling, three feature monster movies hosted by Elvira, then the test pattern. I never fell asleep when Elvira was on. Three hours later, get up and deliver my 100-paper route on my Schwinn bike.

I forgot about Elvira. I also had to get up for my 90+ paper route. I walked mine because my best friend, my dog would come with me. She’d walk with me off leash for a good hour. Then we’d go back to sleep for a few hours, with her at my feet.

 

[912smoker]

Saw that test pattern many times. I was probably in seventh or eight grade and my Saturday night was eating an entire large pizza while watching SNL. Followed by Midnight Special, where I ate lots of snacks because I was still hungry. After that I’’d hear the National Anthem followed by the test pattern.

The younger folks are saying what...wait, the television went off?

And The Duke reciting America, That"s Why I kove Her.
Took 3 people for us to change the channel. 1 turning the pipewrench on the antenna, 1 at the window yelling instructions from the person checking the TV for reception.

 

[BuckeyeSteve]

And T

???

 

[MJB05615]

Saw that test pattern many times. I was probably in seventh or eight grade and my Saturday night was eating an entire large pizza while watching SNL. Followed by Midnight Special, where I ate lots of snacks because I was still hungry. After that I’’d hear the National Anthem followed by the test pattern.

The younger folks are saying what...wait, the television went off?

That was darn close to how I spent most of my Saturday nights. Once SNL started that is. And the Midnight Special was the best. Don Kirschner's Rock Concert too, but I think it was on Friday nights.

 

[BuckeyeSteve]

One station would stay up late. We’d watch roller derby and hockey games.