What's Going On

Peter Hawkins has been accepted as a business mentor for the Prince's Trust. The trust provides a wide range of support and opportunities for young adults in an age range of 14-30.

Business mentors assist those who have embarked on a business enterprise of their own. Their guidance may be purely practical or look for the insight that comes with years of business experience. Peter Hawkins' innate technical ability and facility to educate should provide a welcome boost to a number of the innovative young businesses in the area. More about the Prince's Trust can be found at www.princes-trust.org.uk

05/2006 -- Searches reveal quest for knowledge

Knowledge base start up

Following the adoption of software to monitor web traffic, Hawkshead has embarked on the creation of knowledge based pages. The early pages are for the non technical/curious, with a view to enlightenment and raising awareness of some issues.

There will be further pages added as specific requests or topics arise. Priority will be given to those questions with the widest general appeal and potential for comprehension. Please send your suggestions via e-mail. Any constructive criticisms or politely challenging views are also warmly welcomed.
View knowledge base

12/2005 -- A new phono stage emerges from the Kinshaw stable

Kinshaw fans continue to demand phono stages

A continued interest in the Kinshaw Perception Phono has existed on a frequent basis from 1996 to the present day. Parts are somewhat scarce for the old phono stage and demand for Perception Phono Stages does not appear to have diminished with time. Although technology is meant to advance, some of the engineering of the Phono Stage remains unchallenged.

A long standing customer was literally robbed of his phono stage and wanted to obtain a replacement. Coupled with other interest a new phono stage has been created. There are more details on the Kinshaw pages of this site.

11/2005 -- RoHS on the horizon

New rules fuel unleaded design

A new directive comes into force on 1st July 2006. In the simplest terms this aims to reduce the amount of hazardous material in products. For the electronics industry the greatest focus is on lead free. Lead (Pb) in solder has been present since time immemorial. A low melting point and ease of flow are great attributes of lead which has helped to make reliable electronics for decades. The change to new solders and revised components create fresh challenges that require practical steps to ensure long term reliability.

One new soldering iron hardly constitutes a complete step to compliance. Hawkshead is actively involved in assisting clients with their plans for compliance. In the case of the soldering iron, it is as much to do with maintaining the practical awareness to complement the academic knowledge.

09/2005 -- Design Innovation Challenge

Runners up in heady competition

Premier EDA offer valuable training courses in addition to the sale and support of Altium/Protel design software as used by Hawkshead. In the course of the year there is a user conference, which is intended to strengthen the community of users and Altium/Premier EDA themselves. A section of the agenda is given to users, by way of competition, demonstrating the use an innovation derived in association with the software.

Hawkshead was in attendance this year and presented some of the work and challenges involved in the research project. There were only three finalists and one worthy winner. Hawkshead is honoured to have been a runner up in such heady competition.

01/2005 -- Research & Development Project Grant

Smart work receives recognition and realisation

The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) takes considerable care in the evaluation of projects for the highly regarded Research & Development Application (formerly known as SMART). Project examination considers the level of technical risk, competence of the team, financial circumstances and importantly the value of the end results in the market.

For Hawkshead to be the recipient of one of these awards is both an honour and an opportunity. It is also another endorsement of the calibre of the work that is carried out.

12/2004 -- Review Photography

Total Car Audio - Reviewer takes another view

As the final preparations for another issue of Total Car Audio were in hand, it came to light that one of the reviewed products must have been camera shy. With no pictures on file, the logistics of a return to base were fraught with opportunities to miss the deadline. Always ready for a challenge the suggestion was made to take a different view of the problem.

There was no time to leave the office to assemble more kit. Armed with only a digital camera and a winter's day of daylight the situation was saved. Digital pictures sent by broadband are hardly revolutionary but it does show logistics for what they are. Since then most of the reviews carried out by Peter Hawkins involve the associated photography too.

05/2004 -- Football Sponsorship

Kicking Off - Hardest challenge may be off the pitch

Oceans Eleven is the name of a football team of enthusiastic lads now in their second season. Under the guidance of Mark Mc Namee and other fathers of the lads involved, training and participation in the local league is assured. Despite the recent expenditure for an Astro-Turf pitch at Newquay Tretherras School, support for external youth activity remains difficult to secure.

Hawkshead provided the first season's pitch fees and the initial kit. Some faces have changed as is often the case with diverse commitments. The core of the team has grown older, more confident and bigger necessitating new kit! Hawkshead has sponsored the second season. Additional support is welcome - please contact the team coordinators via this website.