Classic and simple radio

outlander

outlander

Member
Location
southern Arizona
How many of you own or listen to a simple am-fm radio?

I picked up a Panasonic RF-2400D a few years ago for 29 bucks. One of the best electronic purchases I ever made.

There is an excellent oldies station here that plays almost all 60's and 70's music, occasionally 80's. Listening really feels like going back in time, it puts my head in a good place. It's very entertaining to have random and unexpected songs to surprise you and take you into the past.

Sometimes I play music on my DAC high resolution player where I have a few thousand classic rock songs. Definitely on an MP3 player when running or while in the car.

I've tried to get professional help, but I have to face the truth... I'm a hopeless music junkie...
 

A local AM station here plays country and western. Sometimes I put it on, but only for awhile, because they play too much of the really old C&W - I mean, before 1970, which is just going too far back for me.

I can get NPR radio on FM, and they play classical 24 hours a day. I have it on for background sometimes, and another FM station plays today's current rock, which I sometimes listen to. But I don't ever pay for music through online streaming services / apps, or pay for music in any other way. I created an index linking to Youtube songs I particularly like to hear now and then, which I add to from time to time.
 
We normally never listen to the radio any more. We have Sirius XM subscription for the car which allows us to use the Sirius XM app on out TVs. We can tune in many varieties of music without the commercials. I mainly listen to 60s &70s classic rock channels.

Only bad thing about Sirius XM is you have to renegotiate for a low rate each year. We are currently paying $5.49/month.
 
As a licensed amateur radio operator since I was eleven, I've long been fascinated with things radio. I still have a 1940s vintage floor model Zenith that sat in my Grandparents house until they died. It features AM and shortwave. I have my first shortwave receiver which came from the 1955 Sears catalog and still works on the shortwave and AM band's. I also have a modern solid state transceiver from the late 90s which I used until I moved last year. My cancer has kept me from erecting the necessary antennas here at my Daughter's home,

Many years ago, I built a low power AM band transmitter. Now I use it to transmit old time radio programs from the web so that I can listen to them on the old tube type receivers. Sitting in a darkened room lit only by the light from the radio dial and tube filaments makes the listening experience cozy and comfortable. Old time radio was often called "theater of the mind" and there was something truly immersive about it that is missing from TV and movies.
 
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My car radio has not worked for about 3 years. I have a portable/weather radio that I never turn on. My phone gives me a weather report whenever I need it.

In years gone by I had CB radios in my cars. Does anyone still use them?
 
outlander said:
I used to have a CB radio back in the day. I thought about getting one again, but not sure anyone would even be out there?
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Several of my radios cover the CB band.

Did you know the CB frequencies used to be the 11 meter ham band? The FCC took it away from Hams in the 1950s. Among hams of my vintage and older there was resentment over that and it was one reason hams called CB The "Clown Band".

I tune there once in a while and there is some activity and a fair amount of chaos but nothing like the "breaker-breaker" Smokey and the Bandit days.
 
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Llynn said:
As a licensed amateur radio operator since I was eleven, I've long been fascinated with things radio. I still have a 1940s vintage floor model Zenith that sat in my Grandparents house until they died. It features AM and shortwave. I have my first shortwave receiver which came from the 1955 Sears catalog and still works on the shortwave and AM band's. I also have a modern solid state transceiver from the late 90s which I used until I moved last year. My cancer has kept me from erecting the necessary antennas here at my Daughter's home,

Many years ago, I built a low power AM band transmitter. Now I use it to transmit old time radio programs from the web so that I can listen to them on the old tube type receivers. Sitting in a darkened room lit only by the light from the radio dial and tube filaments makes the listening experience cozy and comfortable. Old time radio was often called "theater of the mind" and there was something truly immersive about it that is missing from TV and movies.
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I’ve been licensed for 46 years, a relative newcomer. I had an interest in AM medium wave dxing in the 60’s, and enjoyed shortwave broadcasts before I was licensed. SW BCB is nothing like it was even in the 70’s, I miss those days.

Nothing beats the warm sound of a tube radio (or amp for that matter).

After a long absence from HF, I became interested in CW QRP again. Even with 5 watts I make enough contacts to keep it interesting. I use an Elecraft KH1 hand held cw transceiver, 40 through 15 meters. So far with only the whip antenna I’ve worked the lower 48 and over 500 parks. I don’t have the inclination to put up an antenna at my age.
 
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I have two shortwave receivers. They're sitting here in a bookcase now, not connected to anything. I spent many enjoyable hours listening to them. But now there's nothing to listen to unless you want a few religious broadcasts. The internet killed international broadcasting and seriously damaged amateur radio. Add to that the increase in QRM (man made interference) and it's fruitless.
 
Grampa Don said:
I have two shortwave receivers. They're sitting here in a bookcase now, not connected to anything. I spent many enjoyable hours listening to them. But now there's nothing to listen to unless you want a few religious broadcasts. The internet killed international broadcasting and seriously damaged amateur radio. Add to that the increase in QRM (man made interference) and it's fruitless.
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Not just QR Mary, but QR Nancy also made old AM radio listening an unpleasant experience.
 
I have a couple different radios, but I like my AM/FM radio in the garage the best. I play it when I’m working in the garage or out in the driveway washing my truck.
 
JB in SC said:
I’ve been licensed for 46 years, a relative newcomer. I had an interest in AM medium wave dxing in the 60’s, and enjoyed shortwave broadcasts before I was licensed. SW BCB is nothing like it was even in the 70’s, I miss those days.

Nothing beats the warm sound of a tube radio (or amp for that matter).

After a long absence from HF, I became interested in CW QRP again. Even with 5 watts I make enough contacts to keep it interesting. I use an Elecraft KH1 hand held cw transceiver, 40 through 15 meters. So far with only the whip antenna I’ve worked the lower 48 and over 500 parks. I don’t have the inclination to put up an antenna at my age.
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I wouldn't call 46 years a newcomer. You were a ham during some of the best solar cycles ever.

When I got my ticket, Novices were limited to 75 watts input and crystal controlled transmitters. I only had 2 crystals for 40 meters and 1 for 80. Call CQ and tune the whole Novice CW segment looking for a reply. My gear consisted of parts scrounged from defunct radios and TVs and were built using dime store cake pans as a chassis. On a good day my transmitter might have put out 15 watts. My antennas were made from blasting wire (thin and easily broken) from abandoned logging sites and were fed through TV twinlead (also found abandoned) using a homebrew ballun. The whole thing was ugly as sin, but it got me on the air. I wish I had taken a photo of that station but I didn't own a camera.

Later, I got my General ticket and a part time "under the table" job, and I was actually able to buy a Hallicrafters S53A receiver, a Globe Chief transmitter, a few more crystals, and 100 feet of coax. Bliss!
 

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