As a former licensed CB operator, when it was required [KAEP7705] and a formerly licensed marine operator, and a currently licensed HAM [KD2ONY], I would certainly be willing to invest in a GMRS license if I win.
Be aware that the FCC requires a separate license for GMRS. It's currently $70 for 10 years, no exam required. The interesting thing is that if you hold a GMRS license, anyone in the family can use it.
I use to help a friend with his amateur radio contests. Lots of fun. One cleaver invention he used for line of sight contests was a device that charged up a capacitor using AM radio frequency waves. It then would flash a light similar to a camera flash. We could put it and leave it on remote mountains in the California desert. At night we could see it flash and then actually point our antenna at it.
When my best friend and I were 10 years old we built an actual pirate radio station together complete with two turntables, a queuing amplifier and Knight AM transmitter. My friend went on to a career in radio and I into engineering, but I have never lost my passion for listening and also collecting a small treasure of various radios. Now you have caused me to investigate yet another! (I also when very young would hide under the covers when I was supposed to be asleep and see what distant stations I could tune in. What fond memories!)
I'm more of a "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" (particularly the episodes starring Bob Bailey) fan, myself, but I love this post, and would like to be entered in your give away. Thanks!
I think of radio, and "The Magic of Radio" and all I can think is this...
Queen - Radio Ga Ga
I grew up on Radio, and MTV (Video killed the radio star), but to this day... it's still radio. I love it... hearing AM/FM, Ham, or whatever. Radio is still king.
You trigger lots of memories - listening to Wolfman Jack (yes! I was there!) lying under my covers at night, I also loved listening to the Mormon Tabernackle Choir, of all contrasty things. I had a small hand-size turquoise transistor radio - one of the first. I wore that thing to the nubs. Don't sign me up - altho the deal is a wonderful one for someone with more use for it. I just wanted to make you jealous of my having listened to Wolfman Jack (hahahahaha!)
I have struggled to find a decent quality battery-powered portable radio. Buying online sight (and sound) unseen is fraught with risk, and local retailers near me have abandoned radio altogether. Count me in for the draw!
Now you did it, Josh! When I was a youngster I had several tube AM radios, when transistors were just coming into use. I spent many evenings tuning in radio shows; The Lone Ranger, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (a tip of the hat to Kris Hicks-Green), The Cisco Kid, Our Miss Brooks, and The Jack Benny Show. There were some locally produced Saturday morning shows where they played kids' story records. One of my favorites, and I can find nothing about it on line, was a 5 minute program, Daniel Boone and Colonel Coon.
Anyway, I later got my Novice Ham license and in 1966 or 7 my technician license. After that expired I didn't renew it since I was living off-grid (although that term hadn't been coined yet). In the intervening years I have toyed with the idea of getting another Ham license. With this article you have stimulated my imagination enough that I may actually do that!
As a VE [Volunteer Examiner] and instructor for Ham radio, I encourage you to go for it. So far, I have sat on sessions in which we have passed people as young as 8 and as old as 87 [a long expired novice who had regaining his license as a bucket list item]. I am told that the test is easier than it was way back when and there is no Morse requirement. If there were, I could never pass, as I am rather deaf. The most important requirement is RTFM [Read the Bloody Manual] until you have either memorized it or simply have a good handle on it. Passing grade is 74.
Haha. Great shows. Personally I find the shows that hold-up best are: Suspense, Gunsmoke, Yours and Truly Johnny Dollar. Comedy tends to hold-up poorly, but Jack Benny can still make me laugh on occasion.
Josh I miss the tuner knob! Tuning in a freq and having to later readjust - it was akin to fishing and catching and recatching!
Today though, bluetooth and a sweet Bose Flex speaker forward in the ILUR is like ice cream added to the pie!
Oh I do love the sound of the wind and the water - but sometimes I need a boost, some energy to get through the last part of a long day - the ending credit (jazz) version of Mission Imposible kick starts my engine. It is strange to be in the middle of a bay and have music, almost wrong to even think of it, but we doo have so much at our disposal these days. Yet, winding down, being less distracted more in tuned with the natural world is what attracts me. Yet the obnoxious teenager erupts every so often.
Same. Analog tuning was awesome in its own way. And music on the water is sometimes great. Mostly I go without, but on my recent canoe trip in Utah with my son, we were the only people around for miles in a remote section of the river so we turned the music up and paddled.
AM radio after dark, yeah that brings back some memories of growing up in Texas. Shortwave radio was a special magic in those days, picking up transmissions from around the world. And now in a handheld version! A very cool device.
When I was young I was fascinated by radio and would build simple diode radios that could pull in strong AM stations. My dad gave me a shortwave receiver and I'd pick up broadcasts in many different languages. Off to college I went and poof went my interests in radio. This article has rekindled that early interest. Put my name in the hat. That little Roddy radio has to be the neatest product ever featured on SCA.
As a former licensed CB operator, when it was required [KAEP7705] and a formerly licensed marine operator, and a currently licensed HAM [KD2ONY], I would certainly be willing to invest in a GMRS license if I win.
Be aware that the FCC requires a separate license for GMRS. It's currently $70 for 10 years, no exam required. The interesting thing is that if you hold a GMRS license, anyone in the family can use it.
Thanks, Eric! Great point.
I use to help a friend with his amateur radio contests. Lots of fun. One cleaver invention he used for line of sight contests was a device that charged up a capacitor using AM radio frequency waves. It then would flash a light similar to a camera flash. We could put it and leave it on remote mountains in the California desert. At night we could see it flash and then actually point our antenna at it.
Fascinating! Never heard of this. Love it.
When my best friend and I were 10 years old we built an actual pirate radio station together complete with two turntables, a queuing amplifier and Knight AM transmitter. My friend went on to a career in radio and I into engineering, but I have never lost my passion for listening and also collecting a small treasure of various radios. Now you have caused me to investigate yet another! (I also when very young would hide under the covers when I was supposed to be asleep and see what distant stations I could tune in. What fond memories!)
That's fantastic. My friends and I dreamed of doing the same.
I'm more of a "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" (particularly the episodes starring Bob Bailey) fan, myself, but I love this post, and would like to be entered in your give away. Thanks!
Johnny Dollar is one of the few OTR shows that really holds up well.
I think of radio, and "The Magic of Radio" and all I can think is this...
Queen - Radio Ga Ga
I grew up on Radio, and MTV (Video killed the radio star), but to this day... it's still radio. I love it... hearing AM/FM, Ham, or whatever. Radio is still king.
Agreed! Radio is still king.
Being a self employed carpenter , I've listened to many hours of radio on the job.l,MPR in the states and CBC in Canada where I now live.
Unfortunately radios are now hard to find , and the quality of what is available leaves a lot to desired. This worth a look.
Thanks
Sam
You trigger lots of memories - listening to Wolfman Jack (yes! I was there!) lying under my covers at night, I also loved listening to the Mormon Tabernackle Choir, of all contrasty things. I had a small hand-size turquoise transistor radio - one of the first. I wore that thing to the nubs. Don't sign me up - altho the deal is a wonderful one for someone with more use for it. I just wanted to make you jealous of my having listened to Wolfman Jack (hahahahaha!)
Jealous for sure! Thanks for sharing.
WAMU (DC) plays Johnny Dollar and Gunsmoke and occasionally Suspense and Xminus1 every Sunday at 4:00 eastern. It’s “The big Broadcast”.
What a cool radio! I would love to have as a reason to get the various FCC licenses and use it as an introduction to GMRS and HAM. I want one!
I have struggled to find a decent quality battery-powered portable radio. Buying online sight (and sound) unseen is fraught with risk, and local retailers near me have abandoned radio altogether. Count me in for the draw!
Now you did it, Josh! When I was a youngster I had several tube AM radios, when transistors were just coming into use. I spent many evenings tuning in radio shows; The Lone Ranger, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (a tip of the hat to Kris Hicks-Green), The Cisco Kid, Our Miss Brooks, and The Jack Benny Show. There were some locally produced Saturday morning shows where they played kids' story records. One of my favorites, and I can find nothing about it on line, was a 5 minute program, Daniel Boone and Colonel Coon.
Anyway, I later got my Novice Ham license and in 1966 or 7 my technician license. After that expired I didn't renew it since I was living off-grid (although that term hadn't been coined yet). In the intervening years I have toyed with the idea of getting another Ham license. With this article you have stimulated my imagination enough that I may actually do that!
~Kees~
As a VE [Volunteer Examiner] and instructor for Ham radio, I encourage you to go for it. So far, I have sat on sessions in which we have passed people as young as 8 and as old as 87 [a long expired novice who had regaining his license as a bucket list item]. I am told that the test is easier than it was way back when and there is no Morse requirement. If there were, I could never pass, as I am rather deaf. The most important requirement is RTFM [Read the Bloody Manual] until you have either memorized it or simply have a good handle on it. Passing grade is 74.
Haha. Great shows. Personally I find the shows that hold-up best are: Suspense, Gunsmoke, Yours and Truly Johnny Dollar. Comedy tends to hold-up poorly, but Jack Benny can still make me laugh on occasion.
Count me in Josh - Thanks
As someone with a "radio face", this is exciting.
Josh I miss the tuner knob! Tuning in a freq and having to later readjust - it was akin to fishing and catching and recatching!
Today though, bluetooth and a sweet Bose Flex speaker forward in the ILUR is like ice cream added to the pie!
Oh I do love the sound of the wind and the water - but sometimes I need a boost, some energy to get through the last part of a long day - the ending credit (jazz) version of Mission Imposible kick starts my engine. It is strange to be in the middle of a bay and have music, almost wrong to even think of it, but we doo have so much at our disposal these days. Yet, winding down, being less distracted more in tuned with the natural world is what attracts me. Yet the obnoxious teenager erupts every so often.
Same. Analog tuning was awesome in its own way. And music on the water is sometimes great. Mostly I go without, but on my recent canoe trip in Utah with my son, we were the only people around for miles in a remote section of the river so we turned the music up and paddled.
AM radio after dark, yeah that brings back some memories of growing up in Texas. Shortwave radio was a special magic in those days, picking up transmissions from around the world. And now in a handheld version! A very cool device.
When I was young I was fascinated by radio and would build simple diode radios that could pull in strong AM stations. My dad gave me a shortwave receiver and I'd pick up broadcasts in many different languages. Off to college I went and poof went my interests in radio. This article has rekindled that early interest. Put my name in the hat. That little Roddy radio has to be the neatest product ever featured on SCA.