RADIO ROUNDUP

I grew up with both of these radios during my 1960's childhood. They were my daily companions as I learned about the outside world through commercial broadcasts. For a kid in that era, the radio was our 'Internet.' A wealth of music, cultural information, news, and political debate could be obtained by simply twisting a knob. Unlike TV sets from that era, radios could be truly portable. This meant that even a child could secretly listen to all kinds of programs, without parental hindrance.

The ZENITH AM/FM model pictured here was typically located in our kitchen or dining room. It must have been one of the first 'Ice Household' radios. Even then, the unit seemed funky, and anachronistic. But its tone quality was commendable. In addition, an extra input was provided for use with an optional turntable. (I eventually employed this feature to amplify a $14.00 electric guitar.)

The SILVERTONE transistor radio depicted here only offered AM reception. In addition, it used an odd-sized battery, which we later replaced with a standard 'square' 9-volt cell. But it was a beloved part of my childhood. Dad normally kept it in one of his file drawers, in our home office. It was easy to snatch this receiver for late-night listening, after everyone else had gone to bed!

Now, such relics are fodder for eBay. Both are shamefully crude compared to current devices like the i-Pod. Yet for those of us who remember... they are reminders of a simpler age when our imagination filled in the gaps left by technology!