Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Andy Howlett, who writes:
Always nice to see another WRTH arrive, even though I haven’t actually bought one for many years. Attached is a pic of the very first one I bought, back in 1980.
I only got it as it contained a review of the then spanking-new Trio R-1000 HF receiver, which I was thinking of splurging my meagre wages on.
On the basis of that review, I went ahead with the purchase and discovered it was a cracking RX and I only sold it on in the early 90’s to enable the purchase of an ICOM R-7000, another cracker!
Merry Christmas to you and all listeners everywhere.
Thank you for sharing your memories with us, Andy, and Merry Christmas to you!
I got my first one in 1961. I learned about it from an Ad on WRUL. I got my brother to buy it for me as a Christmas present. According to the first page the price, including postage, was $2.70!
I think I memorized every page on it. It is now well worn, torn and tattered but I still keep it on my shelf. I took a picture but don’t see a way to insert it.
I have a collection of almost every one from then until 2013. As part of downsizing, one of these days I am going to put the collection for sale.
I remember reading bout when I was 11, 1971, but kind of expensive. I think I did get a book from Gilfer, about improving shortwave reception. For some reason I got rid of it a few years later, I can’t remember why or where.
But the hobby electronic magazines were thriving, and thy all had one space for SWLing and ham radio. But there was also Communications World, from the publisher of Elementary Electronics, which came out twice a year, that was a big thing to find. Each issue would focus on some aspect, shortwave or one if the broadcast band DXing, or listening o the public service bands. Full of photos from readers, all their exotic equipment (it was at the time exotic for me). It also had “Whites Radio Log” which had been long published, with details of North American AM, FM, and TV stations. Maybe it included NA shortwave stations, I can’t remember.
The publisher of Popular Electronics had one that came out two or four times a year, I forget the title. It seemed to be mostly a buyer’s guide,, listing what came from the manufacturer’s in Shortwave, ham radio, CB, and public service listening. They did include some very exotic SW receivers, way too expensive for the hobbyist. But they’d throw in some articles, mostly introductory, for each of the four hobbies covered. In magazine format, these were cheaper than books, and magazines were cheap back then, so even I could afford to buy quite a few.
Michael
Here I am looking forward to the arrival of my first WRTH. Better late than never, I hope.