Dave spots a Sony ICF-2001 in sitcom “Family Ties”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who writes:

You like to point out SW radios on TV shows. I caught a part of a episode of “Family Ties” (Season 2 Episode 11, “Birthday Boy”) where Alex was given a Sony ICF-2001 (it was the original 2001 version of course). Time : 3:24 into the program. NOTE : It’s actually a 1984 episode not 1982 as given in the video link ! About that time the ICF-2001 was discontinued (or was on the way out). Enjoy:

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4p2an6

Click here to watch at DailyMotion.

Wow! Somehow I missed this episode in the 1980s–I know I would have remembered the ICF-2001! I’ll add this find to our ever growing archive of radios in film. Thanks, Dave!

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5 thoughts on “Dave spots a Sony ICF-2001 in sitcom “Family Ties””

Keith Perron January 1, 2019 at 11:14 am

Radio Switzerland? No antenna? And sounds like FM. Yeah right.

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Steve in Wisconsin December 31, 2018 at 12:53 am

Great Sony sighting! I just got familiar with the icf-2001 this summer when I picked one up on ebay for cheap. It was non working. They typically have a corrosion issue with the battery contacts. It requires partial disassembly to get at the contacts for cleaning. Works great now, though it has had a hard life and shows it cosmetically. It is great for am dxing. Comparable to my icf-2010 sans the sync detector. The built in antenna tuner works great! Ssb is ok but the fine tuning is finicky. Overall a great radio for cheap. Usually see em on ebay for about $50-80.

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Jason December 30, 2018 at 6:52 pm

There is a better quality full screen version of the video on dailymotion, and as the opening credits sequence is removed, it’s at 1:54 in that video.
dailymotion.com/video/x6miqus

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Mario December 30, 2018 at 6:23 pm

Great post. Something to add: there are a few films in the “Bowery Boys” series back in the early 50’s when one of the gang uses a shortwave radio. Don’t remember if it was a real radio or just a prop.

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1348207/?ref_=tt_urv

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2044251/?ref_=tt_urv

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3452649/?ref_=tt_urv

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Dan December 30, 2018 at 5:05 pm

Somehow, I’m quite certain that I would have had the same reaction if I had received that for my birthday in 1982 (12 years old). At that time I was using a Nordmende Globetrotter and a Radio Shack Patrolman CB-8. A rig with a digital readout wouldn’t arrive in my shack until much later.

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