Category Archives: Nostalgia

Can you ID this radio in Twelve O’Clock High–?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes:

At about the 15 minute mark in the classic movie, Twelve O’Clock High, about B-17 bomber groups in England during WWII, this scene shows a commander and his assistant listening to Lord Haw Haw from Nazi Germany on a small console radio. Anyone recognize it?

Brigadier General Frank Savage is played by Gregory Peck, his second-in-command by Hugh Marlowe, and Robert Patten and Dean Jagger also star.

If you can ID this radio model, please comment!

Can you identify the radios in “In Harm’s Way”–?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes:

From the 1965 classic In Harm’s Way about the U.S. Navy after the Pearl Harbor attack. In this scene, Patricia Neal is listening to a Tokyo Rose broadcast, and speaking to John Wayne. Neal asks Wayne “why can’t they jam that broadcast?” Can anyone identify the beautiful rig she’s listening to?

Other noteworthy actors in this great movie: Carroll O’Connor, Burgess Meredith, Kirk Douglas, Slim Pickens, Paula Prentiss, Henry Fonda, Larry Hagman, George Kennedy, Christopher George.

Here are two other receivers shown in same movie:

If you can identify the radios above, please comment!

Japan’s Longest Day: August 15, 1945

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Fred Waterer, who writes:

At Noon on August 15, 1945, Emporer Hirohito spoke to his nation by radio for the first time, ever. The intrigue surrounding the recording of his speech and the effort to get it on the air would be worthy of a Hollywood film. When word started getting out that the broadcast would be made, fanatics who wanted to keep fighting staged an attempted coup. An NHK (Japan Radio Corporation) engineer had a gun to his head as an officer attempted to hijack the station at 5am. His coolness under pressure saved his life. He also temporarily severed the line to the transmitter, just in case the officer changed his mind about killing him.

Meanwhile at the palace, the NHK recording engineers had recorded two versions of the speech. The recordings (and the engineers) were hidden overnight, as was the Emporer, in the labyrinth of the palace. Coup leaders searching for the disks to destroy them failed. Eventually troops loyal to the Emporer took control of the situation, with many of the coup plotters killing themselves. At noon, the recordings were in the NHK studios and were broadcast as scheduled.

The actual broadcast:

In 1967 a film about these events was made in Japan, called Japan’s Longest Day and starring the great Toshiro Mifune.

The recording scene:

Looks like quite a film!

Thank you for sharing this, Fred.

Luke discovers a treasure trove of CIDX newsletters! (And I believe everyone should join the CIDX!)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Luke Perry, who writes:

Hi Thomas, thought that you and your readers would enjoy my recent “find.” I came across an old copy of the “Messenger”, which was a magazine put out monthly by the Canadian International DX Club.

While looking for the current garbage bill I was shuffling through my file of bills and receipts, and lo and behold I came across one copy……how it ever got in there I have no idea. Anyway it sparked a lot of nostalgia and remember how excited I used to be when a new copy arrived in the mail.

I knew that I had more, but had no idea where as I tend to not throw things away, especially anything associated with electronics or cars. After a day or so of brainstorming I had an idea of where they might be, and lo and behold there they were.

They mostly date from the mid-90’s right before the internet basically killed off “zines” like this. Oh well.. progress marches on.

Anyway, I hope that people can enjoy the pictures and maybe have some insight or memories of the club and/or the guy who ran it. I believe that his name was Sheldon.

Take care,
Luke Perry

Wow–what a treasure trove you unearthed there, Luke! I could spend hours looking through those copies!

Join the CIDX!

I have good news for you: The Canadian International DX Club (CIDX) is very much alive and well! Check out the cover of the the August ’23 issue of the Messenger above.

Here’s an article I posted about the CIDX in the past and how much I enjoy the Messenger. And yes, Sheldon Harvey is still at the helm along with some other amazing, devoted volunteers. I’m a member and I’d encourage everyone else to become one, too. It’s one of the best deals in the world of radio.

The Messenger is now in digital format only, but I actually prefer it this way since I’ve so little room to store printed material these days.

For more information about joining the CIDX–only $10 per year or $25 for three years–click here!

Thanks again, Luke, for sharing this!

Bill identifies a “credit card” HT in the movie “Hollow Man”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill (WD9EQD) who writes:

Hi Thomas,

Last night, I was watching the movie “Hollow Man.” Being a ham, I’m always watching for ham gear being used in movies. Quite often they use various Kenwood or Icom handheld radios.

At about 1 and half hours in the movie, I caught a glimpse of what I thought was one
of the more usual (and unlikely) ham heldhelds:

Just from this screen clip, I was pretty sure that I was looking at the Alinco DJ-C5 credit card HT.

I was able to capture another clip that confirmed it:

In the late 90’s, Alinco made three credit card radios; DJ-C1 for two meters, DJ-C4 for 440 and finally the DJ-C5 dual band that could also receive the aircraft band.

The C1 and C4 were earpiece only radios while the C5 had a small speaker added which made it a lot more usable.

They are quite amazing little radios. It was great fun seeing them appear in a movie.

Here’s one of mine with a ink pen next to it to show size:

Thank you for sharing this, Bill! I remember when these credit card-sized HTs were on the market and I wanted one if for no other reason than to feel like a spy! Great catch, OM!