{"id":53034,"date":"2022-06-19T06:00:47","date_gmt":"2022-06-19T10:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=53034"},"modified":"2022-06-16T07:10:09","modified_gmt":"2022-06-16T11:10:09","slug":"radio-nostalgia-bobs-first-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/radio-nostalgia-bobs-first-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio Nostalgia: Bob’s first radio"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove<\/a>, who shares the following guest post:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

My Very First Radio<\/h1>\n

By Bob Colegrove<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sears and Roebuck Co., Silvertone, Catalog No. 8003, Model No. 132.818-1<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t remember much from 1949.\u00a0 I was seven years old and still in the first grade.\u00a0 I do remember being gifted a radio by my mom and dad on my birthday.\u00a0 It was a Sears and Roebuck Co., Silvertone, Catalog No. 8003, Model No. 132.818-1.\u00a0 I don\u2019t really remember asking for it.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure mom and dad did not have a clue as to how consumed I would become with radio over my lifetime.\u00a0 In truth, this was not the radio that got me totally absorbed, rather that function would be filled in 1958 by the Howard Radio Co. Model 308 combination MW\/SW radio-phonograph console which had been relegated to the basement in favor of the TV set.<\/p>\n

In 1949 television was on the cusp of success, and AM radio was still the one-way Internet of its time.\u00a0 I recall my mother listening to countless soap operas during the afternoon.\u00a0 The Howard was still in the living room and we listened to all the popular programs at night.\u00a0 Anyway, the Silvertone was mine.\u00a0 It took up residence in my room and I could independently explore the wonder of five local stations broadcasting in Indianapolis at that time.\u00a0 There were no parental guidance settings on the Silvertone, nor was there any need.<\/p>\n

The Silvertone was not a world-class radio with all the sensitivity, bells and whistles I would later desire.\u00a0 Below WXLW, 950 kc it was deaf.\u00a0 It was, in fact, one tube short of an \u201cAll American Five.\u201d\u00a0 However, one of its four tubes was dual function, if you counted the detector.\u00a0 It was what was called an \u201cac-dc\u201d radio.\u00a0 This meant it could be powered by either 110 Vac or Vdc.\u00a0 Granted, there were a couple communities in the US which were still serviced by dc power at this late date, but that fact certainly did not warrant advertising.\u00a0 The whole thing always seemed to me no more than a marketing ploy on the part of manufacturers to cover for the lack of an expensive isolation transformer in the circuit.\u00a0 Given the fact that electrical standards of the time did not provide for polarized outlets and power cords, these things could be quite hot, and it\u2019s amazing so many tinkers, myself included, are around to talk about it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One Tube Short of an \u201cAll American Five\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The dial was very crude, and the tiny tuning knob swept all 107 available channels in a 180-degree twist of the variable condenser<\/i>.\u00a0 My mom, always handy with a paint brush, took to marking favorite stations\u00a0 with a dab of nail polish.\u00a0 1430 kc was WIRE and 1070 kc was WIBC.\u00a0 Perhaps she got the idea from Bill Halligan who used little red dots on the controls to indicate the setting that would likely produce some noise.<\/p>\n

The printed media were sizeable and substantive in the 1940s.\u00a0 The Indianapolis Star<\/i>\u2019s morning edition for Friday, April 13, 1945 was particularly mournful as the U.S. woke up to the news that the president had died the day before.\u00a0 I was later given to understand that many stations broke from the normal schedule for a few days to play somber music.\u00a0 Notwithstanding, the first section still bore the quintessential hourly radio program schedule from 6 am to midnight for each of the four local stations.\u00a0 We always kept clippings of station logs for each day of the week.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My interest in baseball grew over the next couple years, and the Silvertone played an important role in my keeping up with the local AAA team.\u00a0 The static on a summer night was atrocious.\u00a0 Further, in those days, the broadcasters were not compelled to fill the air with chatter between pitches.\u00a0 There were no recitations of mindless statistics and no color commentators to describe the nuances of sliders and curve balls.\u00a0 Consequently, between pitches there were often long pauses of nothing but dead air.\u00a0 If you happened to tune in during a pause you had little idea where WISH, 1310 kc was on a hopelessly crude dial.<\/p>\n

Most minor league broadcasters did not travel with the team.\u00a0 When the team went on the road, they used an old Model 15 clickety-clack Teletype machine in the studio.\u00a0 A local guy at the distant ballpark would observe a pitch or play, and quickly type a cryptic message on his Teletype.\u00a0 On the radio you would first hear the receiving Teletype spring to life in the studio as the message came in.\u00a0 The announcer would quickly interpret it, and then embellish the play with some excitement as best he could.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Teletype Model 15<\/i><\/b>
\n<\/i><\/b>Copyright Museums Victoria (Licensed as <\/i>Attribution 4.0 International<\/i>
\n<\/i><\/a>https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/)<\/i><\/p>\n

During those times, it was not too uncommon for the Teletype to suddenly go down during the game.\u00a0 What to do?\u00a0 An announcer was suddenly left to his own creativity to fill in airtime.\u00a0 Possible solutions were to describe the lengthy process of extricating a stray animal from the field, or a sudden cloudburst and consequential rain delay.\u00a0 An intrepid announcer went on as nothing happened, making up the play-by-play over the interval.\u00a0 Invariably, when the Teletype came back up, he found himself not quite in sync with the game and possibly a few runs behind.\u00a0 At that point the challenge was to patch in the necessary play and go on to complete the game to the satisfaction of an otherwise unsuspecting audience.<\/p>\n

Well, after 73 years, I\u2019ve seen my share of radios.\u00a0 In the meantime, the Internet has made it possible to DX the entire world at any time on a fifty-dollar Kindle \u2013 excellent fidelity, no interference, no noise, no fading.\u00a0 But, after all these years, I still cherish those static-filled ballgames and teletype machines heard on the Silvertone a long time ago.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Quietly Waiting for the Next Pitch<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post: My Very First Radio By Bob Colegrove Sears and Roebuck Co., Silvertone, Catalog No. 8003, Model No. 132.818-1 I don\u2019t remember much from 1949.\u00a0 I was seven years old and still in the first grade.\u00a0 I do remember being gifted a radio […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[373,3194,3,305,26,4796],"tags":[9363,7988,9858,4342,1302,9857,9856,681],"class_list":["post-53034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-am","category-guest-posts","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-radios","category-vintage-radio","tag-baseball","tag-bob-colegrove","tag-catalog-no-8003","tag-guest-posts","tag-radio-nostalgia","tag-silvertone","tag-silvertone-model-no-132-818-1","tag-vintage-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-dNo","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48215,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/1940-when-sears-roebuck-sold-a-wide-array-of-radio-gear\/","url_meta":{"origin":53034,"position":0},"title":"1940: When Sears Roebuck sold a wide array of radio gear","author":"Thomas","date":"March 17, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Charlie (W4MEC), who shares a PDF of the 1940 Sears Roebuck Co. catalog section featuring a wide array of radio gear and test equipment. This file is hosted on the Pro Audio Design forum and can be downloaded as a PDF (15.8 MB) by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Sears-Roebuck-1940-Radios-Nostalgia-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Sears-Roebuck-1940-Radios-Nostalgia-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Sears-Roebuck-1940-Radios-Nostalgia-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49864,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/bob-colegrove-on-the-joys-and-challenges-of-tuning-analog-radios\/","url_meta":{"origin":53034,"position":1},"title":"Bob Colegrove on “The Joys and Challenges of Tuning Analog Radios”","author":"Thomas","date":"August 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who recently shared this excellent article and has kindly allowed me to share it here in the the Post. Bob prefaced it by saying, \"Being a retired technical writer, I started the attached article some time ago for my own amusement, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Bob-Colegrove-Book-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Bob-Colegrove-Book-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Bob-Colegrove-Book-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Bob-Colegrove-Book-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65739,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/04\/bobs-radio-corner-where-it-began-the-am-medium-wave-broadcast-band\/","url_meta":{"origin":53034,"position":2},"title":"Bob’s Radio Corner: Where it Began – The AM Medium Wave Broadcast Band","author":"Thomas","date":"April 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Bob Colegrove One of the great attractions of the radio hobby is that it has so many different areas on which to specialize.\u00a0 As examples, one can focus on a particular band, collect or restore radios, DX or just listen.\u00a0 With so much to choose from, one can impulsively\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fig-7.-FCC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fig-7.-FCC.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fig-7.-FCC.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39419,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/09\/guest-post-the-national-association-of-armchair-adventurers-naaa\/","url_meta":{"origin":53034,"position":3},"title":"Guest Post: The National Association of Armchair Adventurers (NAAA)","author":"Thomas","date":"September 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post: National Association of Armchair Adventurers (NAAA) as recalled by Bob Colegrove Those of you who were into SWLing in the late \u201850s or early \u201860s may remember the NAAA.\u00a0 It was an engaging promotional effort by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Radio-Dial-1024x679.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Radio-Dial-1024x679.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Radio-Dial-1024x679.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51812,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/02\/guest-post-control-of-electromagnetic-radiation-conelrad\/","url_meta":{"origin":53034,"position":4},"title":"Guest Post: Control of Electromagnetic Radiation (CONELRAD)","author":"Thomas","date":"February 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post: Control of Electromagnetic Radiation (CONELRAD) As recalled by Bob Colegrove In his comment on my recent posting, Tinkering with History, Mario noted the dial on the featured radio, the General Electric P755A, sported two small triangles, one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Fig-1-e1644317508418.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Fig-1-e1644317508418.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Fig-1-e1644317508418.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Fig-1-e1644317508418.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Fig-1-e1644317508418.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61740,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/the-curious-case-of-the-nibi-nibi-islands\/","url_meta":{"origin":53034,"position":5},"title":"Bob’s Radio Corner: The Curious Case of the Nibi-Nibi Islands","author":"Thomas","date":"January 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Bob Colegrove, who writes: Hi Thomas, No mention of UTC or frequency in the attached. Made my day, but some folks apparently were not amused. Source was \"Short-Wave Report\" by Hank Bennett, Popular Electronics, Ziff-Davis Publishing Co., New York, p. 86, March 1959. Regards,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Funny"","block_context":{"text":"Funny","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/funny\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Globe-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Globe-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Globe-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Globe-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Globe-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53034"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53034\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}