[Tapehead47]

Thanks, Jeff,

I know what you mean about wristwatches. I usually buy one a Wal-mart for about $25-35. That's about all I need in a watch. Nowdays they are pretty accurate, shockproof, and waterproof in that price range. I'd like to have a Heuer(sp) or a Citizen or something really nice, but I'd rather spend the money on my stereo or CD's.
I saw a really nice Swiss Army at the local Sams Club awhile back. (probably NOT made in Switzerland, tho). It was nearly $100 and I thought about buying it. But I didn't. Then, at a community yardsale in a really nice neighborhood I saw a similar SA watch for $5.00. SWOOP! It needed a battery. Big deal, what could a freekin' battery cost? A friend said take it to Sears, where he takes his expensive diving watches. Cost me $27 to have a new battery installed and a pressure/waterproof test. The jeweler there said it was probably NOT a Swiss Army watch. After a few months of good service I went in the hot tub with it. The case leaked and now I had water in it. Then it stopped working. Piece of good-looking crap. And I was so happy with the $5 deal I made.
I should have bought another $25 watch at Wal-mart.

When I was a kid, my uncle George had a beautiful Transoceanic. I was about 13 or so. He tuned in ship-to-shore, BBC, Radio Netherlands, etc. I was hooked! I've had a few SW units since, but never a Transoceanic. My brother Johnny saw one at a flea market for, get this, $20! He didn't buy it. When I told him what he missed out on he beat his dog (just kidding). Actually he didn't have the $20 as he already spent his flea-market bucks.
I also had a Grundig Majestic back in the 60's with one of those flourescent meters that was so cool. This was right after Uncle George showed me his Zenith. I spent hours and hours tuning in the world on that beautiful unit. Eventually I joined the Navy (1966) and left home in NY and eventually my parents sold it when they moved to Florida in 70. that was such a beautiful radio and if I ever see one I'll buy it on the spot.
I had a Radio Shack DX-something or other for a long time. I hooked up a long wire outside my house and tuned in all kinds of stations. I used it for years and then gave it to my dad, who was getting rather elderly. He was in the signal corps in WWII and liked to read the morse code coming in on the airways. Then I bought a really impressive RS digital world-wide tuner. I could pick up cellphones, walkie-talkies, police band, airport towers, etc. I still have it but it doesn't work anymore. then I got a programmable scanner and used it for local emergency listening etc. I don't use it much anymore, either. Then I had a DAK portable worldband, and a Sony worldband portable. Both of them rather disappointing on the AM band after dark.
My favorite is an old GE Superradio. It has the best AM reception of all I've ever used. I actually tuned the antenna to some stations on the ferrite bar. I don't know exactly what I did, but after opening it up to replace the on/off switch I saw some rings on the antenna bar and adjusted them to different frequencies. It seemed to work really well.
I have some old pocket radios I like to collect just for fun. I just love radio!

Well, I've gone on too long now. I thank you for the information about Philco-Ford and wristwatches, I found it rather interesting.

Rick in Lutz, Fl.


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