Hallicrafters S-120 again
One thing missing from the blog post yesterday was the radio price. This was the latest Allied ad I saw for the S-120, on sale March 31, 1966:
Inflated:
I can't really remember when I got that radio, certainly had it in 8th grade (1968-69) but did I have it in 1966 ? I don't think so. So possibly it was an advertised special from the local Allied store after that ? The S-120 doesn't show in the 1967 or later Allied main catalogs. I believe I may have QSL cards that might indicate when I started listening.
One other radio in that same 1966 Allied sale catalog was the Knight-kit Star Roamer:
That might have been a less expensive alternative. 5 bands versus 4 on the S-120, a signal meter - no BFO but I have read elsewhere that it could pick up Morse code and SSB. A couple more advantages are that a safer transformer power supply is used (rather than the transformerless "hot" chassis of the S-120) with an actual fuse (rather than a thermal breaker in the S-120) Of course it was a kit which always had the specter of failure in the background :) I mentioned my friends Star Roamer here:
https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2024/03/schulman-auctions.html
Anyway you look at it I was an indulged (OK, spoiled) child - the idea of spending that kind of money on something a kid might fiddle with for a few minutes and then leave to gather dust ? No wonder modern parents don't bat an eye about getting a kid a mobile phone - at least it will be used !
Another missing item from the blog yesterday: VOA broadcasts with Willis Conover et. al.
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| Willis Conover on the VOA |
https://archive.org/details/sraa-6wg3v41c5d3r3ahncswaoiv4ozv1iw
https://archive.org/details/voa-jazz-willis-conover/Satchmo+VOA+Jingle.mp3
https://archive.org/details/voa-jazz-willis-conover/VOA+Jazz+-+Willis+Conover.mp3
What's that I hear ? Is it the sound of freedom ?
Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm
