At least I didn't shoot my eye out

I have a digital picture in my ham shack of my very first radio - a Globe Electronics "Globe 'Ceiver, a/k/a the 65-320) a general coverage shortwave receiver that my dad bought for me in the early 60's. Apparently, these receivers are quite rare these days...and are obviously not known for their selectivity or sensitivity. This was special - my first radio. Just thinking about it still gets my blood pumping...just like Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun ("You'll shoot yer eye out, kid"). This radio was an example of the "All American Five"..using a complement of five tubes: 3BW4, 50C5, 12AVG, 12BA6 and a 12BE6. Sweet!

From the owner's manual:

"Your world wide Globe 'Ceiver is designed to bring you the finest in all-band radio reception. It's latest superheterodyne circuit will tune from 500 kilocycles to 30 Megacycles to bring you countless shortwave stations as well as standard broadcast programs. You will hear foreign and domestic broadcasts, ships at sea, police, amateurs and aircraft. A special CB band allows you to hear local two-way radio communications between homes, cars and trucks.Included in your receiver are such special features as a built-in , sensitive ferrite loop antenna for clear, broadcast band reception...a collapsible whip antenna for shortwave reception...an electrical Bandspread control for separating closely spaced amateur and shortwave stations...a BFO for CW reception...a headphone jack...a switch that permits you to silence the receiver without turning it off. All of these combined features will give you many hours of "World-Wide" listening pleasure."

I think the price new for this radio was about $64.95 or so. Universal Radio had one available a few months ago for about 120 bucks...I almost pulled the trigger on that one...but was afraid I'd shoot my eye out. One of these days, I hope I'll get to replace my digital picture with the real thing (but it wouldn't quite be the sae as having the VERY SAME ONE.  About the only piece of gear from my childhood that would get me as excited is an American Flyer train...or my Flexible Flyer sled...but those are other stories for other times.

The best magic comes from early childhood...for us lucky ones.