When I was in my teens, my parents got me a Globe Electronics 65-320 short wave receiver for Christmas. For a kid into radio, this was like finding a Tesla Roadster under the tree. This was the radio that started it all for me. The rest is history.
These receivers are quite rare now...and they're not known for their selectivity or sensitivity. Nevertheless, 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.
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 while back for about 120 bucks...I almost pulled the trigger on that one...but was I guess I was afraid I'd shoot my eye out...or something. One of these days, I hope I'll be able to replace my digital picture with the real thing (but it wouldn't be the same as having the VERY SAME ONE. About the only piece of gear from my childhood that would get me as excited is my O-guage American Flyer train...or my Flexible Flyer sled...but those are other stories for other times.
Have you seen this radio? If you ever come across one of these, please get in touch. I'll owe ya.
The best magic comes from childhood...for us lucky ones.
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