The COVID-19 & Corona free thread.

[rick130]

Clearly I'm not as .... ummmm.... advanced in years as you lot. [snip]

Exactly what I was thinking reading that list!

[Saitch]

Then clearly we are holding our looks well, if it takes a list to make you lot aware.

Thanks for the compliment.

[4bee]

I remember listening to a crystal radio in bed, with the wire going out the window to make connection with the garden tap.
There wasn't much of interest receivable, to a primary school kid, but I recall spending more than a few nights hearing the background drone of a multi-prop plane, waiting for the pilots to speak. They never did, I eventually found out I was listening to static.

Bugger me! Another idiot like me. It fools you for sure.

[scarry]

I remember listening to a crystal radio in bed, with the wire going out the window to make connection with the garden tap.
There wasn't much of interest receivable, to a primary school kid, but I recall spending more than a few nights hearing the background drone of a multi-prop plane, waiting for the pilots to speak. They never did, I eventually found out I was listening to static.

Gee,forgot about those.We had a couple as well.

We used to hide up behind the shed and listen to whatever,mainly music.I think we used to put the antenna wire under a rock that rested on the bottom part of the downpipe to get it to work better.

One day we were behind the shed and we heard the old man come home.As he drove into the shed there was a huge noise.He had just got a new set of tyres fitted to the S1,and it was a bit higher than it was before,the car hit the beams,putting deep gouges in the tropical roof.We stayed hidden behind the shed until things had cooled down.

Then we eventually got a little tiny transistor radio that had a battery,and used to listen at night to this show where people used to ring up with their personnel and private(and sexual) problems.

That was entertaining and a great laugh.We would have been in our early teens,so were a bit ignorant of most things,but probably thought we knew everything.
From memory it came on a bit late in the evening and we used to fall asleep listening to the show.

Our mother used to find us asleep with the radio going,yes mum,we were listening to music.

[JDNSW]

I remember listening to a crystal radio in bed, with the wire going out the window to make connection with the garden tap.
There wasn't much of interest receivable, to a primary school kid, but I recall spending more than a few nights hearing the background drone of a multi-prop plane, waiting for the pilots to speak. They never did, I eventually found out I was listening to static.

Dad built a crystal set when I was very young, and it was our only way of listening to the news unil a relative built a mantel radio from scavenged parts when he was on leave - I don't know whehter he sold or gave it to Dad, but we would have got it in the last year of the war, I think.

Then us boys got the crystal set and continued to accumulate bits and pieces for probably the next fifteen or twenty years, moving from crystal sets to one valve battery radios, and onward from there. Weren't allowed mains operated equipment until we were in our late teens.

[Bigbjorn]

I remember listening to a crystal radio in bed, with the wire going out the window to make connection with the garden tap.
There wasn't much of interest receivable, to a primary school kid, but I recall spending more than a few nights hearing the background drone of a multi-prop plane, waiting for the pilots to speak. They never did, I eventually found out I was listening to static.

A crystal set! My god, Ian, just how OLD are you. Was your first truck a White steamer?

[bob10]

Crystal radios are alive and kicking.

Dave's Homemade Radios Visitor's Page – Nick's Mystery Set

[ChookD2]

Then clearly we are holding our looks well, if it takes a list to make you lot aware.

Thanks for the compliment.

I've seen you ..... and Ian.... I'm fully aware....

[4bee]

Gee,forgot about those.We had a couple as well.

We used to hide up behind the shed and listen to whatever,mainly music.I think we used to put the antenna wire under a rock that rested on the bottom part of the downpipe to get it to work better.

One day we were behind the shed and we heard the old man come home.As he drove into the shed there was a huge noise.He had just got a new set of tyres fitted to the S1,and it was a bit higher than it was before,the car hit the beams,putting deep gouges in the tropical roof.We stayed hidden behind the shed until things had cooled down.

Then we eventually got a little tiny transistor radio that had a battery,and used to listen at night to this show where people used to ring up with their personnel and private(and sexual) problems.

That was entertaining and a great laugh.We would have been in our early teens,so were a bit ignorant of most things,but probably thought we knew everything.
From memory it came on a bit late in the evening and we used to fall asleep listening to the show.

Our mother used to find us asleep with the radio going,yes mum,we were listening to music.

BTW, you have reminded me of when my daughters clubbed together & bought me a Multi band portable radio for my Birtday. Well for the times it was ok. If you got the frequency spot on (Rotary Tuner) you could pick up what was then TELECOM' Mobile Phone service ( you remember the one. A normal TELECOM dialup phone & hand set mounted on the dash but different).


Anyway there was a sort of local-ish Real Estate Agent named Bob (..............) who seemed to have a bit on the side going. I can reveal some of his "Luvvy Duvvy" phone calls were more than interesting & I thought the radio was about to melt with hot passion & raw sex. About 1900 most nights he took to the airwaves not realising (he should have & possibly did) that all of Australia could have been listening. We certainly wouldn't have missed it for quids. "Days of our Lives" eat your heart out.

I still have that radio but technology has left it behind.

Part 2.The same radio told me one hot day that Glynde Fire Station' brand new ( SAFB then. MFS now) International/ Darley Fire Pumper was in an embarrassing situation.

It was called to extinguish a smallish Grass fire in an adjoining paddock. Rather than brave the smoke Eevo Sty lee, I listened in to the activity, Station Callsign then was 31. They used "Portable 31" as the roving radio carried on the SO at the fire & on the same frequency.

Listening away, when I heard that unbeknownst to the Firies, the fire had got back under their parked vehicle & it was a goer. I lost contact with them after the panic died down but I seem to recall it having to be towed away after they had used their own water to dowse the fire. My Son in L never would tell me the upshot as he was a Firey at Glynde at the time. Embarrassment ? National interest? Mi5 connection? Never did find out & he never knew of my "clandestine" Bob radio.


Of course nowadays the radio system is digitalised & works on the GRN (Gubmint Radio Network) & Bob has probably had a bad expensive divorce &/or got himself a decent Mobile. Or he may have ditched the bit on the side or vice versa.


Happy days.

[V8Ian]

Then we eventually got a little tiny transistor radio that had a battery,and used to listen at night to this show where people used to ring up with their personnel and private(and sexual) problems.

There used to be a Sunday evening segment on Colour Radio 4IP, hosted by Father Some-one-or-other.
This particular Sunday evening, when our kids were very young, we were returning from a family visit, the segment came on. A fellow, whose lift obviously didn't reach the top floor, was blubbering on about his missus doing the bolt. Father-Some-one-or-other, in a sickly, sympathetic tone, asked "Why do you think she left?" The reply "Because she put her clothes in a port and hasn't come back.", left the front seat occupants in stitches and the kids looking at Mum and Dad as if they'd grown second heads.