VOLUME 25               DECEMBER 2008                NUMBER  12

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for December 2008
(Copyright 1996-2008 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

"'Tis the season" not only to be jolly but also to appreciate miracles. We've just had one here at A.R.C. -- the publication of this issue, despite a computer disaster. Our hard drive had to be rushed to a California company specializing in "ER" for lost data. Fortunately, most of our files were retrieved, and we were able to race to our December deadline. Our New Year's resolution? -- Back up, back up, back up!

The crisis over, we can enjoy the season on the lighter note of Chris Jones's lead article about the 1940 Westinghouse console featured in the 1983 classic movie A Christmas Story. Like Ralphie in the story, many of us listened to Little Orphan Annie on the radio in our childhood and sent for the decoder to unveil the secret messages of Annie's club. As if we needed to be reminded, the significance of radio in our history, both national and personal looms large.

Like Chris and his drive to research the set in the movie, Richard Arnold also searched out the 1958 GE "Atomic," the subject of his latest article. The set intrigued Richard because it appears in a favorite early TV sitcom Leave it to Beaver.

Almost all of us make such connections between radio and our growing-up years. Even our cover evokes thoughts of how it must have been for children of the 1920s to listen to sounds through those earphones. In short, memory lane and radio are close companions.

Don Watson's memories of Chicago's Radio Row, a scaled down version of Cortlandt St. in New York, are a case in point. A teenager in the 1960s on a train ride home with a console occupying a seat is easy to relate to collectors today packing vans after a meet.

Note such photos in Dan Schoo's report on ARCI's Radiofest, a major summer event that continues to thrive. In fact, this year the auction was moved to the main ballroom because of the increase in quality items and attendance. This meet has all the traditional ingredients for success -- not to mention proceeds of over $25,000 from the auctions.

Flea markets are a big part of such meets and the source of many a find for collectors. Jerry Wieland writes about his find, a Utah Dynamic A-100 speaker, and what he found when he opened it up.

A good holiday read is Lisa Spahr's book World War II War Heroes, Letters of Compassion reviewed here by Paul Farmer. Lisa writes about the Amateur radio operators who picked up messages from German broadcasts about our POWs and wrote letters to their families. Certainly this was an act of giving that ties into any holiday season.

A.R.C. Benefits. Be sure to take advantage of A.R.C. benefits: a toll-free number (866) 371-0512; Discover, MasterCard, American Express, Visa accepted; the Web, www.antiqueradio.com; books shipped free in the U. S. by USPS media mail; and for current subscribers, a 10 percent discount on all book orders.

Coming Radio Events. Listed this month are 21 meeting, 6 meets, and 1 auction. Enjoy the spirit of the season, and best wishes from everyone here at A.R.C.

Happy Collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

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ON THE COVER

The cover this month picturing two children taking delight in what they hear on their 1920s earphones is a postcard from the John V. Terrey collection. We hope it conveys the joy of the season, as well as the joy we all take in radio.

Click here for a larger view of this month's cover!