History PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE

Our age will almost always determine how and when we acquire our personal independence. The hand held transistor radio was mine. I was about 14 or 15 when I was first introduced to one in the late '50s. Up until that point I had to listen to our home radio and rock n roll was not the station my parents listened to. Transistor radios about the size of today's Apple 7 allowed me to listen to any station I wanted to anywhere I wanted to and anytime I wanted to and they were only a few bucks for the ones we called Jap Junk (made in Japan when the quality was not good). A few years later my first car gave me a higher level of independence but the transistor radio will always be what set me free.

 

I was thinking about my first transistor radio the other day. Man, it ate 9V batteries, but then again, I feel asleep with it on WLS or WOWO many a night as a kid. Pretty cool to hear those stations at night here in Tennessee.

 

Interesting subject Frank.
I can remember being 9-10 yrs old in the early 60's.

We always spent Christmas Eve at Grandmas with a big family. They bought me a transistor radio the size you describe. I thought I died and went to heaven being able to listen to anything I choose at any time. Simpler times for sure.

 

Use to go to sleep every night as a kid with one tucked under my pillow.

 

Remember those novelty transistor radios in the late 60's & 70's?.....I had a Hamm's Beer can radio all through high school. Don't remember who made them, but they were kinda popular in the early 70's in my area....I used to carry it in my 41' Ford in high school until a cop saw it, and said it was in bad taste, and I should leave it at home....not sure if he meant the taste now, or the can itself...haha ....it was the only radio I had for several years ....I haven't seen one in ages now!

 

My first real bicycle brought me personal independence. I believe it was a Rollfast, big old heavy thing with the fake gas tank looking thingy on the horizontal bar. Had a head light and reflectors mounted every where. I rode that thing all over town. Only stopping to eat and sleep. I thought it was the fasting thing on wheels. That is until I got the opportunity to ride my friends
mini bike.

 

It's amazing what you can find about things you have took for granted all your life! I just did a wiki check on the history of the transistor radio. Verrry interesting. The Jap Junk makers I mentioned were pioneer manufacturers. Sony started making them in 1957 and I don't believe they were a credible company in the U.S. back then. Heck, mine might have been a Sony. The only thing I remember was "made in Japan".

 

I would have to ad my first bicycle too.

 

WOWO....now that brings back memories. I would listen to it at night on my transistor radio as well. Thanks for the memory.