Radios With Sentiments attached...Its Philips
The stories goes like this...
It was a receiver of Philips used by my DX hobby (active phase) Initiator at my home town for listening to various radio stations right from our All India Radio(AIR) stations,Bangladesh Betar,...Radio Pakistan,..Bhutan Broadcasting Service(BBS), BBC World Service, Voice Of America, Deutsche Welle, ...various Adventist World Radio Stations ,Radio Australia,Radio Tashkent ...Radio Canada International ,FEBC Philipines.......to ....Channel Africa via Sentech ..and many ...and a few were exotic & rare catch as Brazil's National Radio's International Service during my DX hobby Initiator's DXING hobby period passive and active period in late 1980s to 90s.With this Philips Receiver of his father, he used to listen to those stations with just a long soild copper wire.This receiver I did not think gave any overloading problem as I used to listen to radio sometime in his residence.But after giving an excellent & tireless service by the turn of 21st century, the receiver went out of order and also my DX Initiator's date with radio also had ended there.What a coincidence!!!Anyway that's life and destiny!!!And now he is no longer associated with the hobby.
His QSL Cards collection were not many just above 80.But considering many factors he was in that time I think he had done well.As a part of my documentation effort,I prevailed upon him to scan his QSL Collections plus a few blank QSL cards,radio post cards and radio newsletters in his collection in my PC for my Radio Archive Digital version a few years back.They are a prized collection for me though all in digital format.And I am against the idea of keeping someone's sentimental things in my possession and so I thought a digital version will be better.
And I like to mention further that in my maternal uncle's residence at Bilasipara , this model of Philips radio was there too.During my regular visits to Bilasipara,I used to listen to this radio.Later it went out of order and another Philips Radio model with good reception quality was bought in his place.It was perhaps in early 1980s.
In my one of maternal uncle's Guwahati residence from 1980s to till in 2000s-first decade, I found these two radios..one from Philips ..other a tape recorder with radio so called Stereo ..not from Philips..perhaps from Orson...not sure
And I listened to these two radios whenever I visited Guwahati which I used to go from time to time.Many will not believe I heard Test Match Special from BBCWS on radio Live from Lords in summer of 1996 ..the moment of our Dada Saurav Ganguli scored his maiden test century and The Wall..Rahul Dravid missing century by a few runs..just 5 perhaps...still fresh in my mind...I listened to the two one stereo...and it had also FM band..and I for the first time had the experience listening to FM broadcast of All India Radio Guwahati via that radio.I had numerous hours of listening to these two radios.
After advent of television and then cable television's various channels after that all important internet ...internet via mobile...old radio is now pushed back to more or less little priority items expect in case of die hard radio enthusiasts/hobbyists in all households.
I think both these radios went out of order long back and perhaps now lying on the junk room somewhere in our maternal uncle's residence.
Now another story of radio with sentiment...
The above photographs are of a Old also now going out of order, Philips Receiver of one of my paternal uncle who bought it perhaps in late 1970s a few months after he joined a state government job in Assam.He used to listen mainly news regularly at the top volume so that others also could listen to it.And I also listened numerous hours of radio programming via it way back in late 1980s & 1990-1991 period specially at night & early morning hours when he was out of station.I still remember listening to Voice of America Programming specially News & News related programs, BBC World Service & above all numerous hours of BBC Cricket Test Match Special besides our All India Radio-Guwahati programs on medium wave.It was working more or less satisfactory until in 2011 perhaps.Though he visited local electronic shop for repair but they replied parts were not available .It could not be repaired.He was sad as if he had lost a closed friend..... he lost his long time talking ,news giving companion.....And he is still keeping this receiver at his home as a personal memory.But he did not buy a second radio set.And like the trend he now has switched to television set via cable analog and now to digital cable mode but no role of radio further in his life.
More of the New Year Special Series Coming Up....
With Best Wishes
73
Gautam Kumar Sharma(GK)(VU3WTI)
(Abhayapuri)(Assam)(India)
