RHF wrote:
Many would still ask . . . Where's the Knob ?

What's a knob?

Seriously, kids today don't like knobs. They like push buttons and touchpads.

For many old time Shortwave Listeners (SWLs)

Listening to the Radio had a certain 'feel' to it.

Which is why I have lots of radios with knobs. In fact in the last 5 years,
I've bought 3 radios with PTO's and restrung the dial cord and relamped a
fourth.

But will my kids like them? Will they use them? probably not.

They are too spoiled by either picking up a phone and calling anyone in
the world (most places they would ever call are included in a montly plan
so they "free") or if they don't want to get up off their chair and pause
their "computing" using SKYPE.

TV comes directly to their TV on a cable connected to a DBS dish, and if
they don't like the programs that are one, there is a large library
accessable locally and almost an infinte choice on the internet.

Plus Turning-the-Knob on a Radio with an Analog Dial/Scale often brought
the awe and joy of 'discovery' to the Radio Listener.

I am sorry to say it, but the current generation has been spoon fed so
much awe and discovery that they are not interested in looking for themselves.
Ask my kids to define discovery and they will answer "channel 34". :-(

While keying in a Frequency Number or having the Computer Scan and Log lacks
the 'bond' between a Man and His Radio.

It's what I call the "Dancing Bear Phenomeon". We were impressed by a
dancing bear. Our kids have seen so many they are concerend with the
quality of the dance.

For example, I recentyly aquired a Drake SPR-4. IMHO it is the worst ergonmic
design I have ever used. To tune a frequency, you have to set the band switch
to the correct band (within 500kHz). Then reading the little numbers off of the
band switch, there is a SECOND band switch (really front end filters) that needs
to be set. Once that is set, you adjust the preselector. A hint is on the bottom
of the numbers on the band switch.

Then you can tune in your frequency. On the AM BCB the preselector has to be
retuned every 50kHz or so.

I love it, I even invested in colored LEDs to replace burnt out light bulbs
with fading filters.

If I want my kids to listen, it either has to be a channel they can enter,
a file location they can browse, or a URL. If I'm lucky it they will turn
a volume control if it does not have a remote.

IMHO sad. But that's the price of progress. When my mother was their age,
her mother owned a candy store and had the only telephone on the block.
People used to call neighbors at the store, my mom and her sisters would get
a small tip to run and get them.

When I was growing up, we had a telephone. We could make local calls only,
a one minute call across the country cost enough to buy hamburgers, fries
and 'shakes for 10 at the burger joint across the street from my highschool.

from an age when people knew that real radios 'glowed' in the dark ~ RHF
{and a young boy's eyes were wide with amazement far into the wee hours
of the morning}.

Sexist. My wife used to do the same with old tube AM radios he father would
fish out of the trash. When we met she had a Sony IFC-2010 and knew how
to use it. :-)

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
I do multitasking. If that bothers you, file a complaint and I will start
ignoring it immediately.