[R-390] first radio thread

[mlmccauley at att.net]

The period of "magic" was, I think, relatively short lived, at least as 
it affected a significant percentage of the youth population.

I think it started when the price/performance ratio of tube gear was 
peaking out and the equipment became widely available, and ended when 
low priced high performance solid state consumer electronics really took 
off. The final nail in the coffin was the high volume low dollar rollout 
of PCs.

My guess is more-less '45 to '85, with the rolloff starting in earnest 
about '75.

I freely admit those dates can easily be argued with, but I feel they're 
in the ballpark.

Interesting, but not surprising that this date range pretty well 
corresponds with the rise and fall of Heathkit.

Anytime kids show any interest in ham or SWL I always offer to show them 
my gear. The response is pretty much a bell curve, peaked at mild (but 
probably not sustained) interest, with obvious disappointment on the 
left side of the curve and a few who go crazy just like I did on the 
right side.

Back then, when it all was really taking off, recently, seriously taking 
off, we were a lot easier to impress. I was born in '50, and I'm really 
glad that I lived though a good bit of the golden age.