Wagon Train

[oldnewhartfordboy]

I'm sitting here watching a Wagon train marathon on Encore Westerns. Wow, what a great show. Ward Bond, Robert Horton, Frank McGrath, Terry Wilson just great character acting.
Also, been watching Have Gun Will Travel, and the hour B & W episodes of Gunsmoke. I've never seen those before. I wasn't allowed to stay up that late back in those days.

[kit]

As an old New Hartford boy myself (and I might have a few years on you) I remember listening to many of the original radio shows including Gunsmoke and the very popular Lone Ranger.

Some of the old shows were broadcast quite late and I wasn't allowed to stay up either, so I'd go to bed and listen to them on a little crystal set I'd built. Many are the nights I'd fall asleep with a tiny earphone in my ear. No batteries and you didn't have to plug it in, so there wasn't a problem.

One of my hobbies for the past 35 years has been recording and collecting the old shows. My library has ove 20,000 shows on cassette tape. A labor of love.

[stoney]

You guys might enjoy 900 AM during the evenings. They broadcast nothing but old radio shows (they're out of Toronto). I love listening to them when I can pick up a good signal.

[kit]

Also, for those living in Clipper's original neck of the woods, the Utica NY area, WRVN 91.9FM is a satellite radio station of the WRVO stations which broadcasts from SUNY Oswego. They broadcast 'The WRVO Playhouse' every night from 9:00pm to Midnight. Old-Time radio abounds there.

WRVO has many satellite repeaters in various cities of central NY. But if you can't reach any of these satellites, and have a computer, you can go to www.wrvo.fm/listenlive.html and hear the broadcasts live.

The actors of Old-Time Radio were outstanding compared to what is on television today. Tune in and listen for yourself. (Note: You won't see pictures so you'll have to imagine them in your mind. Actually, you'll find out that this is an awesome arrangement.)

[stoney]

Thanks for the info, Kit! I'll check that out.

I have a bunch of cassette tapes with old radio shows recorded. Unfortunately, I don't have a cassette player anymore (they're now considered, "archaic", like me ) EVERYTIME I listen to those old shows I fall asleep. It must be their melodic voices.

[chris]

My favorite "wagon train" ;D ;D ;D yea haw

[Clipper]

Whew, I listened to yankee games on a small table model radio that I hid under my blankets to muffle the sound, but a crystal set Kit? Goodness. I only remember seeing a couple of those in my day. But then I have to remember that you and my uncle Jim have social security numbers in the single digits. I think he you were #2 and he was number #3 right? ROFL

[kit]

Pretty close guess, Clipper. God, Jim and I went to school together. My first crystal set was and original homemade unit using a Gallium crystal with the catwhisker, homemade condenser and a variable coil that I wound on a cardboard toilet paper tube with a thick copper wire as a sweeper. Later, semiconductors were introduced and that made the crystal set much smaller and more reliable. The best part is that a crystal set does not use any external electricity of any kind. It's just too bad that today's radio programming is so inferior to the days of yesteryear.

Stoney, if you can find a cassette player, maybe at a garage sale or something, it can be connected to your computer and your programs can be downloaded in MP3 format so you can burn them onto CDs or load them into an iPod. Even in the highest quality in MP3 format, you can fit over 11 hours of programming on one CD.

[oldnewhartfordboy]

I still have a couple Cassette machines. I guess, at least one in my storage unit. I do keep one on line and have dubbed some stuff over to CD's and MP3's. If I was in New Hartford I'd loan ya one. I don't expect to be there until spring.

[stoney]

Thanks, guys!!

[kit]

Stoney... if you'd stop cracking that whip for a while, you could do your own conversions and enjoy those old radio shows once again. Even an old Walkman with cassette player will do fine. The closer you listen, the more you'll appreciate the talent of these old radio actors. I know you're just a kid, but hey... give it a try. What shows do you have on tape, and where are you geographically located?

I have several old pieces of equipment that I use in my work to convert antiquated media (such as reel-to-reel tapes, 16/33/45/78 rpm records, old home movies (both 8mm and 16mm), cassette, mini-cassette, VHS and S-VHS videos, 8mm analog video, etc.) to CDs and DVDs with titles, music, and/or narration). Making the conversions would be a great thing to keep you occupied in your spare time, rather than weaving pot-holders,scrapbooking or watching afternoon soap operas. ;o)

[Clipper]

ROFL. I guess if you and Jim are SS numbers two and three, mine would be in the 3 or 4 digit area. I am only two years younger than Jim.

I crack up trying to envision Stoney watching soaps or making pot holders. Just doesn't quite fit my image of Stoney, haha.

[stoney]

Yeah, Clip. I'm still sitting here dumbfounded.

[Clipper]

Should we watch for your potholders at the craft fairs this coming summer? Save a couple. I will be up in August for a wedding, LOL.

[bobbbiez]

Yeah, picture that!

Clipper, think you got a better chance of meeting your maker. ;D