Stowed away in a storeroom that got flooded in a storm, this old valve radio suffered some water damage. It is now silent and awaits repairs.
The radio first belonged to my grandparents, and was passed on to my parents. The radio had really good shortwave reception, and as a child I would turn the dial to crackle my way through – mostly indecipherable – broadcasts from all over the world. When reception was good, the radio did have a lovely warm tone. After switching it on, waiting for the valves to warm up had a certain romance, as did the faint background hum.
Recently retrieved from the storeroom, the old radio was given to me by my mother, and we wonder if we can restore to its former crackly glory. But for now, it remains silent.
When I set about taking this photograph, Ella the cat silently decided to join in. Posted in response to the Weekly Photo Challenge with the theme Silence
Posted by Carol
letting nature back in 
February 5, 2018 at 1:10 pm
An evocative image. The radio reminds me of one we had at home back in the 1950s-early 60s. I loved to get close and listen to it – until one day it ‘bit’ me ( gave me an electric shock!)
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February 9, 2018 at 6:13 am
Ouch! Yes I remember being shocked by an old valve record player – it was quite a bite!
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January 20, 2018 at 3:32 am
Nice picture. The cat makes the photo pop, and I like the sepia toning for effect. I hope you can fix the radio.
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January 22, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Thanks Graham. Yes it would be nice if it can be fixed.
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January 19, 2018 at 9:45 am
I got silence on my radio
Let the air waves flow
Let the air waves flow
Moonlight Mile – Rolling Stones from the album Sticky Fingers
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January 19, 2018 at 9:37 pm
Love this. Thanks. Just taken a listen – not a Stones song I know well. When I wrote the title of my post it had sort of Bowie-ish echoes in my head,
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January 19, 2018 at 9:41 pm
Bowie, eh? Well, if there’s only silence on the radio you will have to use you imagination …. then put on your red shoes and dance the blues.
😉
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January 19, 2018 at 9:46 pm
Yes you got it!
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January 20, 2018 at 5:35 am
BTW I have just watched again the Let’s Dance video and it’s striking how similar the old radio in the video is to the one I have.
Hard to believe that Bowie has been gone for over a year now. I still find it too painful to listen to his final work on Black Star.
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January 20, 2018 at 11:24 am
When you take a moment to consider who from round this era has passed away over the last few years it makes you sit up and blink! And I for one often find myself thinking – Him/her too? Really? Wow!
And yet, Keith Richards seems unstoppable!
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January 22, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Yes, it is sobering.
And as for Keith, he is the cat with nine lives. Perhaps he will live long enough to be offered a knighthood 🙂
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January 19, 2018 at 9:43 am
Brilliant shot. One destined to be a classic, methinks.
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January 19, 2018 at 9:34 pm
Thanks so much Ark.
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January 19, 2018 at 7:50 am
This is even older, I think, than the first radio I remember. And oh! The frustration if you didn’t remember to turn the thing on at least two minutes ahead of your favourite programme! Great interpretation.
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January 19, 2018 at 9:28 pm
Yes, I’d forgotten that about missing the start of a programme. This week’s theme was an interesting challenge!
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January 19, 2018 at 2:19 am
Including Ella improves the shot tremendously! What a sweetie!
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January 18, 2018 at 9:49 pm
Wonderful post and photo. I hope the radio can be repaired.
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January 19, 2018 at 9:10 pm
Thanks Belinda. I hope so too.
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January 18, 2018 at 8:38 pm
Ingenious response to the challenge. I don’t know what I might have done. I think this one was a tough one, but I’m surprised at the great responses folks are coming up with.
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January 18, 2018 at 8:44 pm
Thanks Gunta. Yes this was an interesting challenge.
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