Radio's revival

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Radio's revival


Considering the affection most of us still have for the warm and fuzzy
medium of radio, it's surprising that the collecting of radio
receivers, especially those from the transistor period, has only just
taken off.

The humble "tranny" was always intended as a portable unit not
designed for a long life. It was cheap enough to be thrown away when
the batteries ran out and small enough to be easily lost. Yet what an
important social function this simple device played.

After being introduced here in the early '60s, transistor radios soon
became a symbol of teenage life. Many who grew up listening to one of
these describe them as a source of real companionship. Radio was a
more intimate form of communication than television.

As this column has previously noted, there is now growing interest in
Australian radio memorabilia, especially from the golden era of the
'60s and '70s. Everything from radio station promos to classic bumper
stickers are keenly sought after. This is pretty much a baby boomer
market but those who collect transistor radios are more likely to
belong to generation X (remember them?) - the settled thirtysomethings
of today.

What's hot for them are classics such as the Panapet and Toot-a-Loop.
These were probably the first radios they listened to. National
Panasonic's Panapet 70 is now considered a design classic. They were
cute, bright and, as the name suggests, designed to accompany the
owner wherever they went. It was one of the first examples of the
product as personality. About the size of a softball, they had a chain
so that they could be attached to your belt.

These were aimed at a young teenage market and were available in
primary colours plus white. Red appears to have been the best-seller
judging by current availability. Yellow is now the hardest to find.

Panasonic later put out another design using the same range of
colours. The Toot-a-Loop was doughnut-shaped with a swivel that
enabled it to be clicked onto the wrist. Both are now among the most
popular styles among collectors.

You can pick up Panapets on eBay for between $20 and $50, although you
can still find them in op shops or garage sales for a lot less. A
complete set of the five colours is worth a lot more. One was listed
online for the buy-it-now price of $275.

Panapets were solidly made using new plastic moulding technology, so
many have survived. The Toot-a-Loops are more subject to damage and
are priced more highly, up to $70. Collectors like them to be in
working order even if they are never used. The battery terminals are
usually the first parts to break but these can be replaced easily. If
the plastic is dull with age, one trick is to shine it with car polish.

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