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As a kid, my parents got me a cheap AM transmitter toy that broadcast on 1610.

Cutting edge tech in the early aughts, it ran on AA batteries and had a tape player, a microphone, and an aux in. My broadcasts made it across the cul-de-sac from my room. It was immensely enjoyable.

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I was given one of those too, i think i still have it in a box somewhere. spent a lot of time playing dj with it.

My dad bought me a little 0.5W FM transmitter kit, and taught me how to solder putting it together. I definitely spent a bit of time making believe I was a radio DJ back then.

That sounds cool! I would have loved that. Early aughts you say? As in 2000-2009?

I can’t readily find when these became a thing but search for ‘pantry transmitter’ - I’m fairly sure that, whether for kids to muck around with, or to play the sound of your own vinyl records on another radio in your own home, these kinds of micro transmitters have been in use for decades.

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