That's a fun read. I've scored some interesting radio gear from the street and found that in the worst case, I can at least give it a good cleaning and pass it along, even if I decide not to fix it. :-)

Recently I started keeping a radio switched on in the kitchen all day, and the family seems to like it. I thought there might be complaints, probably from my teenagers, but I switch it to the pop charts stations a few days a week. And the kids are even OK with 80s stations and tunes they remember from the memes of yesteryear!

There are some interesting hidden advantages to having that thing on all day. For example, during emergencies like extended power outages, it's a very easy and reassuring way to get updates.

But it all started when I grew up listening to Dad dialing in his favorite station, KIXI-AM in Seattle, every morning at his office.

Got to work with a headache and too many projects to finish? Well, how long can you focus on those temporary annoyances while the dulcet tones of _Love Story_ play? (Andy Williams, not Taylor Swift)

(BTW if you like that idea, tune into Hayama Beach FM Japan streaming for the next couple of hours and thank me later...)

Hopefully my own kids don't feel too much pressure to check propagation on the bands with a handheld wideband receiver like Dad does on vacation at the beach, but I'm glad they get to experience what a good radio can do.