War of the Worlds on AM 740 Last Night

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Yes indeed - the original over-the-air play performed by Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre that sent the northeast into a panic! 69 years ago to the day:

http://members.aol.com/jeff1070/wotw.html

I have a recording of the original program and have listened to it before, but what a treat to turn on the old Zenith shutterdial last night and find CHWO broadcasting it! Nothing like hearing a 1930s program through a 1930s radio, push-pull audio and all. War of the Worlds is the ultimate Halloween program for me.

Unfortunately I missed most of the show due to having dinner after 10:30. This was directly related to on air activities which were most enjoyable also. But what I heard sounded great. They have a one hour slot on Tuesday nights called 'The Golden Age of Radio' where they play old shows like The Shadow. Last night was a surprise, just wish I'd tuned in sooner.

Here's a link to their schedule if you're looking for some Big Band music, old radio shows, and a mix of other stuff:

http://www.am740.ca/schedule/index.htm

[w3jn]

Despite the skepticism expressed by some here on the Forum on the viability of satellite radio, the Radio Classics channel on Sirius to me is well worth the subscription fee alone.  XM satellite radio has a similar channel.  It's great to be able to listen to those old shows whenever the mood strikes

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

The kicker for me John, was being able to hear it coming from a radio that could have possibly been playing the program 69 years ago as it unfolded. The fades, pops, and other interference gave it that 'time machine' feel. 

I like the sat stuff just fine for 80s music and such, I'm mainly bothered by the possibility of not being able to listen to my old receivers as they were intended to be used. Even piping a program through the speaker from another source would negate the electric tuning, shutter dial, green tuning eye and other 'high coolness' factors of the old box.

So I'll enjoy it while I can and go from there.

The importance and public knowledge of amateur radio in 1938 is evidenced by the '2X2L' ham station calling CQ in the play.

[Sam KS2AM]

The phones all went dead here last night too.  The local sheriff said something about a Russian sub.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I hope sat makes it. It provides another option. I'm not pessimistic about the service it provides, but its business plan. It will be tough when there are plenty of other music box options out there via the Internet, iPod, cell system, wireless hot spots/WiMax, and cable TV.


BTW, you can get the audio book at the link below.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8976

And the actual Mecury Theater audio is available 365 days a year at this link.

http://www.mercurytheatre.info/

[kf4qkr]

They are playing War of the worlds here in Winston Salem on 600 WSJS tonight (Halloween) just before Coast to coast AM. Cant wait to hear it on the old buzzard reciever and the big speaker .

[W3RSW]

Some years ago, I think in '67, the early heavy metal era,  I was listening to "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end... " on the Capehart Panamuse given to me by an uncle. Still have it.  For some reason the catchy, Greek background music and recognizable words of an even earlier time transported me the same way.  Kind of haunting ....real music over an old radio. - Dual 12's, four PP parallel 6V6's; real radio. 

Little did I know then that the same song was being played, loud and tinny, over the PA at the Hanoi Hilton  to torment the POWs.  Kind of felt guilty over that for many years. Still do. Those years were a coming out and arguably good for women, but very unkind to a lot of men.

Our kind of Radio, like the sense of smell, elicits deep memories.  Yeah, I have to agree; it is a time transport machine too.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

The title track Pink Floyd's album 'Wish You Were Here' from the 70s starts off with some tuning around the dial, different signals, then to the beginning of the song as if it was coming through the speaker from a far off station. Pops, whistles, fading, very convincing. It then progresses to real time/studio sound playing in harmony with the radio. Geoff sent me a link yesterday to a Bluegrass tune that uses a similar affect.

Very cool, and no doubt part of what attracted many of us to radio in the first place. Words, messages, and music from far off places, through thin air. Amazing stuff, like those green Magic Tuning Eye tubes. 

[k4kyv]

If the IBOC debacle wipes out skywave AM at night, about all we'll have left will be plastic music coming out of plastic radios or other plastic digital media, unless we wish to listen to the Bible Beaters on shortwave.

[W1RKW]

I scanned the AMBC band hoping to hear War of the Worlds but was met with what I percieved to be this digital noise on some big guns.  It's the first time I've actually heard this hiss crap.  Can't say that I like it at all.  I guess I've been in the dark for a while.  This is not cool.  Suffice it to say, I didn't get to hear the ole radio broadcast.  Probably was one night to late but hearing the other noise for the first time didn't sit well with me.  This digital noise doesn't bode well for AM dx'ers with conventional receivers, it drowns out good stuff being so wide.

[WA1LGQ]

Todd, find one of these period "phono oscillators" and play your CD or tapes of WOTW, OTR and other stuff on the old beasties. Does the trick..........Larry

[W4RON]

Have any of you heard Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds
with Richard Burton doing the narration?
It more closely follows HG Wells' story being set in England in the
late 19th century. The music is very much Moody Blues sounding.
You can download it for less than $3.

I have the double CD set and it's great.

73, W4RON

[W1UJR]

Have any of you heard Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds
with Richard Burton doing the narration?
It more closely follows HG Wells' story being set in England in the
late 19th century. The music is very much Moody Blues sounding.
You can download it for less than $3.

I have the double CD set and it's great.

73, W4RON

Hi Ron,

Download from where OM?
Sounds like a neat file to have on hand.

By the way, Steve's link to the Mercury Theater downloads was great.
I snagged everything that was not Real Audio. (I don't like Real Audio, too many nag reminders)

Some time back when I lived in Buffalo, NY, I heard WKBW do their own broadcast of the War of the Worlds, set in Western New York. It was very well produced, and I would dearly love to have a audio copy of that, should anyone be in possession. It was first broadcast was in 1968, the 30th anniversity of Orson Wells original broadcast.It is indeed an interesing commentary on the power of radio during the late 1930s that such a broadcast could panic so many.

Since I know that you are a fan of all things old buzzardly, do you know about the "1920s Radio Network"?
See --> http://www.whro.org/home/html/liveradio/1920s_qt.html
I have it playing in my waiting room over iTunes, people love it!
Very different than today's music, all the songs are upbeat, makes you tap your foot, a simpler time and place.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Todd, find one of these period "phono oscillators" and play your CD or tapes of WOTW, OTR and other stuff on the old beasties. Does the trick..........Larry

Thanks for the tip, Larry. I think there is something along these lines boxed up somewhere in the vast archives(endless 'stuff') of 'KAQ radio for the 'just in case' scenario.  Several sources offer low power transmitters for this as well.

It's certainly better than nothing and will likely end up being the only way to use old wooden AM radios at some point. Unfortunately it negates many of the cool features of the Zenith - the 'robot dial' shutters that snap open to reveal another band/dial; the motorized tuning system; and the magic tuning eye. Listening to Orson's booming voice while tuning back and forth to get the signal just right really produces an interesting effect on a strong signal.

Progress is inevitable and generally a good thing. But progress simply for the sake of progress.....eh...why bother? As others have pointed out, between FM, Cable, Satellite, and MP3/podcasting, and the current state of AM programming, what's the point?

[W4RON]

Hi Ron,
Download from where OM?
Sounds like a neat file to have on hand.
[/quote]

Bruce, you can get it right here,
http://musicmp3.ru/artist_jeff-wayne__album_the-war-of-the-worlds.html 

Years ago I remember WBT playing the original version on the
night before Halloween, and the "Rock n Roll" version the next night.

Let me know how you like it.

73, W4RON