I grew up in the 50s and 60s and listening to Top 40 radio was a huge part of my life. I lived in central Illinois so WLS was as much a part of my life as was eating, going to school or sleeping. I also enjoyed tuning to other Top 40 stations to see what their 'sound' was like.

I even set-up my own amateur radio station in the basement of our house in 1962, when I was 15 years old. I bought a low-power AM transmitter kit from Allied Electronics in Chicago, somehow managed to put it together where it actually worked...added a reel-to-reel tape recorder, turntable, microphone and lots of switches...hooked-up probably 100 feet of copper wire to the transmitter that I strung in the backyard...and went on the air. Not much of a signal but a LOT of fun. I SO wanted to be a DJ when I grew up...but that never materialized. I kept my love for radio even as it evolved away from the Top 40 format.

Later in life, looking for a hobby, I decided to go back to being an amateur broadcaster. So here I am....broadcasting with a micro-power FM transmitter, with still not much of a signal (but no copper wire strung in the backyard...haha), and am living my dream.

THX for reading this and, hopefully, listening to MusicRadio 107.5 FM once in awhile.


My AM Transmitter from 1962