I think you will feel the nostalgia thing yourself in about 30-40 years from now
I can't even imagine how much things will have changed by then.
Radio Magazines - Do you miss them too?
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I can't even imagine how much things will have changed by then.
riverrat373
Member
Subscribed to Monitoring Times And Pop-Comm. I also bought Communications World, Popular Electronics and Electronics Illustrated on a regular basis. I do subscribe to The Spectrum Monitor now but it's not the same. I still prefer to hold a real magazine or book in my hands!
I find that I do not read the electronic magazines as thoroughly as I did the paper editions. Conversely, I now subscribe to magazines from other countries that were unaffordable until they converted to electronic format. Some gain, some loss.
Past in paper - MT, Pop'Comm, QST (life member, I still get the paper version,) Radio World, CIDX Journal, NASWA Journal, ODXA Journal, The Lowdown, IRCA, NRC and a few others. Always good to find any of them in the mailbox.
Today, there's The Spectrum Monitor, QST (hardcopy - I don't like anything with DRM which is foisted on you with electronic QST,) NASWA, CIDX, Lowdown all in e-format. Additionally I picked up the NRZDXL, ADXN, MWC, NRC and IRCA journals as well.
Of course, little can compare to the reading to be found in and the heft of a 600+ page edition of Byte magazine, but...
Past in paper - MT, Pop'Comm, QST (life member, I still get the paper version,) Radio World, CIDX Journal, NASWA Journal, ODXA Journal, The Lowdown, IRCA, NRC and a few others. Always good to find any of them in the mailbox.
Today, there's The Spectrum Monitor, QST (hardcopy - I don't like anything with DRM which is foisted on you with electronic QST,) NASWA, CIDX, Lowdown all in e-format. Additionally I picked up the NRZDXL, ADXN, MWC, NRC and IRCA journals as well.
Of course, little can compare to the reading to be found in and the heft of a 600+ page edition of Byte magazine, but...
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
While not at all related to radio magazines, I've found myself recently subscribed to Linux Format magazine. In a lot of ways, its very similar in a lot of the hobbyist aspects of radio, and the magazines often include lots of coding projects, tutorials in coding and creation, Raspberry Pi and similar projects, software reviews and how-to, and also reviews of current distros. I was actually lured in by the professionally pressed DVDs they include which usually includes at least one normal sized distro, maybe a few smaller ones, example coding projects and any tutorials they walk you through in the magazine. In a world where everything has moved to digital only, there is something to be said for having an actual magazine in your hands to read, the smell of the paper, the lack of eyestrain from reading it digitally, and having a physical DVD (which even I must admit my current main computer doesn't even have an optical drive, but my server does), and they also make for great coffee table pieces.
The only downside is that they are printed in the U.K., so getting a subscription sent to the U.S. costs me roughly $10 a magazine at $30 a quarter. To be honest, its just one of those weird indulgences of mine but its worth it to me.
The only downside is that they are printed in the U.K., so getting a subscription sent to the U.S. costs me roughly $10 a magazine at $30 a quarter. To be honest, its just one of those weird indulgences of mine but its worth it to me.
Remember the CRB (Communications Research Bureau) lists well. Those and the Police Call publications were awesome!
Airboss
Silent Key
I remember that issue. John Locker did an excellent job on that cover story and my XYL did the second feature on Signals from Behind the Bamboo Curtain (China). That was a cool issue. Oh yes, I do miss the print days, but I am enjoying the versatility and searchability of electronic. Definitely a smaller footprint in the shack now and no where near the clutter/
I am another one who will give a thumbs up to the Spectrum Monitor. Those of you that loved Monitoring Times will easily recognize the roots of The Spectrum Monitor. It's a great monthly read and well worth the price in my opinion. And they actually may offer a sample issue: The Spectrum Monitor - Powered by Network Solutions.
AGREED! I still have my CRB books and many of my Police Calls. When I was a news photographer, these publications were invaluable. Tom and "Gene" did a lot to advance and support monitoring.
Absolutely true! Then too, eagerly anticipating the next issue of Pop Comm or MT added an excitement to the hobby that's missing today.
I found a cd-rom with old backup data files. One if the backup things were my downloaded Monitoring Times hi-res PDF'S. I had Oct. 2000 to September 2001. I have not had a chance to locate anymore but the last issue I could find was the September 2001 issue. That September 2001 issue, volume 20, No.9. had on the front page was "Listening in on the Middle East". It will be interesting to read those issues from 2000-2001 and see what things were back 20 years ago. I did not realize that I downloaded those and threw away the paper magazines a long, long time ago.
Before magazines, early on I was fascinated by the Lafayette catalog, followed by RS and although not electronics centered, JC Whitney. First subscription was to S9 CB radio magazine. Much later subscribed to Monitoring Times and a great newsletter called NorthEast Scanning news. Always remember the palpable anticipation to receiving them around the due date.
Edit: Regarding Northeast Scanning News (NESN). Did anyone ever attend one of their get togethers? Have three fun memories from that. Visiting Les Mattson's house and scanning shack, a great picnic in a riverfront park in National Park NJ, and the Dutch Inn where they had a hospitality room/mod room set-up: The popular mod of the event was PRO-2006 restoration of cell phone frequencies.
Edit: Regarding Northeast Scanning News (NESN). Did anyone ever attend one of their get togethers? Have three fun memories from that. Visiting Les Mattson's house and scanning shack, a great picnic in a riverfront park in National Park NJ, and the Dutch Inn where they had a hospitality room/mod room set-up: The popular mod of the event was PRO-2006 restoration of cell phone frequencies.
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GlobalNorth
Active Member
I certainly do miss them.
It's fun to read those back issues. Lot's of forgotten shortwave stations, analog scanners, big thing was the Uniden Trunk Traker III. It's amazing how technology has advanced in 20 years. MT, Pop Comm, even the Radio Shack catalog were it. Such memories reading those past issues..
No, not at all; however, I miss Bob grove and his articles. From what I understand, some of the Monitoring Times staff moved to the online Spectrum magazine. It is much more convenient than paper.
Still remember as a kid the magazine rack at the drugstore loaded with electronics mags (as well as car mags... especially Rod and Custom in the small format that could be easily tucked into a textbook to be read surreptitiously at school during class). IIRC, Popular Electronics was 35 cents and Radio TV Experimenter was 75 cents... easily affordable with my paper route earnings.
30+ yrs ago I subscribed to Pop Comm and Monitoring Times and in later life I had a monthly column for awhile in MT but I couldn't handle the article deadline while maintaining a full time job so I had to quit. Plus I usually ended up spending more $$ on research and building prototypes for the article than the magazine paid for the article. It was still a lot of fun and I got emails asking questions about some articles a couple of years after I quit, which was nice.
RFI-EMI-GUY
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I really don't like the online format for magazines because I miss being able to take a paper one to lunch or elsewhere and read without "wires" and distraction of the "net".
I was a regular subscriber to Monitoring Times. I miss that magazine.
I am trying to figure out Nuts and Volts. A year or two back they stopped coming by mail and I was getting it sent to me electronically. Then I resubscribed and I am getting paper issues that are a year old sent to me along with the on line. I did not contact them to ask, but wonder whats going on with them?
Communications Quarterly was an excellent magazine with lots of high tech experimentation. But it got swallowed up by QEX and the content is pretty thin.
AMSAT until recently published with paper and now due to "The Covid" it is on line only. Explain how Covid affects printing presses? I seldom read that now, especially since getting back to MEO or HEO is now some unobtainable goal and lots of internal drama. I have to rethink sending them a renewal for membership.
Not to forget Wayne Green and '73 magazine which was a favorite.
I was a regular subscriber to Monitoring Times. I miss that magazine.
I am trying to figure out Nuts and Volts. A year or two back they stopped coming by mail and I was getting it sent to me electronically. Then I resubscribed and I am getting paper issues that are a year old sent to me along with the on line. I did not contact them to ask, but wonder whats going on with them?
Communications Quarterly was an excellent magazine with lots of high tech experimentation. But it got swallowed up by QEX and the content is pretty thin.
AMSAT until recently published with paper and now due to "The Covid" it is on line only. Explain how Covid affects printing presses? I seldom read that now, especially since getting back to MEO or HEO is now some unobtainable goal and lots of internal drama. I have to rethink sending them a renewal for membership.
Not to forget Wayne Green and '73 magazine which was a favorite.
Les Mattson was THE Man to his Regional Editors. Patient, Understanding & Knowledgeable. To recieve a Editors Award Certificate from him was indeed a high honor. He was the lead in getting the movement to re-do the NJ Scanner law started, he mobilized the Editors and got them to mobilize the readers to push their elected officials for modification of the restrictions.
I attended every meeting at the National Park site it was anticipated every year. We also had local meetings at Denny's at the Jersey Shore where handwritten lists of listening logs were shared and copied.
I also subscribed to the RCMA (Radio Communications Monitoring Assoc.); a small booklet style with different radio communications from across the Nation.
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