John Vuolo has been collecting and restoring radios since he was a teenager. On this episode he recounts how he got interested in old radios and some highlights of his collecting career.
Music on this Episode:
Listen in on what was happening at Long Island History Day on November 10th – a look back at the state of radio at the end of World War One. We had a number of friends with us – scouts from BSA Troop 184 teaching Morse Code, the Sayville Historical Society with local resources, and filmmaker Joe Sikorski previewing his newest project on the Telefunken radio station.
We were invited to the Sayville Library for a community breakfast to help kick off The Great Give Back 2018. It was a great opportunity to share what LIRTVHS does but also to get to know and appreciate all the other organizations doing so much for Sayville and the community.
Our table at the Great Give Back, Sayville Public Library.
So we did some on-the-spot recording with some of our co-attendees, asking them to explain their mission and how it impacts the community. See below for ways to get in touch with them. And we also couldn’t resist getting some of their memories of radio on Long Island and beyond.
Thanks to Sayville Library director Jen Fowler for puting this great community event together and for everyone who talked with us!
Danielle Campbell shares a look back at how she got started in the business – from behind the scenes at WGSM’s FM station to WNBC during the Howard Stern era to 1010 WINS, Channel 55 and more.
This is a special cross-over episode with the Long Island History Project #75. Hear Danielle and Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours on the true tales of Anna Strong and the Culper Spy Ring.
Danielle Campbell, News Channel 12 anchor and journalist.
Join us for a conversation with K2IZ – otherwise known as John Smale, ham radio operator and one of the founders of the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club.
Connie Currie grew up in Hicksville where her father, Roland Gibson, was the radio/TV repair man at Spiro’s Department Store. She earned her amateur radio Novice License KN2RBM in 1956 but not without some resistance.
Today’s background music comes from the UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive.
Arne Fogel, host of The Bing Shift on Jazz88 FM as well as a student and devotee of all things Crosby, relates Bing’s career in radio. We talk about how Bing helped define the medium, how he rose to be a multimedia star, his role in changing recording technology, and more.
This episode was recorded at The Booth, the new podcast recording studio at the Sachem Public Library. We thank them as well as this week’s guest co-host, Chris DeCristofaro.
Further Research
Board member Richard Hawkins shares his memories of radio, from listening to Murray the K to his time as a radioman in the US Navy.
And join us Saturday, February 17 at 11:00 am at the Sayville Public Library for a celebration of Jack Ellsworth and his Memory in Melodies program.
You can listen to the interview with Jack’s daughter and granddaughter on the Long Island History Project.
Welcome back to the Radio Tower! Every few episodes we’ll be sitting down with our long-time members to discuss their early memories of radio.
First up is LIRTVHS Treasurer, Ed Taylor. A son of the Bronx, he has some distinct memories of listening in during the Depression and World War II in New York City.
Do you have your own memories you’d like to share? Come down to one of our meetings (third Saturdays of the month at the Sayville Public Library) and we’ll record them!
We’ve started a new podcast called the Radio Tower! This is a monthly podcast that will bring you stories and interviews about Long Island’s rich and varied history in the fields of radio and television broadcasting.
Our first episode features veteran TV producer Al Bernstein. Al also teaches at Suffolk County Community College where he’s coming to the end of a long and storied career.
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