My parents bought the radio cassette tape recorder for the congratulation of junior high school entrance of me in spring of 1972. Probably, they expected that I studied English hard using it. In Japan, we begin to study English, after going into junior high schools. I used to listen to only D.J. programs till late every night, without understanding such expectation of my parents. It was just "no love to a father's."
While I was turning the dial of the radio so that it might be usual, strange broadcast had flowed from its speaker. It was not also Japanese or English. A female announcer talked in the angry tone and brave marches were sometimes inserted between talks. At the night of the day, I was able to receive the broadcasting programs on mediumwave which were not in Japanese one after another. Although I was puzzled for a while, they were very impressive experiences. Possibly it was the moment that my eyes came to be turned to the outside in Japan. I had set foot in the forbidden ground at last the several months after. I have turned the switch of a band change to "SW." "SW" means "Shortwave" of course. Although young persons don't know, radios of those days were made so that shortwave could receive mostly. Even now, I cannot forget the excitement at that time. Only the foreign broadcasting stations were able to be heard. I was the captive of shortwave-broadcasting listening instantly. |
When promoted to a third grader, I began to think that the radio cassette tape recorder was unsatisfactory for shortwave listening. Because the BCL boom happened during boys in Japan of those days and I knew that there were many broadcasting stations besides VOA, BBC, Radio Nederland, etc. I started the part-time job of a newsboy, in order to buy the new receiver which could receive the band called the "tropical bands." Since the receiver was very expensive then, it was very difficult to buy it with the money which the boy earned. In order to purchase SONY's ICF-6800 with great difficulty, I spent two years and a half. The performance of the new receiver satisfied me completely. Although I had to study for the university entrance examination, I received broadcast of Papua New Guinea or Indonesia at night, and, in the early morning, listened to the ethnic music of Africa day after day. On my desk, not textbooks but the dictionaries of Pidgin and Indonesian were placed. That I failed in the entrance examination of a university does not need to say. Since the wise prep students in Japan never heard station jingle of Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation instead of the alarm clock, oops. Although there are things various after that and my "RADIO DAYS" passed away, the ICF-6800 is still in my room. He is still active service and I have became two daughters' father. I want to switch him on suddenly again, when I'm tired with work. If I turn on the radio now, does impression of that day revive again? What do you think? And do you still have a radio? Is still your friend fine?
Makoto Iseki
25 October, 2002 Kumagaya, Japan |