Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Grimes man collects with 'frequency'

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Grimes man collects with 'frequency'

By Maxine Grove

February 04, 2004

Ken Wiley of Grimes demonstrates one of his favorite radios in his collection. This one is a 1935 console that is still operational. Most of his collection of over 500 consists of transistor radios.

Ken Wiley of Grimes currently owns more radios than most people will in a lifetime.
Make that five lifetimes.
With a collection that now surpasses the 500 mark,
his love of all that is radio is readily apparent.
That interest began at an early age.
"I built my first crystal set radio when I was 7," Wiley said. "I attached it to my bed frame and listened to it in bed."
Wiley said he always wanted to build a radio as a kid. He'd look at all the ads for kits in the Boys Life magazine - but he never got one.
"When my son, Adam, was about 7, we built two radios together - one worked," Wiley said.
Radios powered by tubes were discontinued in 1960, and the first solar radio was made in 1960.
Wiley's interest in radios increased in about 1961 when, as an 11-year-old he got his first transistor radio. About that same time his dad gave him an old radio that he used to tinker with.
"Over the years I just kept finding more and more radios, mostly transistors," Wiley said. "I'd find them in flea markets, antique stores, even on E-bay. Generally I'd say I've had excellent experience with E-bay."
Wiley bought radios from places such as Russia, England, Sweden, even Poland.
"That radio on the mantel is from Poland," Wiley said. "It came with a stand that, when the radio is placed in it, charges the batteries."
Wiley just kept collecting, more and more. Some are in lighted glass cabinets. Others are scattered about the house.
"The largest radio I've acquired is a radio bar that I got at an estate auction," Wiley said. "It's about five feet tall and three and a half feet wide. The top lifts up, with a mirror under it. The top half is filled with the original glassware. The bottom half is an FM radio and turntable."
One of Wiley's favorites is a 1935 console radio, still in working order.
Wiley collects mostly transistor radios now.
"About 85 percent of my radios are in working condition," Wiley said.
Wiley said his favorite transistor radio is a 1953 Regency TR-1.
"It was made in Indianapolis. The first transistors had no way to open them to replace the batteries," Wiley said. "I have several of these in different colors. This grey one is the same as one in the Smithsonian Institute. On E-bay this would go for about $1,200 in perfect condition."
Wiley said one of his favorites, as far as aesthetics, is an early Toshiba that has gold threads on the speaker clock and gold plated design on its face.
He pointed out another, the Global GR 900, which was the first transistor designed with an opening built in to replace the batteries.
Wiley told a little history of the transistor radio.
"Americans invented the transistor radio, but the manufacturers, such as Zenith, Motorola, etc., made and sold the radios along with their television sets, exclusively at their own company stores.
When the family's television set needed repair, typically the dad brought it into the shop and wasn't interested in looking at radios..
The Japanese decided to put more style into the radios and market them to retail stores, like Sears, where the women shopped. And the rest, as they say is history.
Wiley has a number of novelty radios in his collection. One is designed as a three dimensional owl, another looks like a dollar bill and President Washington's mouth moves as the radio plays. He has a rice bowl radio, a panda bear, Mickey Mouse, Cabbage Patch, Pepsi Cola can, Stanley measuring tape and an oversized wrist watch that hangs on the wall.
Wiley has one small radio that measures about six by eight inches that has an attached turntable that plays both 45 and 33 1/3 records.
Wiley showed off a 1965 Sony ICR-100, the first integrated circuit radio, with all mechanics on a micro chip. It's the smallest, at about two inches by one and a half inches in his collection. It also has a tiny carrying case.
"I have another the size of a credit card, that can be heard only with ear plugs." Wiley said.
Wiley told another historical story about Sony radios.
"Sony wanted to be the first to introduce a radio that could fit in a shirt pocket. They had the radio designed and manufactured in time for a trade show, when they realized it was slightly larger than a man's shirt pocket," Wiley said. "So Sony had a bunch of special shirts, with larger pockets made for the sales staff at the show."
Wiley touches each of his radios with an almost reverence, and he truly enjoys showing off his collection.
"Radios are not as popular today," Wiley said. "People now buy CDs for their music. I think people never would have gotten interested in listening to personal music if not for transistor radios."

©Dallas County News 2004

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