My first was a General 6 transistor radio that I got for Christmas in the early 60's from my Mum. I never told her, but I was sooo disappointed. I desparately wanted a Sony TR-6. The Sony TR-6 was cool and could even get stations down in California at night.

But for my single Mum, a Sony TR-6 was financially a bit difficult, so I learned to love my General and even though it was cheaper and not cool, in it's faux leather case, it almost looked like a Sony and it worked just as well.

I found out much later, after seeing some old newspapers of the time, that it was also possible to buy an unserviced building lot in our neighbourhood, for the same price as the Sony transistor radio.....60 bucks. Boy would I have been disappointed if she had done something as dumb as that instead. Quite wealthy now, but a very sad, lonely and disappointed teenager.

That transistor radio was one of the major focal points of my life for a few years and my constant companion. I can even remember being onboard a small boat, in a very bad summer squall and hoping that if we were swamped, I'd somehow be able to keep my radio above my head and out of the salt chuck.

Fortunately we made it ashore realatively unscathed, with only our fishing rods swept overboard from the cabin roof and my precious radio safely tucked and dry down the front of my life jacket....and the memory of Rolf Harris's pale pink sunshade held up high, instead of a transistor radio.