BARLOW AND ME

Hi All Barlow Wadley fans & maniacs! My name is Francesco Caizzi and I'm a long-time BCL-SWL from Italy. As many of you, started to listen SW broadcastings when I was in school age.

At that times, my first receiver was a decrepite old 5-tubes Phonola, buyed from a school boy for the hyperbolic sum of $5!!!

After this, when I was successful at higher class, my father buy me a "faked-military" radio from Japan; Sakura, that was on vogue here in Italy at the end of ' 70, leading from some "Army-set" Panasonic's models, for about $20.

But what make me dreams all days and nights was the Barlow Wadley.

Yes, in that times there was sure better receivers, but for me the XCR-30 portable was the better of all the radio...probably due was the most sensible and compact set for my little room in the old parent house... :-)

However, due its higher and unaffordable cost (about 300$ in 1978) and scarcity of importations-you could remember the restrictive importation laws against apartheid (this receiver come along from South Africa), this still remain a dream for me.

When I started to work, throw out the toy Sakura, replacing with a new Grundig Satellit 1400, selled after some years for a used Kenwood R-2000 (that still I have) and then a R-5000. From an employ's collegue, I buy a venerable Yeasu FRG-7

But Barlow Wadley still a ghost.

The very few time-I could remember just three times in 20 years-
I found it in some radioham fairs or shops, the price was completely unaffordable (360$ too, in one case) or just not for sale and so I quit with hopes to find one. When Internet Era open her wings, a whole new world opens in stand of me. The real possibility to buy rare radio's things at realistic prices, restart in me the hopes to find what I was need. Infact, few weeks ago, the dream come true.

In a bid at Ebay.com, finally I find the all-dreamed Barlow Wadley, from an Oregon's ham for someabout $100!!! So, to "celebrate" the event, I have put up this site, that at this time is the only site in whole WWW completely dedicated to this receiver only, that is underrated or unknowed, but curiously is always present in all radio collector's request from whole wide world!

Have a Good Visit, Francesco Caizzi - SWL I-2155 BO