ABSTRACT
It should be cheap enough that you won’t be too angry if it never works again. Th e AM band is more important than the FM, but it doesn’t matter if the radio picks up both. It should have analog tuning (i.e., a dial) rather than digital presets or scan buttons. Older radios are usually better than newer ones. Larger radios are easier to work with than tiny ones, and oft en produce a wider range of sounds. Small boom boxes are great, and you can use the tape head for other experiments (see chapter 9). It’s better if it has a built-in speaker, not just a headphone jack, but a headphone jack in addition to a speaker can be useful. And most importantly: IT MUST BE BATTERY POWERED! Beware: an alarm clock radio with a built-in “backup battery” is not suitable, since it requires AC power to function as a radio.
