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Before the MP3 was the Walkman and before that was the "tranny" - the transistor radio. Personal radios existed before their mass popularity in the 1960's, but then they became a teenage 'must-have'. This one, which saw me through my 1970's school years, was more advanced ? but still only received medium wave. Most radio listening was on medium wave; F.M. Radio existed, but it was mostly in the form of bulky "Hi-Fi" in the home. At that time, there were just 3 local stations in the London area. I called this my "school tranny" though only listened to it going to and from school and covertly during cross-country running. (Out of school grounds and totally unsupervised) Nobody else ever seemed to have a radio with them. To have used a radio in school time would have meant it being confiscated for the day and a serious expectation that I would never bring it again. Apart from the normal chart music, I remember hearing a lot of 'phone-ins, which somehow seemed to be like listening in on adult conversations, though I don't remember being often spellbound by what was said.