The rec.antiques.radio+phono Newsgroup

If you haven't checked out the USENET newsgroup rec.antiques.radio+phono, you're missing one of the most valuable of all information sources for radio collectors and restorers.

A newsgroup is an electronic "bulletin board" where people with a common interest can exchange information and discuss issues. The rec.antiques.radio+phono newsgroup includes some genuine experts in the area of repairing and restoring antique radios and phonographs.

Most people access newsgroups with a program such as Outlook Express or Navigator. If your system is already set up to view newsgroups, you can click on rec.antiques.radio+phono here and automatically go to the group.

You can also access USENET groups via the Web. For example, you can view current messages and search through all messages ever posted in rec.antiques.radio+phono at the Google archives. The group has engaged in thousands of discussions over more than ten years. You can often save time by searching for an answer in the archives, rather than posting a question that has been discussed many times in the past.

The FAQ ("frequently-asked questions") document is another good information source. The purpose of an FAQ is to answer the most common questions in advance (such as "I just got an old radio—how do I find out what it's worth and learn how to fix it?").

The FAQ also contains the Charter, which explains the group's purpose. Read the charter before posting any new questions. Then you won't embarrass yourself (or waste the group's time) with "off-topic" questions that should be answered elsewhere.

The rec.antiques.radio+phono FAQ is currently hosted on the Web. You can read it at http://www.xs4all.nl/~tgale/oradio/index.html.

It's a good idea to learn proper USENET etiquette before posting new messages.