Eighty-five years ago, this British family was taking refuge in their air-raid shelter, and had the luxury of information and entertainment courtesy of their radio. The July 13, 1940, issue of of Practical Wireless gave some pointers on the best way to equip the shelter with radio. The magazine acknowledged that there was no single solution for every case, but the provided food for thought.

One option was to employ a remote speaker with the normal family radio. Somewhat counter-intuitively, it suggested that the best option might be to place the radio in the shelter, and put the speaker in the house. This was because they would have access to the radio while in the shelter, and could change stations if the need arises. And, of course, if the set was turned off, it could be turned on without delay getting to the shelter.

The magazine also discussed the possibility of a portable. Here, it cautioned that if the shelter had a damp environment, it might be best to store the set outside. Finally, it discussed the possibility of using a car radio, particularly if a battery were in place for lighting.