I was a U.S state department kid who grew up in Lebanon/Jordan area in the 60's. I remember we had a large console (Phillips I think) radio/turntable unit. I would sit and turn the dial around and watch the green cat's eye and see what I could pick up - mostly BBC and some others for English. I would like to kind of recreate the experience today with something for the desk top - turning knobs/dials to scan across frequencies, listening for different broadcasts during day or night, noting geographic locations, etc. I do not want to deal with an external antenna - I'll be dealing with dominant arm surgery for at least 6 months and be somewhat limited in fine motor skills.
I would prefer new if possible; if not, then recommended sources for good vintage table top stuff; preferred budget under $500. Any recommendations?