[ARC5] Off Topic, Hallicrafters SX-38

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 6 Jul 2012 at 10:24, Leslie Smith wrote:

> G'day list members:
> I am considering the possibility of acquiring (and using) one of the
> early "octal" GP sets, eg Hallicrafters SX-38C.

I wouldn't bother...

>  I will have a minor
> role on 80m as an evening "Ham" set, alongside a home-brew SSB
> transmitter. 

Use an 80 meter ARC-5 receiver: it will be a far better receiver for your purposes, Les.

> Can list members comment on the performance of this set on 80m, in terms
> of stability, and general "evening" QSO work.

Absolutely horrid. The "C" model uses a sort of regenerative IF as the BFO, and stability is 
simply practially non-existent. The S-38s will work OK for AM, but for CW or SSB, forget it.

>  Speaking generally, here
> in Australia I could "blaze away" down the middle of the 80m band during
> the week and hit not a thing.   Selectivity (generally speaking) won't
> be a problem.

> I have read various postings from e-ham, that describe the S-38 as "a
> horrid little set", too basic but useful.

I would rephrase that: "...too basic to be useful..."

As Geoff says, how we could have made any contacts with that thing is beyond me.

I borrowed an S-38D once and made some contacts on 20 meters with it, including the very 
first DX I ever worked, a "G" on New Years Day in about 1959 or so.

At that point in my life, my first receiver as a Heathkit AR-3 in which the BFO didn't work. I 
made exactly 2 contacts in my entire Novice year, and one of those was a local, yet my log 
books (yes, more than one) had page after page of CQs and calls made listed.

When I borrowed the S-38D, I had a receiver that worked...sorta...

Then a friend of my step-father's gave me an even older S-41G he found in his basement. At 
least that thing had a separate, real, BFO.

The entire 20 meter band was all of 3/16" wide, and if you breathed hard on the operating 
table the receiver would wobble off the guy you were working, and he was never seen again.

Yet I worked many stations with it. I doubt if I would have the patience to do that now.

My mother finally took pity on me and bought me a used BC-348. I was in heaven.

What the S-38 is, is an All-American 5 with sort of BFO.

My advice: don't bother.

Ken W7EKB