[Boatanchors] 51J3 vs SP600?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On 6/21/05, GBrown <gkbrown at gwi.net> wrote:
> Am I the only one that has a non drifting SP-600? Maybe for the first few
> minutes of warm-up but after that, rock stable.

Gary - 

My first SP-600 wandered all over hell and back. It was frustrating,
and as much as I liked the receiver, the drifting drove me nuts. I was
going to send it down the road when LesLocklear pointed out a very
helpful: the power transformer has multiple taps that allow you to
adjust for your power input. After changing the tap to the next higher
level, the receiver settled right down. Ended up trading it later for
(oddly enough) a Collins R-388, because I had been given another
SP-600. First thing I did with the new one was check and adjust the
tap on the power transformer.

I think a lot of the 'drift' complaints now come from some folks who
expect a 1950s era receiver to perform like a 1990s ricebox. If you
try to use it on SSB or, as others have pointed out, the upper bands,
you're likely to notice the drift a lot more than you will just using
it for casual listening on HF. On the weekends I have mine perking
away in the radio room as I'm working on something, it will stay put
on a frequency for hours on end, mainly because the small amount of
drift isn't really noticable on AM. I can go over and retune it and
usually hear some improvement, but it's not enough to worry about.

> As for tuning SSB, I have no
> trouble doing that either, just takes a little playing with and in a short
> time, you have the knack.

A few months back I picked up a 75A-1 and was amazed at just how easy
it was to tune SSB with it. Flip the BFO on, if the signal is strong
just back off the RF gain a bit, then tune slightly. Sounds nice, too.
SP-600 is a bit fussier simply because of the tuning method, I
suspect. But you're right - just takes a little practice.

> I think that's what ham radio is about. Working
> for those contacts, pulling them out of the qrm, twist and turn knobs.

Bingo. Being a knob-tiwddler, I couldn't agree more. To me, it's as
much about the enjoyment of operating the radio instead of
plug-n-play, then having it work you. No keypads, no tiny push
buttons, no LEDs. And of course, that 'hot tube' smell of burning dust
or whatever causes it.

~ Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ