[Boatanchors] Hammarlund HQ-170A vs. National NC-300

[Peter Markavage]

I had two NC-300's. Even adding all the service bulletin updates (and
there were a number of them), the quality of AM, in my opinion, was on
only fair. SSB was terrible and CW was tolerable if you liked cat
squeaks. Got rid of them. NC-303 was an improvement over all on AM audio
quality, and both SSB and CW were better  but I still got rid of it after
several months. I got my HQ-170A-VHF back in the late 70's and still find
it enjoyable to use on all modes. The original HQ-170 had a number of AGC
problems which were somewhat cured if you applied the two page service
bulletin changes to it.
 
Pete, wa2cwa
 
 
On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:54:01 -0400 Garey Barrell <k4oah at mindspring.com>
writes:
> I don't think the 170 CW selectivity was any better than the 300.  
> The 
> 170A had a 60 kHz last IF, the 300 was 80 kHz.  Both "claimed" 0.5 
> kHz 
> b/w at -6 dB and 3 kHz at -60.  The 300 also had a crystal filter 
> that 
> could be used either to peak or notch at the 2215 kHz first IF.  The 
> 300 
> also had separate control of RF and IF gains, which worked very 
> well.  I 
> did not own both at the same time, but I am about 95% CW and don't 
> recall either being better or worse than the other as far as CW 
> selectivity.
> 
> My biggest complaint was with the stability, (or lack thereof,) in 
> the 
> 170.  The 300 was rock solid after about 10 minutes warm-up, and the 
> 
> 170A never stopped drifting. 
> 
> I bought my 170A brand new in 1961.  AES ran a "closeout" ad in QST 
> for 
> the 170, and I had been off the air (with my HQ129X) for about a 
> year.  
> I sent them a check, and about a week later I got a letter saying 
> they 
> were out of the 170, but would sell me the brand new 170A for only 
> $25 
> more.  So I send another check and about a week later here comes 
> this 
> big box.  I open it up and sit it on the kitchen table. (One bedroom 
> 
> apartment syndrome.)  Attach a piece of wire and drape it across the 
> 
> room, turn on the receiver and tune to 20M.  Tune in a CW signal, 
> and 
> listen as it slowly drifts up the band!!  I opened up the manual, 
> (last 
> resort,) and note that the tube for the LO has it's own filament 
> transformer that is ON all the time the receiver is plugged in.  OK, 
> so 
> I leave it on the table and go to work the next morning.  I get home 
> 
> from work, turn it on, tune to 20M and listen to the CW signals 
> drifting 
> up the band!   Next day, same problem.   It never did turn around, 
> just 
> kept drifting UP.  The D**n thing is probably on S-Band by now, 
> wherever 
> it is.  Anyway, put it in the box, took it down to Electronic 
> Wholesaler's in Huntsville, AL, and swapped it even for a Drake 2-B 
> and 
> 2-BQ.  Best deal I ever made........  :-)
> 
> 73, Garey - K4OAH
> Glen Allen, VA