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

[Carl]

Over on another forum many of the later HQ owners complain about having to 
select a 6C4 that either doesnt continuously drift or quit working at the 
lower end of the top end band. Then the life is rather short.
Sounds like a design problem across many models.

National made several changes in the NC-300 and there was also a factory 
alignment glitch in the early ones. With the second conversion oscillator 
switch to xtal control (every 300 that came in for service had that done 
automatically) drift was almost nil after a short warmup.

I used the 300 primarily as an IF for 50 thru 1296 converters in the early 
to mid 60's when AM was still more popular than SSB on those bands. I 
believe I paid $100 for it and the speaker.

My own TX gear was AM/SSB and CW and mostly homebrew with a converted 
NCL-2000 on 6 (which I still use) and a pair of  4CX250B's on 144, 220 and 
432 with a common PS and PP 811A's modulator. The NCL ran as an AM linear at 
~ 400W out and the other amps were switchable from Class C to AB2.

The NC-300 lasted for about 3 years and was replaced by a 75A4 with a 
Collins NB when SSB really caught on and QRM was often intense. I used 10M 
for the IF and not Nationals converter band.

Those were fun days.

Carl
KM1H




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Young" <youngbob53 at msn.com>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 5:06 PM
Subject: [Boatanchors] Hammarlund HQ-170A vs. National NC-300



I've never owned an HQ-170 but have owned many Hammarlund Super Pros along 
with an HQ-180 (still do). The HQ-180 was the same radio as an HQ-170 but 
general coverage. Mine is a good stable radio, the audio is pinched though 
and I miss not having a crystal filter. There both triple conversion and a 
pain to align. The HQ-170A (and HQ-180A) were the ones in which the (I 
think) oscillator tube stayed lit all the time along with having a SS 
rectifier.

Bob Young
KB1OKL
-
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:28:53 -0400
> From: "W8KZW"

> I have the Hammarlund and an opportunity to acquire the National. Will be
> used with my Ranger, primarily for AM.
>
> Which is the preferred radio and why?
>
> Thanks,
> jeff
> W8KZW
>
>
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