[Boatanchors] New Addition To The Shack!

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Good find (and price), Mike. I'm certainly no SX-101 or even Halli
expert, from from memory:

 - the 101A dumped the 160m band in favor of using the dial space for
a converter band, 6m comes to mind

 - the latest 101As had the large flat-sided knobs like the SR-150 and
so on. Also true of the later SX-62As and all 62Bs

 - earlier 101As had the same fluted knobs used on the 101s

Hope this is of some help. I'm sure others can give additional
information. Regardless of the age, you got a great radio for the
price! I have fond memories of looking at a beautiful SX-101 in an
OT's shop one night in the early 80s and wishing I had the $100 to
take it home with me. Had to settle for a WWII VHF Naval receiver, a
pile of tubes, and some early century wireless magazines instead.

Enjoy -

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4

On Sun, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:05 PM, Michael D. Harmon <mharmon at att.net> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I was browsing yesterday in my neighborhood electronics emporium, and
> happened to glance down at a large cabinet on the bottom shelf, amid the
> second and third hand VCR's, stereo speakers and CB radios.  Wow, that
> thing looks like an old Hallicrafters receiver!  Yep, sure 'nuff, it's
> an SX-101A!
>
> The receiver had no price tag, which was surprising, because it's
> usually the first thing the store owner does to a new addition to the
> place.  I was expecting something like the $350 he has on an old HP 608
> signal generator that's been there a couple of years.  I went up to the
> teenyboppers who were at the counter comparing their nail polish and
> asked them where the owner was.  The one with the purple hair managed to
> tell me he was around somewhere, maybe in the basement, but she didn't
> know  for sure.  I hung around a few minutes, but he never appeared.  I
> went back and asked her again if she could try to find him.  She asked
> me what I wanted him for, and when I told her I needed to ask some
> questions, she replied that she could answer any question I had.
>
> I asked her how much they wanted for the old receiver on the bottom
> shelf.  She asked me if I was talking about the "big old heavy thing",
> and I told her yes, the big old heavy thing.  She asked me what the
> price tag said, and I told her there was no tag.  Finally, with a great
> deal of effort, she put down her nail polish bottle and headed for the
> basement stairs.  I told her to tell the guy that I'd give him $50 and
> haul it away for free.  She came back and said OK!
>
> I cleaned it up, checked the tubes, sprayed the pots and switches, and
> fired it up on a Variac.  By the time I got the line voltage up to
> normal, I could hear signals on the 75M band.   I need to clean the pots
> and switches a little better, because they're pretty noisy.  In the AM
> position, the receiver goes dead, so I have a little troubleshooting to
> do.  I need one of the small knobs used for the Notch Depth and Pointer
> Reset controls.  However, for $50 it's a real find!  It'll be a great
> addition to the AM boatanchor station I'm putting together.  Maybe I'll
> pair it up with my Viking II!
>
> Does anyone out there have a file of mods for the SX-101A?   From my
> research, I believe it's the latest of the 101 family (after the Mk I,
> II and III).  Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.  Does anyone know
> of any common problems with these receivers?
>
> I'll probably replace the black beauties one of these days, but the
> receiver seems to be functional (at least on CW/SSB) as is.  I need to
> find out why the AM mode is dead as a doornail.  The AM detector tube
> checks OK, so it's probably a bad coupling cap or a bad connection
> somewhere.
>
> 73,
> Mike, WB0LDJ
> mharmon at att dot net
> _______________________________________________
>