[Boatanchors] HT-20

[Robert Nickels]

On 6/19/2010 10:26 AM, Nick England wrote:
> FWIW - Here's a photo of the HT-20 that K4OZY sold - a few years back
> when I owned it and got it running with SX-88 and HT-18. Heavy metal
> indeed.

Well, since my SX-88 only came with half of the correct extra-deep 
cabinet and the HT-20 came without one at all, I had to improvise.   I 
always was impressed by the Hallicrafters SR-500 (not the Tornado, the 
other one!) which featured the HT-30, SX-100, and HT-31 amplifier in a 
sloping-front rack cabinet.   Since I had a slope-front cabinet, the 
light bulb came on - here's a pic of my packaging setup:

*http://tinyurl.com/299b7gu

*It's complete and functional, but not quite finished as I plan to add 
either a shelf on the front or incorporate this rack into a larger 
operating table I'm pondering.  The original plan was to put the speaker 
in the lower part of the rack, but the sound of the push-pull audio 
through the R-42 is so nice at ear level, I may move the VFO down there 
instead and make a filler panel for the lower part of the rack.   I have 
full-length metal supports under both radios and putting them in and out 
of the rack is far easier than rassling 'em out of a cabinet, although 
when it comes to the HT-20, you better eat your Wheaties!

The HT-20 uses a multi-pole toggle switch for T/R and since mine was 
flaky anyhow, I decided to install a relay to provide the convenience 
of  PTT on the mic, and an extra set of contacts handles the antenna T/R 
as well.  The original front-panel T/R switch now keys the PTT relay and 
the whole thing can be easily returned to stock if anyone should ever 
want to.     I think the SX-73 would be a great mate for an HT-20!

73, Bob W9RAN
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