[Boatanchors] WTB: Stand alone HF Receiver

[Doug Hensley]

Howie,


If we are talking about radios marketed to the hams, the number one general coverage receiver in those years was the Hammarlund HQ-180A.  It was, at least on some bands, a triple conversion radio.  It's acclaim & popularity back then attests to some pretty satisfying performance to those who could afford it.  If matching the brand & period more closely, and most hams I think would disagree with me, the Heath Mohawk is another good choice for the DX-100 IF you will take the time to work with it.  Electric Radio has had a number of articles on the Mohawk designed to make it more useable and more enjoyable as a signals receiver.  There is also a company called Cumbria Designs in the UK that makes a wonderful product called the X-Lock VFO stabilizer.  Attached to the VFO properly, the X-Lock will turn the Mohawk VFO into a competitive non-drifting device.  One of the dozens of digital readout kits could also be used to monitor when close quarters are in order.


Having said all this, I think the best generally available set in the 70's was the Drake R4 line, A, B or C.  Incorporating Sherwood Engineering updates, the R4B or R4C will run rings around any other boat anchor including the military and heavy boat-anchor receivers.  However, a Drake R4C sitting next to the Heath DX-100 is not what I think you are after.


Let us all know what you end up doing.


Cheers,


Doug W5JV


P.S. I have R808, R392, R390A, SP-600, R388, Mohawk, SX-101A, 75A4, etc receivers available as well as Apache, Marauder, Warrior, CE-100V, CE-200V, CE-600L, HT-33A, HT-32, etc transmitters too.  Just not enough time in life to photo and auction them off.  I suspect they will just get eaten by the beast who lives in the Deep 6 Territory 😞.....