[Hallicrafters] HT-18/S-53A Station - good point from Roni

Fri Jan 24 19:36:15 EST 2003

Hi folks -
I'm forwarding Ron's note to me about the HT18/S-53A (which might save him
some email time hi hi) and I can;t say that I really disagree with anything
he says. The great thing about these reflectors is you get to learn from
everyone. Ron has some really good and enjoyable obserervations........well
not quite as good as the Liberty Ship discussions (very interesting!)....but
certainly well worth reading!  Have a great weekend folks!
73/Tim NZ7C

> Tim,
>
> You stated your opinion could be totally wrong.  Usually, opinions
> aren't right or wrong...they are just informed or uninformed.  And, of
> course, that, too is just my opinion. :-)
>
> I'm very sorry you haven't had some of the experiences that those of us
> have had who were in ham radio in those long ago and golden days of ham
> radio.
>
> Had you been around in 1957, the year I was first licensed, you would
> know that "true Ham work" is a meaningless phrase.  What would be
> "false" Ham work?
>
> Is the person who calls CQ on the same rockbound frequency, using 75
> watts and a mediochre receiver doing any less "true" ham work than the
> ham with the latest whizbang, computerized- out-the-kazoo transceiver?
>
> I don't think so.
>
> Of course, the S-53 has limitations.  Show me a receiver or transceiver
> that doesn't.
>
> It is in learning to "work" with these limitations that many of us
> learned some of ham radio's most important lessons.  Until you have sat
> with a pair of "cans" on your ears,  straining to hear the guy you are
> working...with two, three, maybe four other signals on top of him...and
> still manage to copy well enough to have a QSO, you have no framework of
> reference for your opinion.
>
> It is uninformed.
>
> Waste of time and effort?  To learn how to "make do" with what you have?
>   I think not.
>
> Very disappointing?  Hardly!  It depends on your expectations.  We ALLOW
> ourselves to be disappointed because of unreasonable expectations.
>
> And that is something our equipment taught us in the 50's and even
> before that -- to do our best with what we  have is NEVER a
disappointment.
>
> Sure, if a person can afford better, I wouldn't RECOMMEND a S-53 either.
>
> But that's not the point.
>
> The point is that ham radio isn't about perfect 100% QSO's with no QRM,
> QRN, QSB etc. They are just as much a part of ham radio as the equipment
> we use.  TRUE ham radio, if there is such a thing, is  about learning to
> OVERCOME obstacles, not make disparaging remarks about the equipment.
>
> I DREAMED of having an S-53 when I was a novice in 1957.  It may not
> have performed much better than the brand new S-38D I was using, but I
> thought it would!  But the S-38D was all I could afford, and no one told
> me I wasn't supposed to be able to work 43 states and 11 countries on 40
> meters (one rockbound frequency!) with a random length of wire soaking
> up a gargantuan 15 watts from my modified ARC-5 transmitter!
>
> So I did.
>
> And never once doubted that I was "doing true ham work"!
>
> Did I waste my time and effort?  I don't think so.  Nor is it wasted now
> when I put my little Heathkit AC-1 and restored S-38D on the air and
> belt out a CQ on 40 meters!  Do I contact everyone I call?  No, who
> does?  And if someone *does* -- does that mean they're doing true ham
> work and I'm not.  Nahhhhh.
>
> Tim, again -- I am sorry you missed out on some of the experiences that
> have come my way in 46 years of ham radio, but that will always be the
> case.  The only thing you have to learn is that ham radio isn't about
> the equipment.  That is secondary...to the operator.
>
> I have some of the most modern rigs available right now...all the bells
> and whistles.
>
> But I never for a minute make the mistake of thinking that only the
> "modern" stuff enables me to do "true ham work."  Never.
>
> Now...your next "opinion" won't be so uninformed.
>
> 73 es Long Life,
>
> Ron - KD5S  (formerly K5MVR from 1957 to 2001)
>
>
> tlogan7 at cox.net wrote:
>
> > Alan -
> > I just recently got my first Hallicrafters - the S-53A - in excellent
shape and operating as well as they were intended to operate. I love the
little critter for its historical nitch. I had intended to match it up with
the HT-18 as was done in ARRL's Low Power QRP book. However, it is my
opinion that for any type of true Ham work the S-53A is a waste of time and
effort and will be very disappointing. The S-53A is simply a nice little
tube rig for hearing foreign AM broadcasts. BTW I contacted the author of
the QRP Low Power book and he said that after doing his HT-18/S-53A station
he would efinitely not recommend it. This is just my humble opinion and
certainly could be totally wrong :-)
> > 73/Tim NZ7C
> >
> >>From: ARDUJENSKI at aol.com
> >>Date: 2003/01/24 Fri PM 04:48:57 EST
> >>To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
> >>Subject: [Hallicrafters] HT-18/S-53A Station
> >>
> >>I was fortuante to have a local ham cleaning out his storage and pass
along
> >>to me a pristine radio pair, the HT-18/S-53A set. I need to check them
out
> >>and maybe a recap in order. Truly a beautiful QRP station.
> >>
> >>I am interested in finding out others in the group that may share a
similar
> >>set.   Thanks Alan KB7MBI in Woodinville, WA
> >>
> >>
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>    KD5S  (ex K5MVR) - Loving the "glow"  since 1957
>         Fort Worth, TX  "Where the West Begins"
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