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

[W5HTW at att.net]

The postings about the SW53, etc. remind me that ALL the ham stations of my 
Novice and early General era were of that ilk.  I knew no-one with dream rigs 
of the day, and especially the teens in my high school class, back in 1956 when 
I got started with the Novice.  One of my closest friends ran, in fact, an SW53 
and an AT-1.  Another ran a homebrew AM transmitter, with a Heath VFO,  of 25 
watts input, and an S38C.  The most luxurious station among my classmates was 
one fellow with a brand new DX35, I believe, and an RME45 receiver, which I 
adored. 

My own start was not so fancy, a Sears Silverton portable, and a homebrew 
6AG7-6L6 40 meter rig.  And I dreamed of having an S38!  It would be another 18 
months or so before I finally bought a NEW S-85 to use with my newly acquired 
T90 ARC5 (??) 7 MHZ command transmitter. Prior to that I would have gladly 
given my left girlfriend for an SW53.   

We've come a long ways, baby.  Oddly, I am still able to hear things on my 
Drake R4B that I can barely find on other radios, and my SX71 is a 
frequently-used radio for AM reception.  

But I  would point out that that quote below is no longer entirely accurate, 
except, of course, with us boat-anchor types.  Just one of many examples I have 
heard recently that proves exactly the opposite is listening to a couple of 
guys talking about the internet linking.  One of them was bragging about "he 
sounded like he was in the same room with me," in reference to a station 1800 
miles away, via the internet.  It seems the goal today may actually be to cut 
out the QRM, QSB, QRN, and the challenge.  While that, on the surface, appears 
to be a political statement, it is a comment about the redefined ham radio, in 
which ease of contact,  with minimal disruptions, IS the goal.  In that light, 
an SW53, or S38C, or S85, SX71 or even an SX88,  would be like driving a 
Conostoga Wagon on the Interstate (well, in the case of the SX88, a deluxe 
Conostoga!) - it just isn't the same ball game at all.  We seem to prefer the 
obstacles to be overcome for us, rather than doing them ourselves. 

If that is the goal, the HT18 (I had one and enjoyed it, teamed with a Mosley 
CM-1 receiver) and SW53 would cause some serious teeth-grinding!  The hard-core 
hobbyists will always enjoy the SW53, S38 series, SX96, etc.  It's the 
difference between an Austin-Healy 100-6 from 1957, and a Buick Riviera of 
2002.  

That SW53 is a "hands on" technology!  (Of course, it will never light a candle 
to my SX71!) 

73
Ed


> >
> > 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.
>