[Hallicrafters] Re:Digi-crafters

[Philip Atchley]

Hi,
Think perhaps I started this one with the SX-71 question.

"Mostly" I agree, with a couple minor exceptions.  Now, perhaps if you're
looking for a CW QSO around 7040KC (no kHz on this radio) it really doesn't
matter if you're on 7040, 7050 or 7020 as long as you're in your authorized
band limits.  However!  I DO use my SX-71 for extensive DXing of the SWL
bands and for me it's a HUGE difference if I'm tuned to 11985 or 11990 if
I'm trying to ID a weak, barely readable signal.

Now, I haven't yet put a digital readout (of whatever kind) on the SX-71,
but when/if I do you can be sure that I won't be mounting it in place of any
front panel dials, or even drilling any holes! If it's small enough it
"might" be held in place by a "sticky" substance (I've found Coax seal works
well and cleans off perfectly) but that's the furthest I'd go.

However, I've been making up a set of "Logging scale" charts for this set,
(like set the bandspread on 90, tune WWV 10MHz or my marker generator in and
calibrate the dial).  With 25 KC dial increments I can easily interpolate to
10-12 KC on the higher bands and better on the low bands.  As I get more
loggings it'll probably do better than that.  Not too shabby for an almost
50 year old boatanchor with no digital dial.  Only thing is it slows you
down as you have to keep referring to the charts.

Incidentally, I've found this SX-71 maintains it's calibration very well.
Today I recalibrated the lower 4 bands as all had drifted down just a little
in frequency the past couple years (think it's been about two years since it
was last completely calibrated).  The oscillator tube probably "aged" some
but I didn't have a spare to try.

73 from the "Beaconeers Lair".
Phil, KO6BB


> This is an interesting thread and one that is repeated in other forums.
> I collect and shoot military surplus firearms. On those forums there are
> those purist who don't believe in any alteration under any
> circumstances, there are those who replace original parts with other
> original parts and make minor alterations, and there are those who will
> alter these pieces of history to suit there fancy. When it comes to
> radios I confess that I enjoy some of these great pieces that have been
> recapped and even had a tube replaced with a modern solid state device
> to prevent heat build up. On the other hand I struggle with the issue of
> a digital display. I am a digital kind of guy and think how neat it
> would be to be able to tune to the exact frequency every time but I have
> a hard time escaping from the history and ambiance of these masterpieces
> and I do have plenty of digital radios. I like to sit in the darken
> radio room listening to the news from London with with the glow of one
> of these boat anchors casting a bit of light into the room. It is a
> different experience than scanning the bands on one of my modern
> receivers in the down stairs bed room.
>
>                                                     Bill Krause

<snipped the extraneous>