[Hallicrafters] 3 IF stage Receivers

[DAN COTSIRILOS]

I have had the pleasant opportunity to operate and own a number of
boatanchors in the last few months and there is something that I noticed
that I never did before. The older radios with 3 if gains are the best
radios ever ever made for the broadcast band! I currently have a sx-71 , a
hq-140x, a Collins 51-j3, and a sp-600 all with 3 if stages and they are
fantastic on the bc band! I just recently acquired a sx-42 and it is
performing perfect but it is not as hot as the others I mentioned in the BCB
area. The 42 has 2 rf and 2 if stages. I am not that familiar with solid
state circuitry but I don't think many of them use 3 if's. that to me is why
most of them do not perform as well as the old 3 if radios do in the BCB
area. In fact I think most newer radio attenuate the BCB to some degree as
to not overload because they lack the stages needed to filter out the local
blowtorch stations. Now this is a hobbyist's perspective not a tech's so I
would love to hear someone's else view point.  Dan