[Hallicrafters] Why I'm a Hallicrafters Guy

[Roger K8RI]

I had been following Ham Radio topics for years and purchasing the 
occasional QST.  (It was available on the news stands back then).  I 
remember the first one I ever saw had an article on building a superhet 
receiver that used 20 tubs, give or take a few.

What caught my eye was the elegance of the latest, state of the art 
Hallicrafters rigs in the adds.  Man, they were heavy, but looked like a 
radio was supposed to look as far as I was concerned.

My first receiver, like Mike's was an S40B, but it had a Heathkit 
Q-multiplier and the RF amp had been replaced with a doorknob tube.  I 
actually had that thing hookd up in my car with an inverter just to prove it 
could be done.  Wellll...cars were a lot bigger back then. They had "room" 
even compared to the big SUVs of today.  OTOH today's SUVs probably get 
better gas mileage and have more performance.

I learned the code as a Boy Scout, but never did anything about a ham ticke 
until one day, as a bored college freshman setting in the dorm room up at 
CMU I suddenly had a driving "need" to find a ham and learn about Ham Radio. 
So, I headed to the nearest TV repair shop and after going through a couple 
found one where a Ham worked.  They gave me his number, I called, and then 
went out the visit that evening.

Tom (K8IVX) was out in his shop running a 200V as I recall.  It seems as if 
the receiver was a Hallicrafters, probably an SX-101, but I really don't 
remember. What I do remember is him taking to me, drinking a cup of coffee, 
and holding a CW QSO, all at the same time.  Now I eventually managed to get 
my speed up there, but I never was able to hold two conversations at one 
time.  I'm happy with being able to chew gum and walk at the same time.

When I left Tom's I took that S40B with me and a couple weeks later passed 
the Novice test.  It took a while but I ended up with a Globe Chief hooked 
up with the S40B and had many a QSO.  The S40B was replaced with an RME-6900 
and the Globe Chief was replaced with a Ranger (once I had it 
completed...builtit from a kit).  Eventually the Ranger was replaced by an 
HT-37. (I couldn't afford an HT-32)

At any rate, I always admired those big heavy Halicrafters rigs that looked 
like good solid communications gear.  A few years ago I came across a 
working SX101A in pretty good shape.  I've since picked up a couple HT32s 
(straight HT32 and an HT32B), several SX101s of various incarnations and 
states of decay as well as one very nice HT-33B.  Now some day I may 
actually get my *complete* Hallicrafters station on the air.

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com