[Hallicrafters] Opinions on the SX-110

[Glen Zook]

Now, Duane, my parents didn't have any idea as to what
a Collins unit was.  Of course there was a fellow who
lived down the block that operated a TV shop out of
his garage.  He did keep me in old TV chassis for
parts and a cabinet, or two, for whatever I wanted to
use it for.  He also gave me a television set for my
room that was much better than the one in my parent's
living room.

Now I have you know that I am definitely NOT a "dirty
old man"!  I am getting close to becoming a "sexy
senior citizen" but still have a few years to go.

Actually, I do go on crusades (at times) to get people
to learn how to use their equipment.  There are even a
number of the instruction manuals for various Japanese
made equipment that are just plain wrong in telling
the operator how to use the equipment, especially on
SSB transmitting.  Of course there are some mistakes
in the frequency allocation chart for amateur radio
that at least one of the manufacturers puts out (the
frequency limits for certain modes are incorrect but
are correct on the chart that is available from the
ARRL website).

It does "gripe" me when amateur radio operators
complain about "nearby" stations interferring with
"their" QSO.  There are all sorts of reasons why this
can happen, but, more times than not, the station that
is "suffering" the interference is running the
preamplifier wide open and are not using the proper
filter.  When the preamplifier is disabled the
problems generally drop to less than 10% of what they
were before.  Then when the proper filter is used they
generally go away completely.

That is just one of the many things that can be
avoided if the operator learns the proper way to use
his/her equipment.  Unfortunately, the tendency today
is to open the box, connect the microphone and
antenna, and then to start operating.  No need to take
a few minutes to actually learn how to use the
equipment.  Turn all the knobs fully clockwise and
have at it.

There are a few local (to me) fairly newly licensed
amateur radio operators that I have "taken under my
wing" and have shown them how to use their equipment. 
They have simply been amazed that by turning down the
preamplifier and doing other things that they can hear
and work stations that someone down the street doesn't
even have a "clue" that the station is even on the
air.

I have shown them that even though there are quite a
number of "locals" on the band that they can copy
stations without having "overload" problems from the
other locals.  It is all in learning how to use the
equipment properly.

By the way, my Novice Class rig was a Hallicrafters
S-107 (reboxxed S-53A) and a WRL Globe Chief 90A.

Anyway, enough crusading for now.

Glen, K9STH

--- "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com> wrote:

According to N6GJR, if Carl can be believed, GZ cut
his baby teeth on a Collins Am transmitter case his
family used for a coat closet!

Glen, K9STH

Web sites

http://home.comcast.net/~k9sth
http://home.comcast.net/~zcomco

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