[Hallicrafters] SX-62 Question

[Craig Roberts]

The SX-62 was the later "decorator" version of the SX-42.  You're right 
-- it was marketed as a "parlor" radio, not a pure communications 
receiver and featured the aesthetically popular slide rule dial.  I 
figure the marketing guys in Chicago probably got together with the 
Hallicrafters bean counters and figured out a way to strip down the 
niche market SX-42 -- thus saving a gob of money per unit produced -- 
and sell it to a new market segment.  Not only is the S-meter, 
multi-position crystal filtering, variable BFO and bandspread missing, 
so is the complex and expensive dial gear drive.  It was replaced by the 
simple and cheap dial string and pulley setup.  Even the shield over the 
variable capacitors is gone in the '62.  Clearly, there was cost-cutting 
in mind.

My first "real" receiver as a kid back in the late 50's was a very used 
SX-42. The upper bands didn't work (the 10.7 MHz IF ones) and its 
original cabinet had been purloined and replaced with an ill-fitting BUD 
unit.  I longed for the much classier SX-62, which featured such 
luxurious amenities as a countries legend on the deluxe slide rule dial. 
Wowee!

Years later I began to appreciate the qualities of my original SX-42, 
however, and spent about nine months and an embarrassing number of 
dollars to restore one to better than factory new condition.  It resides 
in a place of honor in my shack.

73,

Craig
W3CRR