[Hallicrafters] Head Scratcher

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

David,

Here is what I can tell you that I know to be accurate:

1. The first time the "X" was used was as previously stated, the SX-4, it 
was in 1934

2. The three receivers; S-4, S-5 and S-6 1934-1935 were all about identical, 
with one exception. The "X Band"! The S-4 and S-6 did cover it, what was it, 
28MCS - 30 MCS?

3. Was the inclusion of the "X Band for the first time the reason for the 
"X" designation? No!

4. The first time the crystal filter was offered as an option, was in the 
1934 SX-4 model. Hence we have two "X" factors operating that year. But the 
"X" designation meant then, and continued to mean throughout receiver 
production, the inclusion of the crystal filter, no matter if it was an 
option, as in the first SX-4, SX-5 and SX-6 models or standard in later 
models.

5. Here is the only fact i can document for certain as to the origin of the 
use of "S" by Hallicrafters. The first three receivers the S-1, S-2 and S-3 
were not superhetrodyne, the first one of those was the S-4. So that was not 
the source of the "S"

The first Hallicrafters receiver was the S-1 named the Skyrider, after the 
1933 Chicago Worlds Fair ride, the Sky Ride! The "S" refers to the Skyrider 
series which went on for a heck of a long time with various incarnations; 
Super Skyrider, Ultra Skyrider etc.

Hence, it is believed this is the true origin of that "S" gentlemen.

You may not read this in any book on Hallicrafters, yet! But I have the 
documentation that clearly shows this was the source directly from a comment 
by Bill Halligan on an audio tape that I have.

Now this raises a point i would like some factual, not speculative, input 
on. The H-13 receiver. I know who made it and I know that Bill Halligan 
owned one. But here is the puzzle. If Bill owned a H-13 when he was first 
licensed in about 1914(not in 1916 as 1AEH as shown by the call books, as 
Bill was already a Ham when he was fifteen and that was in 1913!), how could 
the first Hallicrafters receiver have been the H-13? I have two different 
people making reference to this as the first Hallicrafters receiver, later 
renamed the S-1.

Fact or error? Does anyone have any solid facts to solve the puzzle with?

Thank you.

Duane Fischer, W8DBF
HHRP





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Thompson" <thompson at mindspring.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 9:17 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Head Scratcher


> There were SX models before WW II such as the SX-16 and 17.  I thought the 
> X
> meant crystal selectivity much as Hammarlund used in the HQ-129X et al.  I
> have both the HQ-120 and HQ-120X.  The difference is the crystal
> selectivity.  (wish it meant more stable HI.
>
> Another head scratcher is the S-76.  When this receiver was introduced it
> was at first called the SX-76 in Ads but later changed to just plain S-76.
> I asked this question of Trav Marshall K9EBE but he told me the folks who
> were involved in the S-76 were either dead or gone by the mid 1960's.  The
> S-76 was the first in a line that went from the S-76 to the SX-96 to the
> Sx-100.  At this point the basic design was split into the Ham band only
> SX-101 or the general and severly cut down SX-110.
>
> 73 Dave K4JRB
>
>
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