[Hallicrafters] What's in a name?

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Rich,

Sorry my friend, but you are not correct. The Silver Marshall Company 
manufactured the first Hallicrafters receivers, as Bill had NO plant or 
production facility. This is well documented Rich, I have the original 
Silver Marshall catalog showing the models.

Additionally, Hallicrafters did not exist in 1932.

The H-13 was 'not' a Halligan product or design. Although one does appear in 
the Silver Marshall catalog, it is 'not' the same one that Hallicrafters 
produced!

Further complicating the H-13, is the recording I have of Bill Halligan 
saying that he had a H-13 as one of his first receivers. The actual designer 
of the H-13, I believe, is also the man who later designed the SX-23 and 
DD#1 for them. The SX-23 being a failure, unfortunately. While it was 
ingenious in many ways, and way ahead of its time, the designer was a little 
tempermental. Not uncommon among the truly brilliant. He insisted on using a 
different tuning circuit than the other engineers wanted, he finally won 
out, it was built and it did not work!

I would strongly suggest that those who truly want to know the correct story 
of these products read the Chuck Dachis book and get a copy of the video and 
audio where Bill talks about them off the record. This will dispell many of 
the misconceptions and myths circulating.

Not an insult to Rich, who is a wonderful person, very bright guy and a long 
time friend. Just a suggestion to anyone who wants to get the best facts 
available.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rich Oliver" <Rich.Oliver at lowell.edu>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Cc: <Rich.Oliver at lowell.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] What's in a name?


> Bill Halligan's first offering was the H-13 in late 1933.  It was an 
> "all-wave BC type receiver" with 13 tubes, and we might guess that the "H" 
> was for Halligan.  Never mind that he then changed the "H" to a "Z".
>
> Halligan acquired the Silver-Marshall name after they went bankrupt in 
> 1932 and he advertised his first sets under that name.  One might 
> speculate that the "S" was intended to tie in to the established 
> Silver-Marshall name.  By 1935 Hallicrafters was selling the S-4 superhet 
> and they offered it with an optional crystal filter as the SX-4.  The 
> earliest use of "X" was to indicate a crystal filter.  By the time other 
> filtering techniques became available the "X" was well-established and 
> perhaps it was just easier to stay with that convention for all enhanced 
> filtering systems.
>
> Later exceptions to the "S/SX" prefix include the 5-T, a 5 Tube entry 
> level receiver of 1936.  In 1938 came the cutting edge DD-1 dual diversity 
> receiver (pretty obvious) and in 1953 the TW-1000.  I think that must have 
> been for "Trans-World" to contrast it with Zenith's "Trans-Oceanic".  Of 
> course there were the "EC" series Echophone Commercial sets and many 
> military sets with military designations.
>
> My guess is that the naming scheme started with "S" for Silver-Marshall 
> and "X" for crystal, then it was extended to fit later sets even when the 
> fit was not perfect.
>
> I wonder how many of the very early sets survive.  I have never seen any 
> myself, and can't think of anyone who might have seen them other than 
> perhaps Chuck Dachis and Max Dehenseler.  Does anybody on the list have 
> any Hallicrafters gear from 1933 or 1934?
>
> Cheers, Rich
>
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