[Hallicrafters] How to Destroy a Nice Hallicrafters Receiver

[Roger K8RI]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julian Bunn" <Julian.Bunn at caltech.edu>
To: "Roger K8RI" <hallicraftersgroup at rogerhalstead.com>
Cc: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] How to Destroy a Nice Hallicrafters Receiver


>I don't know about anybody else, but I would *love* to
> see a photo of Roger's modded '59 airplane (from the
> year I was born!).

http://www.rogerhalstead.com/833R/833R_frame.htm
These are some old scans which need to be replaced with much better ones.

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

>
> Sometimes a mod is necessary. The SX42 I was working on
> blew its mains transformer, and there was no replacement
> I could find. So I was obliged to replace it with a
> different transformer, remove the 5U4 tube, and use
> silicon rectifier diodes instead. I didn't like doing
> it, but it was either that or not have the radio
> working ... an easy choice. And of course the regulation
> is *much* better with the silicon :-)
>
>
> Julian
>
> Roger K8RI wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 7/11/06, Peter May <peter_may at optusnet.com.au> wrote:
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>>> It's hard to believe, but there was a time when an old tube radio was 
>>>> worth
>>>> nothing, anything not solid state was valueless.
>>
>> I still tend to think of many of them as worth little.
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm also going to admit to what on this group amounts to almost 
>> blasphemy; I converted an HT-33B that looked like new to use a different 
>> tube.
>>
>>
>>
>> At one time I had a *pile* of ARC-5s that were nothing but parts for 
>> projects.
>>
>>
>>
>>>> So people modded and experimented these sets with no concern to the
>>>> cosmetic/aesthetic appearance value, or the interest of future 
>>>> generations.
>>
>>
>> Most of the old rigs I tried to keep "looking" stock, but back in "the 
>> days" I modified many a commercial rig including a KWM-2, 75S3, 32S3, 
>> SR160, HT44, SX117
>>
>>
>>
>>>> If they messed up, they stripped it for parts or binned it with no 
>>>> regrets.
>>>> If it was missing knobs they pinched them from another radio.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I always had enough duplicates that I could get knobs from some where.
>>
>>
>>> Herein lies the real issue. Unless someone knows it was converted last
>>> week by some collector who 'knew better', it's not really fair to
>>> judge the past by today's standards (or at all, for that matter).
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> However so far we are talking peanuts.  I have an airplane that is the 
>> oldest of it's kind in existence. It was built in 1959 which makes it 
>> older than many of the radios we talk about. List price when new was 
>> $19,300. It's worth many times that now.  There is a museum that would 
>> like it, but of course that would only get me a tax deduction.  Being 
>> retired, on a pension, and SS, tax deductions are not real high on my 
>> "needed list"<:-)) There is little left in that airplane that is stock. 
>> The thin 2-piece windshield has been replaced with a one piece that is 
>> 1/2" thick.  It extends quite a ways forward of where the original ended 
>> and that meant a fair amount of metal work. The side windows have been 
>> replaced with some that are 1/4" thick and the rear window on each side 
>> is a long 1/4" thick unit and it  didn't even have a window there.
>>
>>
>>> There was a time when ARC-5 receivers really were $5 or less NIB, and
>>
>>
>> In the early 60's you could often find them for free and by the dozens.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ø      people had no issue with improving the performance (by cutting or
>>
>> Ø
>>
>> Most of us just used the ARC-5s as a convenient source of parts and 
>> 1625s.
>>
>>
>>
>>> drilling) of their surplus or current technology rig the same as some
>>> do today with their recent Yaecomwood riceboxes, for whatever reason.
>>> Once upon a time this old gear was actually seen for its utility and
>>> not as a financial investment, R at RE collectible, or means of upstaging
>>> your collector friends. There probably were a few who were even
>>> envious that the former owner had a monitor 'scope in his receiver,
>>> like the Central Electronics 100V/200V transmitters.
>>>
>>> If your radio broke down, you fixed it. The object was to be on the
>>> air or at least listening, not admiring it on a shelf. Fixing it might
>>
>>
>> I tended to want the radio, even if modified, to look good.
>>
>> <snip>
>>
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>> ----
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>>
>
> -- 
> Julian Bunn
> Caltech
>
> Tel: +1 626 395 6681
> Mob: +1 626 375 4628
> WWW: pcbunn.cacr.caltech.edu/jjb.html
>
>
>
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> ----
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> dfischer at usol.com
> ----
> Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
>