[Hallicrafters] History

[Grant Youngman]

I can't stand the nostalgia when these discussions come up :-)

Henry Radio in LA in 1959.  Radio, Inc. in Tulsa.  Wonderful place to visit
in the late-50's -- early 60's.  Once I got my drivers license, I probably
spent 9 of 10 Saturday mornings down there.  Big (at least it seemed that
way at the time) room, floor to ceiling with used gear --- looked a lot like
those old adds from Associated Radio.  Any part, chassis, dial, whatever you
needed.  Bought an RME 4350A with SSB slicer there.  Actually traded -- an
SX-100 and DX-40 -- for the 4350A.  Where can you do that anymore?  I used
that 4350A, with a Globe Champ 350, that my Dad found in the newspaper
classifieds for almost nothing, all through high-school.  And I can attest
to the fact that even early on, RME had a serious problem with the planetary
drive on that otherwise nice receiver.  Even after managing to get a new
shaft from Electro-Voice, it still never quite worked as advertised.

And there was a place in Houston, name long forgotten, that sold a lot of
surplus gear -- probably mid-60's timeframe, although my memory is a bit dim
on that.  I seem to recall they were downtown somewhere.  I remember huge
variable caps that were stacked against the windows so you could see them
from the street.  Always had to wear a drool bib when I went in there :-)

Last time I drove across town to Texas Towers, 3-4 years ago, they had one
or two pieces of used junk.  ECI is gone, the "first Saturday" sidewalk sale
is 99% computer junk and stuff made out of twigs,leaves and berries
(handicrafts), and Jim Tucker's ham radio and surplus place (great place to
browse) didn't survive very long.

There's just no comparison between one of those old great shops and a 1-800
number, or eBay, or ....  :-)

Grant/NQ5T