[Hallicrafters] Re News From Halli Legend Dr. Max, HB9RS

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi All,

This afternoon while serving as temporary NCS for the Halligan's 
Hallicrafters International Saturday 40 meter Net, somebody rang my Ham 
Shack hot line chimes. It was not a soliciter, gee what a shock! It was my 
dear friend Dr. Max De Henseler, HB9RS from Switzerland.

He is the author of the outstanding historical account on both William 
Halligan, Sr. and the Hallicrafters Company. The publication, formerly 
available in hard copy and now on CD, entitled "The Hallicrafters Story". It 
is by far the most comprehensive and most accurate of any available. Partly 
due to Max, and his lovely wife Renate, whom he lost several years ago to 
Heaven, being close personal friends of Bill and Katie Halligan. Because of 
their relationship, Max became aware of details and previously not 
published, or publically discussed, products, events and historical 
happenings the rest of the Ham population were totally unaware of. I 
strongly urge those of you who want an outstanding candid look into the 
birth and life of Hallicrafters to obtain a copy of this publication.

"NOT" a commercial or pitch, just a 'heads up' on a book well worth your 
time!

FYI: There are also a huge amount of articles, original speech/lecture 
transcripts, photos, personal letters, seldom seen product Ads, original 
live audio recordings of interviews and lectures, the "only" known live 
video of Bill Halligan on DVD and much much more available from the Halligan 
Historical Radio Project. About 85% of this was never before released! See 
the link in the footer.

Dr. Max has donated his extensive collection of Hallicrafters equipment to 
the Swiss Air Force Museum. If you have a QSL from HB9RS, the gear shown on 
the card was part of this collection! Max retained a SX-28 with matching 
PM-23 speaker, SX-42 and matching R-42 speaker and several other golden 
glows from yesteryear. I personally "hope" that the museum that received 
these historic treasures, and in some cases, actual pieces from the pages of 
history past, proudly display them to the public and preserve them with the 
very best TLC!

I should mention that Dr. Max De Henseler paid for the publication of "The 
Hallicrafters Story" out of his own pocket about twenty years ago! Then he 
donated all the money from the sales of his book, as well as other items and 
special functions he participated in over the decades, to Ham Radio clubs 
and Amateur Radio in general. He has done a huge amount to preserve, protect 
and promote Amateur Radio to the peoples of all nations. It is a honor for 
me to call him friend.

Last year Dr. Max very kindly showed up for a surprise visit on the Sunday 
HHI 20 meter Net and talked with as many Hams as time permitted. Everyone 
who made a contact received a QSL card from him, as well as a little 
surprise he included in the envelope! I would "VERY" much like to have the 
good doctor make another appearance this year and allow more of you 
Hallicrafters devotees an opportunity to meet him. So guys, write to HB9RS 
and ask him to grace us one more time with his presence so more of us can 
have a rare chance to speak to a Ham who was really there when Ham Radio 
truly had its so called 'Golden Age'. If Max gets enough mail, we just might 
bend his coax enough to sway his dipole in our direction!

If I am fortunate enough to receive some digital photos of the equipment as 
it left its former QTH for the Swiss Air Force Museum, I will have the HHI 
Web Master, W5JT, James Thayer, post them on the web site for all to see and 
enjoy.

It may sound silly to some, but every time I am able to speak with Max I am 
reminded that I am actually speaking with a living legend. A humble hero, a 
dedicated Ham, a person who was physically present when much of Amateur 
Radio history actually happened. A man who knew Bill Halligan, as well as 
many other famous radio pioneer names, that you and I read about in books or 
on Internet web sites. I have 1.5 hours of live unedited audio of Wes, the 
founder of Central Electronics, when he showed up one Sunday for the HHI 
Net. I have four more hours of other former Hallicrafters engineers, quality 
control inspectors, production workers etc. To me, ALL of this is "real 
history", as it is coming from people who were really there when the FPM-300 
was designed or the FCC came to Bill Halligan, Sr. in 1941, before December 
7th, and asked to borrow his personal HT-4!

Thank you Dr. Max De Henseler, HB9RS for all that you have done for the 
fabulous hobby of Amateur Radio for all the Hams around the world, past, 
present and future.

Anyone know what a "Marconi Stamp" is?

How about Dr. Max helping us do a Special Event for Fathers Day? If one of 
you will volunteer to create a color certificate to commemorate the event it 
can be mailed to all who participate for the cost of the envelope with 
protective cardboard inside and postage. We will use the official club call, 
W9WZE Halligan's Hallicrafters. Your thoughts, gentlemen? Any volunteers to 
help?



Duane Fischer, W8DBF - WPE8CXO
E-Mail: dfischer at usol.com
Hallicrafters web site: www.w9wze.net
HHRP web site: hhrp.w9wze.net