[Hallicrafters] SX-88 Overhype Continues

[Carl]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <WA1KBQ at aol.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 4:51 PM
Subject: [Hallicrafters] SX-88 Value Controversy Continues

> The SX-88 was actually a top  of the line benchmark receiver for
> Hallicrafters in it's day much as the Pro-310  was for Hammarlund and 
> though a little late
> to dinner, so too the NC-400 for  National. Not one of these three was 
> a
> sales success for the companies, however.  Does this mean they all had 
> problems as
> another poster suspected was the case  for SX-88 or were deficient in 
> some
> way? I tend to think these expensive "halo"  receivers failed in the 
> marketplace
> because hams earned a reputation over the  years of being tightfisted. 
> Since
> 1934 Hallicrafters steadily built a reputation  for offering the most 
> features
> at the lowest price and then suddenly in 1954  there appears this 
> $5000
> (equiv. 2008 dollars) Hallicrafters version! In  subsequent years the 
> amateur
> marketplace backed this up by pointing out most  hams will buy a 
> Heathkit or an
> import before shelling out the equivalent of  $5000 for a 
> Hallicrafters receiver.


That above paragraph is so full of self styled misinformation and BS I 
can see why you were eventually ignored over on AMfone; a thread which I 
didnt take part in.

Using the Pro-310 as a benchmark is a laugh. It died because it was a 
dog; it was too early for SS to surprass tubes unless you were the 
government. The NC-400 was obsolete before it went into production plus 
every one built lost money.

You try and portray yourself as being a high end collector but the more 
you post the less you really seem to know about the history of the 
companies you mention.

National had no problem selling the HRO to hams during the Depression or 
after the war; any model including the HRO-500. The NC-183, 183D, NC-300 
or 303 werent cheap yet sold well and the latter pair were limited to 
just ham bands.

Collins came out with the 75A in 1946 and just kept on making them 
better and more expensive as hams bought up every one made.

Hammarlund had no problem selling the HQ-170 or 180.

Hams are no more tightfisted than the general public. Some bought 
Fords/Chevy/Plymouth prewar and others had anything they wanted to 
choose from all the way to the Duesenberg SJ and Caddy V-16's. After the 
war it was the same Big 3 low end and the Henry J/Allstate. At the high 
end there was the Lincoln V-12 Continental, Packards, Caddys, Imperials 
and everything in between. Consider the Corvette as a hamband only car.

Bottom feeder hams had the S-38's, SW-54, and others,  and could go up 
from there as their happy little hearts desired.

I think its time to end this thread as it is going nowhere that will 
change anyones opinion.

When the economy gets to the point that a SX-88 sells for what I 
consider a reasonable price I will add one to the collection of over 300 
radios here. For Hallis they go back to the SX-9 early and late 
production.

Carl
KM1H