[Hallicrafters] Devoted to Restoring or OP Only- Who's Right?

[hwhall at compuserve.com]

> but as an OP only why not just get a modern solid
> state rig (a good one) and get rid of all the nuisance antiques?

If one has to ask, one probably won't understand the answer! <G> 
Seriously, though, the original message sort of contains a false 
dichotomy. There are of course not just-operators and just -restorers. 
Folks who love old technology often love it in its natural element, in 
use that is. Others are dedicated solely to preservation. Still others, 
probably the vast majority, are in the middle or hold both views at 
different times or for different circumstances. It's an old and 
sometimes too contentious situation,and exists in old radio, old 
aircraft, old automobile, etc., etc. communities. Happily, there 
generally is room in the world for both views about old technologies, 
unless perhaps it is a case of something so exceedingly rare (like a 
"there was only one made" item) that the two views cannot both be 
satisfied at the same time! Hopefully, that is a rare event.....
--Wayne
 WB4OGM

-----Original Message-----
From: WA1KBQ at aol.com
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Sun, Nov 1, 2009 7:05 am
Subject: [Hallicrafters] Devoted to Restoring or OP Only- Who's Right?

Being devoted to OP only is great but is is the  only way to enjoy the 
old
radio hobby? No offense intended toward those who take  a dim view 
toward
the restorers among us but as an OP only why not just get a  modern 
solid
state rig (a good one) and get rid of all the nuisance antiques? It  
will work
far better than anything you currently use and you won't have to be  
fixing
BA's all the time or looking all over for parts. Many "restorers" 
pursue
restoration for the thrill of the chase after deciding to try to find 
something
 fairly rare and then for the sense of accomplishment in applying their
talents  and craftsmanship to see if they can be successful in making 
something
nice out  of it. If it does move to a shelf eventually it may be after 
the
"restorer" has  finished tinkering with it and enjoyed using it on the 
air
for a sufficient  amount of time and is ready to move on to something 
else.
Additionally many  "restorers" are also interested in the history of 
the
company that made the item  so usually data is collected on the piece 
as well,
(books, manuals and  advertising) and the total experience results in
experience and historical  knowledge gained and practical skills honed. 
The sense
of personal  accomplishment will be something folks who have never been
through it to stay  with a job to successful completion could ever 
possibly
understand. A problem in  the old radio hobby is there is no governing 
body to
oversee and apply  guidelines to restoration and give it a description 
so
consequently all work is  left up to the opinion of the individual of 
what that
is. Maybe one standard  could be when an item is examined by an 
experienced
trained outside observer he  has to ask if the item is original or has 
it
been restored, the answer not being  readily apparent upon his 
inspection.

I have a Hallicrafters S-2 here,  one of only two known to exist. It's 
an
inexpensive bandswitched TRF but it was  Hallicrafters first 
communications
receiver. It's completely original in every  way and not in bad shape. 
All
the components have original manufacturer names  and date codes so it's 
an
accurate historical record of Bill Halligan's first  receiver. I 
measured power
supply components to determine if safe for power then  slowly applied 
power
to see what we had. It exhibited a loud hum indicating it  would be an 
easy
restoration but what would be lost historically if I did that  just so 
I
could hear it work? You would know by looking at the schematic it  
wouldn't be
much, possibly an Ocean Hopper would outperform it. The receiver is
waiting until I decide how to proceed with it.


I usually work on a  group of four projects at any given time in order 
to
stay busy and productive.  They all start and stop and it seems you are
always temporarily held up on one  of them for something, parts, 
re-plating,
outside refinishing or whatever so you  have to bounce around a lot 
among them.
One of the current jobs is a complete  1932 National AGS-X airport 
ground
station. I had a screw company remake the  black #8 Type "B" sheetmetal 
screws
and the black #10-32 slotted truss head rack  mounting screws and I 
have a
wire company reproducing the original brown cloth  covered rubber 
insulated
power supply cables. Other projects going on now  include the 
Hallicrafters
HT-9 mentioned earlier and a National NC-400 I  recently picked up in 
South
Bend Indiana. Also am getting ready to start on  another SX-88 project. 
I
will probably focus on restoring right now while I am  still able 
enough to do
it and perhaps turn into more of a user after I retire  when maybe all 
the
work will have been done and all that is left is to just  relax and 
enjoy.
That's the plan anyway, we'll see if it actually works out that  way I 
guess.

73, Greg

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