[Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters repair

[Mike Everette]

I wrote:

 > Hmm, I do have to wonder why Halligan & Co. felt as
> if they had to make their receivers so hard to work on.
> Maybe the intent was that they would not be repaired, past a
> certain point... merely, REPLACED.  With another Halli,
> of course....
> > 
> > 73
> > 
> > Mike
> > W4DSE
> > 

Richard observed:

>     Not all of their receivers are that hard to
> work on 

No, not all... but I have restored several different Halli receivers, and my observations come from experience.

The SX-28 is a bear, especially in the front end.  (been there, done that)  I dunno how it was done back in the Pleistocene era of huge soldering irons and blacksmith-style tools; but I'm sure some guys did it.

The SX-24 and SX-25 have some components in the front end which take a LOT of thinking and planning, before heating up the iron to remove them; and even then they seem beyond the ken of many would-be repairers.  Even the lowly S-22R has this problem.

Ever seen an early-run SX-23?  I have to wonder how to get into it... (dynamite comes to mind) let alone repair it.  (The second-run version is easier.)

I wouldn't touch an SX-42.  Most of the ones I've seen have serious band switch issues (burned wafers and/or contacts mainly).  Some guys can get them apart, but I'll beg off.  Indeed, some time ago I knew one guy (now SK) who bought his SX-42 new -- he even had the accessory base for it -- and after the switch fried, waited over 30 years before someone finally was able to fix it for him.  During the 30-year interim he said he was pretty much QRT, at least till 2 meter FM came along.  Could not afford to replace the receiver, or maybe his wife gave him grief over it; not sure which.  Sad tale, to be sure.

Never worked on an SX-62, but my understanding is that they have pretty much the same issues.

Restringing some of the dials is a something that rhymes with witch... the SX-71 comes to mind.

The problem most likely comes from the assembly methods used.  The radios were probably built in sections or layers, or in stages.  And, I seriously doubt that much thought was given to methods of disassembly for repair.  This is why I say, I don't think some of them were meant to be repaired.

By comparison, Hammarlund and especially National receivers are very easy to work on.

Halli isn't the only maker guilty of this, though.

My opinion, for what it's worth; and you're free to disagree.

73

Mike
W4DSE