[Hallicrafters] Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88 Post

[Greg Gore via Hallicrafters]

Todd,
Please, please calm down, this is not worth getting that upset over to the point you feel compelled to type out long angry replies at 11:30PM. The post was not intended to be a personal attack as you are a fellow long time 1-land ham and a fine person I believe but I do want to counter misinformation you post when I find it. I don't understand why you foster so much animosity toward the Hallicrafters SX-88. You've never owned one, nor operated a good one one but your hostility seems apparent every time you include yourself in discussions about them. I don't believe the SX-88 is the finest receiver of all time but I do think they're pretty good and they are somewhat scarce. Other receivers I have here that best it, and they should include: Icom IC-R9000, JRC NRD-545, HRO-600 and HRO-500
Still, the SX-88 is a great receiver and an engineering masterpiece, especially considering the 1954 time frame and I've probably gone deeper into them than most would feel comfortable with except of course for Jay, W1VD, whom I've learned a lot from and highly respect. As Jay said, The SX-88 is the only receiver to ever use that particular IF transformer design and it's one of the main reasons the receiver is desireable. I'm at the point now where I don't bench test them first anymore, I strip everything away and rebuild the entire receiver back into good condition again. One improvement I am in the process of implementing is to begin aligning the 50KC 2nd IF amplifier with a Hewlett Packard HP3585 spectrum analyzer in order to exactly reproduce the original engineering curves for the IF response. Considering the number of hours and amount of work it takes to do good thorough work one does not restore SX-88 receivers with the idea of lining their pockets. It is entirely a labor of love, purely for the enjoyment and personal achievement because few go that far to that extent. I am keeping track of my time on my current job just to see exactly what I will have invested in it but I estimate a couple hundred hours each on earlier jobs. SX-88s are my passion and I do enjoy having success with them; it's a therapeutic diversion away from my day job which for the last 23 years has been my involvement in the engine lab for Hendrick Motorsports. We've won over 350 NASCAR races with the best and most popular drivers in the industry so I've been fortunate to enjoy sharing in the success there also.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/wa1kbq/SX-88%20-%20400/SX88-40026.jpg
Ready for soaking with oil and a twist of the golden screwdriver


Greg Gore
WA1KBQ