[Hallicrafters] SX-42 - trouble shooting weak and intermittent performance.
DJ via Hallicrafters
hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Sat Jul 25 06:55:48 EDT 2015
Hi,
I haven't posted here in a while, new family, new job, sdrs etc...
Down to business, after several years of inactivity I broke out the SX-62 and the SX-42 and fired them up. Several years ago I gave them a both a good tune-up at the same time, one right after another over the course of a week if I remember correctly. They were completely recapped (even the cans) and realigned, some resistors were replaced that were way out of spec, looked burned, etc. At the time they were finished both were rocking.
Well only the 62 is knocking the shingles off the roof. The 42 is not exactly dead but is experiencing some problems. I am very much the amateur in fixing these but can manage quite well if I know where to concentrate and how to proceed. I have my trusty Heathkit VTVM so I should be able to hone in on the problem and get her back up to speed.
The problems are across all bands:
1. Audio intermittent and weak. Audio is about 1/2 to a 1/4 of what it should be when normal. Sometime the audio just just comes on but never at full
2. Weak reception/ insensitivity.
3. S/FM meter appears to not be working.
So far I've replaced all the tubes with the ones from the 62 and back again. These all seem to be fine. There is one oddity in this radio, the 7A4 has been replaced with a 7G7 and modified accordingly. The radio works with this and I left it alone rather than change it back. The previous owner was some major science professor and a Hallicrafters collector - why it was modded this particular way is unknown.
Any suggestions to get me going would be great.
http://www.iarc.org/~4z5to/SX42.php
73,
Douglas
------------------------------------------------
END OF MESSAGE
--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 7/20/15, hallicrafters-request at mailman.qth.net <hallicrafters-request at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
Subject: Hallicrafters Digest, Vol 137, Issue 8
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Date: Monday, July 20, 2015, 2:48 AM
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88 Post
(Greg Gore via Hallicrafters)
2. Re: Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88 Post
(Greg Gore via Hallicrafters)
3. Re: Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88 Post
(Todd, KA1KAQ)
4. Re: Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88 Post
(John via Hallicrafters)
5. Re: Hallicrafters SX-88 (Jim Liles)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:10:00 -0400
From: Greg Gore via Hallicrafters <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
To: ka1kaq at gmail.com, hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88
Post
Message-ID: <14ea6a66698-2e07-1d186 at webprd-a85.mail.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
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 la
bor 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
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 10:37:51 -0400
From: Greg Gore via Hallicrafters <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88
Post
Message-ID: <14ea6bfe9c5-2e07-1d22a at webprd-a85.mail.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
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 la
bor 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
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 12:59:34 -0400
From: "Todd, KA1KAQ" <ka1kaq at gmail.com>
To: Hallicrafters Reflector <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88
Post
Message-ID:
<CANCs6AVTSTsndtvjNXtyKEpjk2VG3FVhxkq8Gf9iskAWNk+c9g at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
On Sun, Jul 19, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Greg Gore <wa1kbq at aol.com>
wrote:
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.
>
Of course it's not, Greg. You just dug up a post from
several years ago on
another forum to make an issue over - despite the fact that
there is no
"misinformation" as you claim, simply opinions that differ
from yours.
> You've never owned one, nor operated a good one
one
>
Well, the first one I ever operated was restored by you. So
you've got me
there.
but your hostility seems apparent every time you include
yourself in
> discussions about them.
>
Clearly you consider any opinion that differs from yours as
'hostile' or
some kind of attack. You see yourself as so important that
someone stayed
up late to pen a 'angry reply' to you, even. Fact of the
matter is, I
waiting for a call back from a fellow on the left coast
about getting a car
shipped here. Responding to your nonsense, though completely
pointless,
helped to pass the time. The pathetic part is, this is the
most activity
I've had on this list in months or years.
One thing is certain Greg - you start these little episodes
as
opportunities to draw attention to yourself, your
collection, your
"accomplishments". As predictable as the rising and setting
of the sun. The
comments below prove this yet again.
> Other receivers I have here that best it, and they
should include: Icom
> IC-R9000, JRC NRD-545, HRO-600 and HRO-500.....
>
> .....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
>
> http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/wa1kbq/SX-88%20-%20400/SX88-40026.jpg
>
>
So responding just allows you to further publicize yourself
and feed your
ego, but that's okay. It's the least I can do for a fellow 1
lander. I'd
say it's been fun, but 'funny' is probably more accurate.
Lunch is over. Back out to the Farmall and mowing. And we're
done here. Or,
at least, I am.
/KAQ
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 13:10:47 -0400
From: John via Hallicrafters <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
To: wa1kbq at aol.com, hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Frivolous Hallicrafters SX-88
Post
Message-ID: <11eb58.42201b50.42dd3417 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Enough already!
73,
John, W4AWM
In a message dated 7/19/2015 11:10:37 A.M. Eastern Daylight
Time,
hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
writes:
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 la
bor 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.jp
g
Ready for soaking with oil and a twist of the golden
screwdriver
Greg Gore
WA1KBQ
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:48:28 -0500
From: "Jim Liles" <hallicrafterssr2000 at k9axn.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>,
"Roy Morgan" <k1lky68 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters SX-88
Message-ID: <28FE6EDB7A354D7F9824CADC6DD3E657 at LILESJLAPTOP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
I would like to repeat an information request regarding the
50Kc I.F. system used in the SX-88.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Liles
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2015 7:21 PM
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
; Roy Morgan
Subject: [Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters SX-88
I have some questions regarding the SX-88.
First have you done a sweep analysis of the 50Kc I.F. system
or do you know of someone who has? At this point it
appears that nobody has taken the time to sweep that system
---- anybody?
Can anyone confirm that the 50Kc I.F. charts in the book are
correct?
Looking at the design I would expect the shape factor for
the system to be close to 2.2/1 which is very close to the
crystal filters of that time. Is that a correct
analysis?
Has anyone measured the Q of the first, second , and fourth
50Kc transformer pairs as well as the third pair?
More questions but sure would like to hear from those who
have had one on the bench. That radio is probably the
most enigmatic of the Hallicrafters bunch. Always
wanted to put one through sea trials.
Would like to hear both objective as well as subjective
opinions and test results. Sounds to be some strong
feelings regarding that radio?s performance. Please
for the moment put the past aside and help me with this
project.
Kindest regards Jim K9AXN
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