[Hammarlund] Originality vs. function

[Craig Roberts]

The originality vs. function debate is an interesting one. Years ago 
when I began restoring antique broadcast receivers, I was an absolute 
purist. I would change a component only when absolutely necessary and 
swap the bad one only with a vintage replacement.

My philosophy changed one night as I was working on a beautiful 1924 
Atwater Kent 20C. These extremely simple TRF sets contain only a handful 
of parts, but -- in this particular set -- a key component was bad. It 
was the grid leak -- a long obsolete device that looks kinda like a 
little axial lead fuse. Well, I didn't have a replacement, nor was there 
even the remotest chance of finding one. So, I swallowed hard and 
bridged the grid leak under the chassis with a 1 meg resistor. To my 
delight, the radio came alive instantly and I spent many susequent hours 
so listening to vintage music from WOR Radio in New York through the 
AK's gracefully sculpted horn speaker.

 From that evening on, I decided that it was better to make a radio work 
-- even if some components are non-original -- than to admire an 
all-original but inert museum piece.

Today, in refurbishing working communications gear, I use the best, 
modern components I can find and often rework sloppy factory wiring (not 
uncommon in Hallicrafters gear, I must admit, sadly). Often, a vintage 
radio can be made to perform BETTER than it did when originally 
assembled. This gives me pleasure and I rationalize my "lack of purity" 
with the thought that the radio now works the way the designer really 
wanted it to so many years ago.

By the way, if you ever find a handful of original grid leaks in a dusty 
parts bin, let me know :-).

73,

Craig
W3CRR