[Hammarlund] PTT for the HX-50

[Robert Nickels]

Duane Fischer, W8DBF wrote:
> Let me thank Al Parker, W8UT again for his outstanding technical 
> wizardry.
I'll second that Duane, always appreciate Al's help and quite often he 
gets to hear the outcome of my questions on the Vintage Sideband Net on 
Sunday afternoon.  Plus he's probably saved more HT-37 transformers than 
any ham alive!

For the record, althought I'd missed it in the manual until I 
scrutinized the schematic Al sent me, the HX-50 is already equipped for 
push-to-talk, so the only modification needed is to either wire up a 
switch to the screw terminals, or, as I plan to do, swap out the rear 
panel mic connector with a one that supports a PTT mic.  Since a 
previous owner had for some unknown reason already installed an XLR type 
audio connector on my HX-50 I have no regrets about doing so.  I've 
never been a fan of "stomp to talk" but that's evidently what the 
designers had in mind, or they just figured sideband guys would always 
prefer to use VOX.

I don't know about drift yet Al, but this one is sure a beauty, other 
than the goofy mic jack it looks like the day it was made.  Have to see 
if I can dig up a receiver around here...;-)   And the HXL-1 amp is next.

73 Bob W9RAN