[Hammarlund] Favorite Hammerlund Receiver

[Carl]

> On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 8:07 PM, Carl <km1h at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:
>
>> What did you expect? Even a Hallicrafters or RME is stable on the BCB.
>
> Well, not so with the SX-28A which needed to have the tuning touched
> up after an hour or so. Same for the HRO-5C, and that's 10 years newer
> than the SP-100. I suspect it has had the condenser mod Ken mentioned,
> just haven't dug into it to find out.


I dont have any noticable drift on the AM BCB with a SX-28 or a 1935 HRO 
after a short warmup. Even the earlier models are stable enough there after 
a full rebuild. However everything here is run off bucking transformers, 
either a large one for a full bench or a 2A one for individual ones and the 
voltage to the equipment is in the 110-113VAC range.


>
> But you sorta bring up another point: SSB wasn't around back then, at
> least not like it is now or even was in the 50s-60s. I wonder how much
> of the P&M-ing about drift came about as a result of folks trying to
> tune in SSB signals with a 1930s design radio, regardless of
> manufacturer.


In the 50's most of the SSB transmitters also drifted, even the BC-458 VFO 
to some degree. Happiness here was in 1965 when I picked up a 1959 CE-100V 
which I sold in 92 and bought back that cold, windy and raining Friday of 
the Fall Nearfest in 2010 that you keep hassling me about because I decided 
to go home (-;

>
>> I usually use a Zenith 12S265 to listen to 740 when Im upstairs and a 
>> 51J4
>> in the basement at the workbench.
>
> The SP-100 took the place of the 12S232 which sat bedside for years. I
> replaced some condensers back in the early 90s but it needs to be done
> right and entirely. One of the few instances when hiding new caps in
> the old is worth the effort.
>
> ~ Todd/KAQ

Yeah they need as much cap and resistor work as any other old set but sound 
great when done. I always restuff caps and use period correct replacement 
resistors (repainting is a PITA but I figure anything over 70 years old has 
stopped drifting) for historically significant or valuable sets. I have 
other hi end Zeniths, RCA, GE, Philco, S-C, Scott, and a few more that are 
all rebuilt. I send the cabinets out if they need serious work.

Carl
KM1H