[Lafayette] HA-800?

Mon Oct 22 20:53:44 EDT 2007

The only real weakness I see in the Lafayette tube type recivers I have been
looking at is the use of a pentagrid converter for the LO and mixer. The
second thing is lack of voltage regulation on the LO.

I am not a contest operator so the CW characteristics of thei type of
receiver suit me just fine. It has to be better than the S-38 I started with
50 years ago. I may try and get a HE-10 just for the nostalgia aspect. In
general I feel the stability of this type receiver is just fine for AM work.
I do like the sliderule dials but I can tolerate the rotary dials. The SB
receiver is rotary! The HR-10 is sliderule. But I don't like string drives
for SSB. But I would not even think of using this unit for SSB.

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Seattle, Wa,
"Real Radios Glow in the Dark"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Markavage" <manualman at juno.com>
To: <lafayette at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Lafayette] HA-800?

> Actually, I tend to disagree. The Lafayette gear will perform to specs
> given that components of the equipment are up to their specifications.
> Shorted and leaky caps or resistors out of tolerance will degrade any
> piece of equipment including American made stuff. The Lafayette receivers
> are no more difficult to align then any other receiver. If you lay a
> typical Lafayette receiver schematic next to a typical Hammarlund or
> National schematic of comparable equipment, you'll find very similar, if
> not identical, circuits in many of them. It was a lot easier during those
> early years to lift a design then trying to reinvent the wheel.
> Unfortunately, back then, the initial new, up to spec components, were
> not designed for 40 year life, so deterioration of components became
> common in time even without the big stresses of heat, humidity, cold,
> etc. of basements and garages.
>
> My Lafayette HA-460 and 410, 6, and 10 meter transceivers, still perk
> along during sporadic E openings and worked great during the last sunspot
> peaks.
>
> Pete, wa2cwa
>
> On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:32:08 -0400 "Greg" <bluebirdtele at embarqmail.com>
> writes:
> > For what it's worth Bob:
> > The lafayette tube stuff will not be great performer and the chances
> > of it
> > working on arrival ain't so hot.
> > I would like to recommend a couple of inexpensive "sleepers" that
> > will
> > perform well and are relatively easy to align etc.
> > First is the Hammarlund HQ 110 (not the HQ 100 it doesn't have a
> > bfo)
> > Another good one is the Drake 2A or even better, the Drake R4. Price
> > wise
> > the Hammarlund is the least expensive, then the 2A and R4.
> > 73's
> > Greg
> > WA7LYO
> > Kinston nc
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Bob Macklin" <macklinbob at msn.com>
> > To: "Discussion of radio equipment made by Lafayette"
> > <lafayette at mailman.qth.net>
> > Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:11 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Lafayette] HA-800?
> >
> >
> > > Thanks Pete,
> > >
> > > I am reluctant to by a SS reciever. I had a Heath Mochuan and a
> > GR-76(?).
> > > Both were dogs compared to tube type receivers of their period.
> > Both were
> > > somewhat OK on the AM BC band. But not much else.
> > >
> > > The HA-800 may be OK for a portable setup. I am not much
> > interested in the
> > > Direct Conversion recievers being sold these days. Ant I have been
> >
> > > thinking
> > > about a systemt to take up to Mt. Rainier.
> > >
> > > But my primary interest in is one of the earlier tube GC
> > recievers. There
> > > is
> > > a HA-225 closing today. It needs work so it might not have much
> > interest.
> > > But it does not cover the AM BC band. That's OK.
> > >
> > > Bob Macklin
> > > K5MYJ
> > > Seattle, Wa,
> > > "Real Radios Glow in the Dark"
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > From: "Peter Markavage" <manualman at juno.com>
> > > To: <lafayette at mailman.qth.net>
> > > Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 1:40 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Lafayette] HA-800?
> > >
> > >
> > >> It was designed for SSB/CW operation. The two mechanical filters
> > in it
> > >> drive the AM signals down to telephone quality. Considering the
> > age of
> > >> those semiconductors, I bet some are already driving up the noise
> > floor.
> > >> The 2SK19 FET front end does little to keep the receiver from
> > going into
> > >> overload on strong signals. IF overload, going through two
> > mechanical
> > >> filters, is probably worse than telephone quality with a bad
> > earpiece.
> > >> But, if the price is "cheap" what the heck. I much prefer
> > Lafayette's
> > >> tube short wave/amateur band receivers. A great tube ham band
> > only
> > >> receiver is the HA-500 but, again designed for SSB/CW, with AM
> > quality
> > >> not given much consideration. It also has 2 mechanical filters,
> > is dual
> > >> conversion, and covers 80 to 6 meters.
> > >>
> > >> If you like real "dogs", try the Lafayette BCR-101; their last
> > short-wave
> > >> receiver offered.
> > >>
> > >> Pete, wa2cwa
> > >>
> > >> On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:00:27 -0700 "Bob Macklin"
> > <macklinbob at msn.com>
> > >> writes:
> > >> > What is the opinon(s) on the Lafayette HA-800? It appears to be
> > a
> > >> > solid state HAM BAND only receiver.
> > >> >
> > >> > How does it's quality compare to the eariler tube type
> > receivers?
> > >> >
> > >> > Bob Macklin
> > >> > K5MYJ
> > >> > Seattle, Wa,
> > >> > "Real Radios Glow in the Dark"
> > >> > _______________________________________________
> > >> > Lafayette mailing list
> > >> > Lafayette at mailman.qth.net
> > >> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lafayette
> > >> >
> > >> >
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> > >>
> > >
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