[NJARC] Uncle Bill Henderson's Radios :) :) :)

[john ruccolo]

Hi Scott,

The "Super Skyrider" is a *receiver*. Which model is
it? There are SX-16 and SX-17 (very similar) and SX-28
(much different than the 16/17). The 28 is agrguably
the most famous radio Hallicrafters ever made.

The HX-20 is a *transmitter*. It's a cool little rig,
intended for mobile use. (That's why is has that HB
supply). Heathkit was famous for changing the front
panel colors/labeling and "creating" an entirely new
model. The HX-20 is basically a relabeled MT-1
Cheyenne. Its partner was HR-20, which is a re-labeled
MR-1 Comanche. Heathkit had a very nice line of ham
products named after Native American tribes in the
late 50's early 60's. It seemed like they used about
every name except Cherokee. Political correctness was
still several decades away....

Sorry I didn't offer any input into the SX-111
discussion last weekend, but I was away. 

Regards,

John


--- Scott Roberts <ng19delta at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> At long last, I have arrived home with an assemblage
> I
> had been considering for a while, and waiting to
> receive since my Aunt asked me last month if I knew
> anybody who would want... My late Uncle Bill
> Henderson's Ham and SW radios!
> 
> Uncle Bill had been a "Mickey Man", or radar
> operator/mechanic with the 8th Air Force in England.
> >From what I understand, he made a couple combat
> missions, but usually was in the repair shop, fixing
> early Radar. After the war, he took a job with a
> small
> tech firm called "RCA" in Lancaster, Pa. Involved
> with
> the development of color television, he remained
> with
> the company until the mid 1980s. During the 35 years
> with RCA he made many trips overseas, including a
> few
> to Taiwan, Mexico and Russia(before we won the Cold
> War), to instruct people in how to work with color
> tv
> and other tubes. Uncle Bill was always a nice
> country
> boy from Paris, Arkansas- his drawl never left, and
> was my favorite uncle growing up... After his
> youngest
> son (of 8 children!) passed away in an auto
> accident,
> he was never quite the same; he developed
> Alzheimers,
> and passed away in 2002. I still think of him from
> time to time, and wish I had the chance to talk
> radios
> with him now.
> 
> Now that I've introduced him, let me tell you about
> the radios which my Aunt Mildred passed on to me
> from
> his "radio shack", long cold now, and in need of
> TLC.
> All have a heavy coat of dust, but I am pretty sure
> they will clean up nicely. I have not looked up what
> most of these do yet- if anyone can let me know
> their
> true potential, I'd appreciate it...
> 
> To start with, a Hallicrafters "Sky Champion", which
> appears to be a receiver;
> 
> Another Hallicrafters set, a "Super Sky Rider",
> which
> appears to be a transmitter/receiver;
> 
> A Heathkit HX-20, which also appears to be a
> transmitter/receiver, (along with a homebrew power
> supply for it);
> 
> A Johnson Messenger 250 CB radio;
> 
> A brown bakelite or plastic RCA wedge shaped wall
> speaker;
> 
> A nice CW key, looks like another nice one I have,
> with ball bearing pivots;
> 
> And last, but not least, the one I had really,
> REALLY,
> been hoping for, a Wells-Gardner BC-348Q, with a tag
> marked "Equipment Development Lab", and which had
> been
> given to him after he retired, by the RCA plant when
> they were cleaning out their old storage. Having
> looked inside this one quickly, I have high hopes
> for
> some nice listening.
> 
> I intend to use these in my own "radio shack", along
> with my Hallicrafters HT-37 & SX-111 Mk. 1
> 
> Thanks for reading along- hope you enjoyed the
> story:
> I would have shown one of the radios, and told all
> this  at RCA show and tell last month, but some
> unforeseen circumstances occured.
> 
> Scott
> 
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