[NJARC] Sky Courier (was Echophone EC-1)

[Al Klase]

Hi Joe,

Max De Henseler has a blurb on the Sky Courier in "The Hallicrafters 
Story" p.107.  "The Sky Courier was built at the request of the Army's 
Special Services Division, as a "moral builder" aimed at keeping GI's in 
touch with the peacetime world left behind."  The Hallicrafters 
designation was RE-1 and there was also an Echophone EC-6 designation.

The RE-1 appears to be based on the Echophone Commercial, EC-1, front 
end and tuning dial, but has a lot in common with other moral sets like 
the R-100.  It's an AC-DC-Battery set using mostly battery tubes.  There 
are two RC-coupled 1N5 pentodes between the IF transformers for some 
extra gain, and there is both a 3Q5 and a 50L6 for audio output 
depending on which power source is used.

Al

JOE CRO wrote:
> Hello Al,
>              I have a unrestored fairly decent condition Echophone 
> EC-1 "Commercial" (the type with the horizontal bandspread under the 
> main tuning dial) that you are welcome to use in the exhibit if need 
> be. From what I understand, Hallicrafters didn't want to put their 
> name on the EC-1, due to the questionable quality of the "Echophone" 
> marque, so they retained the Echophone name on it. I think they were 
> primarily designed as morale receivers to be sent from the families 
> and loved ones back home to our men overseas, hence the AC/DC hookup, 
> and lack of a power transformer. After WWII, actually, sometime in 
> late 1945, Hallicrafters produced the radio again with the S-41 
> designator, and offered it in a variety of colors. I guess it gave a 
> good enough account of itself during wartime to earn the right to wear 
> the "Hallicrafters" name!
>
> I have a unrelated question for all of our resident Hallicrafters 
> historians. I recently acquired a Hallicrafters "Sky Courier" that 
> does not have a designated model # (S-27,S-37, etc) anywhere on it. 
> It's essentially a Echophone EC-1 repackaed in a larger square metal 
> case painted green, primarily designed as a "morale" receiver for our 
> serviceman. The main tuning dial and bandspread, etc are identical to 
> the Echophone EC-1; but it does NOT have a BFO on it, and the on-off 
> volume knob are combined in one unit on the front panel, with the 
> on-off function being accomplished by a pull switch! You pull the 
> volume control knob out to turn the set on, and push it back in to 
> turn it off.
>
> Not only am I not familiar with this particular model and 
> Echophone/Hallicrafters EC-1, S-41 variant, but I've never seen a 
> Hallicrafters with a push-pull on-off switch on the volume control. 
> From what I can tell, it's not a modification someone did to it.
>
> Can someone tell me more about it? Just curious. I brought it up since 
> Al was on the subject of the more common Echophone "Commercial" set.
>
> Best Regards,
>                     Joe Cro N3IBX
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Al Klase" <al at ar88.net>
> To: "New Jersey Antique Radio Club" <njarc at mailman.qth.net>; "Delaware 
> Valley Historic Radio Club" <dvhrc at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 3:14 PM
> Subject: [NJARC] Echophone EC-1
>
>
>> Just remember
>> Reply = Poster
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>>
>> _________________________________________________________
>> Gang,
>>
>> I'm looking for solid background info on subject radio for the Radio
>> Technology Museum Short-wave Display.  Hallicrafters introduced this
>> radion in 1940, and it was advertised throughout WWII.  Go here to get
>> the general picture:  http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~postr/bapix/Echo.html
>>
>> Now, it's my impression that civilian radio production was pretty much
>> curtailed during this period.  I'm trying to figure out what really went
>> on here.  Were these sold on the open market, in the PX, or what?
>>
>> Also, can someone get me a high-res scan of the the particular Hogarth
>> ad shown on the referenced website.  I have some of the Echophone ads in
>> vintage Radio News, but I like this one best.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Al
>>
>> -- 
>> Al Klase - N3FRQ
>> Jersey City, NJ
>> http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/
>>
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-- 
Al Klase - N3FRQ
Jersey City, NJ
http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/