[SignalOne] CX7A Status and puzzlement.

[signalone@mailman.qth.net]

I've cut a deal with Lorne for the RF parts for my CX7A.  My plan is to
restore it to stock and put it back on the air.
  
I expect that it will take a year but no rush.

One thing about the CX7A, the mechanicals are not terrific. It does
sound nice.

I noticed that there are about 100 on this list and that several folk
have more than one Signal/One.  There are also reports of radios that
are being parted out.

Given that there were "about" 1,000 S/1's of all types made, I'm
guessing that about a third of all radios are represented on the list.

I wonder where the others are?   

I also wonder about the history of S/1.   I've looked for websites that
have the history but that is surprisingly sparse.  

In fact, there is very little history of Ham Radio.  We're at a
critical stage and are about to lose the history from the 1950's and
1960's.  The radio's will live on but the hopes and unrealized dreams
of the radio builders will start to vanish.

History is stories.  How did S/1 start?  Who were the first engineers?
Anyone here have any stories from the early days?

I ran into an angry fellow at a hamfest last summer.  He had sent his
ICOM 781 to be Signal/One'd and lost both the radio and several
thousand dollars.  What was that all about?  Anyone know?  he told
me the general story, that S/1 in Arizona got the name from California
and tried to make a go as an ICOM upgrader but failed, folded up shop,
and several customers lost out.

I'm not minimizing the loss or taking sides.  This is history, as real
as the 100 Years War or opening of the West by rail and telegraph.

de ah6gi/4