One TR7 Against The World

[Jeff K1NSS]

4846
W1GUH and I are talking about challenging Planet Earth in the ARRL Ten Meter Contest. We're looking at running's Paul's TR7 from my commanding Fortress of Solitude QTH in the foothills of the Catskills yet remain undecided about the antenna. My 40 foot Spiderbeam flyrod of a mast remains still packed up from the W3T Tesla jaunt, and while its usual landlord approved hidden remote location, fed by buried coax is an option, a much larger area close to the house will probably be available too -- perhaps for some sort of very temporary wire array. There's probably 250-300 ft available in the clear, broadside NW-SE with 50 foot plus trees We've got tuners, antenna analyzer, bo-koo 600 ohm ladder line, big ol DXengineering balun (4/1?)la-dee-do-dah.

Shoot we shoot the moon or stick with a dipole? Any suggestions?

[N8YX]

Horizontal loop.

Sterba curtain.

Fixed yagis - one oriented into Europe; the other SSW for the west coast and XE-land.

Might also think about several elements pointed south.

10M antennas with decent gain aren't that big, nor are they difficult to erect. Might as well take advantage of that fact.

[W3WN]

As hot as 10 has been lately, a simple vertical should do you well. Or, fashion a temporary 2 element quad out of some wire and some PVC, and use the good old fashioned Armstrong method to turn it.

I'm looking forward to this year's contest, I plan to run CW only again.

[NQ6U]

10m Moxon beam. Small, light, can be built for a few bucks with 14 gauge wire and 30 feet of PVC pipe, turned with a TV antenna rotator and only has to be fifteen feet off the ground. Good gain and excellent F/B ratio, plus it has a wide main lobe that makes it easy to point.

[WØTKX]

Half square anyone? ;)

[Jeff K1NSS]

Tnx fellas. A big help in clearing out the cobwebs. I'll address by antenna:

1. Horizontal loop - I built one at my former seacoast NH QTH and it worked well on the usual suspect bands, plus ok enuff on 160, a bit better than dipoles and about the same as double extended Zepps. None of these at much altitude though, all about 30 feet threaded into marshy woodland. An old reliable in my book,but since we dont care about multi-band operation, something more specialized interests me more.

2. Sterba Curtain - Say no more. In NH, I built a 3 or 4 bay curtain for ten meters when there was essentially no such thing as 10 meters. So essentially just to say I was running a Sterba Curtain, I did so on 20, 17, and 15. This with the bottom at just 20 feet or so, it performed no better than the double Zepp, much to the amusement of my ham neighbor, smug as a bug with his 600 watt fed Cushcraft tribander. Not a proper trial, I know, but something I had to get out of my system. Rather than struggle with the cat's cradle of wire and insulators, I should be content with muttering Sterba Curtain under my breath like some Kabbalistic secret name for God.

3. Fixed Yagis -If you're talking multiple wire beams, that might be a bit ambitious for my skills and ADD time management issues, but yes, ten meter dimensions keep that within the realm of options.

4. Vertical - That rang a bell. Not necessarily as the main antenna, but as backup/alternate polarization and good use of my 40 foot fiberglass mast in its usual place. 1/4 or 5/8 wave wire vertical at the top, guyed with radials at the elevated "base". Hmmm indeed.

5. Quad - Oh boy. I've already been looking at plans for PVC quads. Never had one and always wanted to say "running a quad here", a total sucker for the romance of that baroque, Andes-born antenna. Plus with two ops and one radio, we could swap off rotator duty. Once again, it's a matter of the eternal internal struggle between Romance and Sloth. Do have a handy PVC cutter. And primer and goo. For a mast, have to jigger something though. To quote the late Maynard G. Krebs, WORK!

6. Moxon - Appeals to this lazy old beatnik. Maybe less PVC than a quad, and while Moxon doesn't sound as cool, it has a certain Limey elan. We'd get some gain, we could turn it here and there, but the pattern would be broad enough such that turning wouldn't be necessary too often. All around, perhaps a little less WORK!

7. Half Square- While fixed, that's a fall-back wire that might offer gain for very little work. I hadn't thought of that and will have to look more, so far just quickly at this link http://www.qsl.net/ka1ddb/20meterhalfsquare.html

Thanks again for your suggestions. I've got two ARRL antenna manuals, new and old, both ARRL wire antenna books, the big fat 160 book, and some fatter files of L.B. Cebik W4RNL printouts, but sometimes too much is not just right and a little good advice goes a longer way. Will keep youse posted on our progress.

Jeff

[WØTKX]

I keep looking at Hexbeams. My only HF beam is a Super Antenna YP-1 that's been used for portable use. Thinking about putting it up configured for 10 meters. My 'lil Radioshack rotor should be able to handle it, it's only twirling a Cushcraft A2706S 2m/70cm beam.

[N8YX]

How about a set of phased verticals?

A bunch of 1/4w CB whip antennas could be put to use in building such. Elevate the feedpoints to 20ft and run four quarter-wave radials off each, sloped away at a 45 degree angle.

With the appropriate phasing harnesses and switches, ten of these in a T arrangement will give you 11-14dB forward gain and will be electrically steerable to E,S and W. The support poles can be fiberglass or aluminum military masts and 40 will fit into two or three of the carry bags. The radials can be used to guy each mast.

[KK4AMI]

How about an Inverted V? Two legs pointed in each direction of interest and switchable feed? One mast, 8 legs! Put X-mas lights on it and its even seasonal :)

[K7SGJ]

I like the part about 8 legs................

[KK4AMI]

I like the part about 8 legs................

I'm sorry. I guess that is called a Sloping V antenna. Yaah, hmm 4 pairs of legs actually!

[K7SGJ]

I call it an orgy.

[W1GUH]

We're almost guaranteed to win the section, if not the world. I've been using the state-of-the-art dBooster (http://www.dashtoons.com/Booster.html)all week, and will continue to do so right up to when I leave for the Catskills.

[NQ6U]

We're almost guaranteed to win the section, if not the world. I've been using the state-of-the-art dBooster (http://www.dashtoons.com/Booster.html)all week, and will continue to do so right up to when I leave for the Catskills.

I don't need dBooster—I have gen-u-wine Dash Bacon-Flavored Dogbone Insulators:

4857

[K7SGJ]

I don't need dBooster—I have gen-u-wine Dash Bacon-Flavored Dogbone Insulators:

4857

You dirty dog. You really are a hound.

[W1GUH]

I don't need dBooster—I have gen-u-wine Dash Bacon-Flavored Dogbone Insulators:

4857

And...just imagine what the dBooster will do to them!

[W3WN]

I don't need dBooster—I have gen-u-wine Dash Bacon-Flavored Dogbone Insulators:

4857trafe

[NQ6U]

trafe

Yeah, I wouldn't feed 'em to a Jewish dog but the goyim hounds like 'em a lot.

[Jeff K1NSS]

trafe

Tnx for new word...

[kb2vxa]

"I don't need dBooster—I have gen-u-wine Dash Bacon-Flavored Dogbone Insulators:"

I ate mine, tasty as a burnt weeny sandwich with something that tastes like meat.

When it comes to 10M antennas a modified Moonraker might get you in the dog house with your tail in the tuner but my experience tells me that polarity shift fading is rather problematical. There are several ways to overcome the problem but the 'raker holds the kernel of an idea, circular polarization. Feeding horizontal and vertical together through a power divider (coaxial phasing harness) results in 3dB loss but weighed against the advantage of solid copy the choice is obvious. I suppose you can come up with a more reasonable antenna than this monster but like Edison said "Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." Consider yourself inspired.

EXCELSIOR YOU FATHEAD!

[Jeff K1NSS]

Thanks again for all the 10 meter contest antenna input. Inputted the input into the Ol' Mental Osterizer, factoring in Sloth/Penuary/Inertia/Ambient Fuzzy Logic and came out with a 5/8 wavelength wire J-pole taped to the 40 foot Spiderbeam fiberglass mast for vertical polarization, now installed. For the Horizontal, planning to loft a Bi-Square (not loop) 1/2 wave sides for gain E/W (or should it be NE/SW?) remotely switched with the J-pole from the shack. (BiSquare fed with ladder line to 4/1 balun, or small bagged tuner at base) Still looks like a go with W1GUH. Shack is currently under configuration/muck out/re-decoration for maximum electromagnetic domination, or at least room to position food and drink without excess spillage. Yep, that's my Ameritron AT-30 tuner, will also have Johnson Matchbox in addition to Paul's TR-7, and my mighty Icom 718 for backup. Old P4 warhorse for logging. ProSet, whatever else Paul might haul up. Oh yeah, 1950s ARRL DX map for inspiration. There may be better stations and bigger antennas, but our shack decor is gonna POP, if I can find just the right accent shade for the left torchiere.

[WØTKX]

Needs moar cupholders. :lol:

[K7SGJ]

Aint unistrut great? You can build damn near anything with it.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Needs moar cupholders. :lol:

Where's my holesaw?

[K7SGJ]

I use my .38 special. Juuuust right.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Aint unistrut great? You can build damn near anything with it.

Nothing like that certain je ne sais quoi.

[W1GUH]

Been using the dBooster on the Dash dogbones. Should be the final touch!

Damn, Jeff! You've gone all out. Hope I don't crack under pressure! Very much looking forward to it.

[NQ6U]

Needs moar cupholders. :lol:

And I have the cup to put in them!

4925

[Jeff K1NSS]

Been using the dBooster on the Dash dogbones.

Hey Paul, we'll have the technology, as well as the tablecloth.

Nothin's gonna stop us from runnin' them Qs, or huntin' them pounces, or whatever them high mucky muck multi-multis do!

Tellin' ya man, it's some kinda dog-eat-DFH world out there. The other day my peeps, my own Yankee Clipper CCers were kicking up a fuss over somebody kicking up a fuss about spots and scanners and skippers or something. Amazing, getting in a lather over full-contact stamp collecting with dials...bring it on!

PS, I'll take care of the helmets, so we'll be in full compliance in case some ITU commandos rappel from their black helicopters. Helmets? Oh yeah, here the story behind the story....http://www.dashtoons.com/NonContact.html

[Jeff K1NSS]

And I have the cup to put in them!

4925


Whoa! First one I've seen in real life, in the hands of an apparently responsible adult no less. Thanks for your purchase and your testimonial! Please remember, your Dash!Mug is not a toy, but a serious 15-ounce performance-enhancement delivery system decorated with silly color pictures. Use it as you would a Flintstone glass, Captain Midnight mug, Peter Rabbit plate, or any other piece of juvenile entertainment themed china and crystal.

[NQ6U]

Whoa! First one I've seen in real life, in the hands of an apparently responsible adult no less.

Hah, got you fooled.

It's a very nice mug, BTW. They did a good job with the screen printing (or however it was they did it). It holds a lot of java, too.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Hah, got you fooled.




That's all right, I got used to being fooled at an early age, beginning with Oral Roberts' hand-on-the-TV-screen prayers and Remco Toy commercials.

Glad to hear the colors are good. I kept the first series very simple color-wise, unsure of how the quality would be and have been very pleased with them over time. They've worn very well and everybody says they feel solid and hold a good handful of coffee. Yours is of the second generation and I'm counting on their good genes.

[N8YX]

Needs moar cupholders. :lol:

I'll tell you what it really needs:

That R7 you tipped me about.

Slave the unit to the TR7 and you can have two operators run within the same band - albeit using the same mode, unless they're quick with the Mode switch.

W8XY (one of the designers of the 7-line stuff) and another Drake employee used that technique with a good degree of success while operating a late 70s contest or two.

[NQ6U]

That's all right, I got used to being fooled at an early age, beginning with Oral Roberts' hand-on-the-TV-screen prayers and Remco Toy commercials.

The Who swore we wouldn't get fooled again but they was wrong.


Glad to hear the colors are good. I kept the first series very simple color-wise, unsure of how the quality would be and have been very pleased with them over time. They've worn very well and everybody says they feel solid and hold a good handful of coffee. Yours is of the second generation and I'm counting on their good genes.

About the only thing I might say that's slightly negative about the printing is that the contrast is somewhat limited. Two low-value colors right next to each other are a bit hard to differentiate, something may want to keep that in mind with future designs. I still love it, though.

[K7SGJ]

And I have the cup to put in them!

4925


Boy, that's one ugly mug. The cup is nice, though.:lol:

[NQ6U]

Boy, that's one ugly mug. The cup is nice, though.:lol:

Thanks! And Fuck You Too! ;)

[kf0rt]

Boy, that's one ugly mug. The cup is nice, though.:lol:

:rofl:

[Jeff K1NSS]

:rofl:

It's a tough room, ladies and gentlemen.

Bisquare Antenna update. Shot my arrow in the air and just got purchase on a branch at an altitude of about forty feet, from which to hang the apex. Sides will be about 9 feet, which makes the hypotenuse about what, something less than 13, so the antenna base will be about 27 feet up, about three quarters of a wavelength for 10 meters. Now to the Shack of Solitude's antenna fabrication hanger to measure and cut some good ol #14 and start soldering two 17.92 foot pieces to 30 feet of 600 ohm ladder line. Hope I can complete this and hoist it before the rain starts in earnest, already threatening.

PS Didn't Hans Conreid play Danny Thomas' Uncle Hypotenuse?

[K7SGJ]

It's a tough room, ladies and gentlemen.

Bisquare Antenna update. Shot my arrow in the air and just got purchase on a branch at an altitude of about forty feet, from which to hang the apex. Sides will be about 9 feet, which makes the hypotenuse about what, something less than 13, so the antenna base will be about 27 feet up, about three quarters of a wavelength for 10 meters. Now to the Shack of Solitude's antenna fabrication hanger to measure and cut some good ol #14 and start soldering two 17.92 foot pieces to 30 feet of 600 ohm ladder line. Hope I can complete this and hoist it before the rain starts in earnest, already threatening.

PS Didn't Hans Conreid play Danny Thomas' Uncle Hypotenuse?

Why yes, I believe he did.

If the strom gets going you can borrow my custom umbrella. I made it out of some old 9 irons. Just be sure to hold it up high.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Why yes, I believe he did.

If the strom gets going you can borrow my custom umbrella. I made it out of some old 9 irons. Just be sure to hold it up high.


Thanks. Antenna fabricated. Rain has begun. Will stop for lunch so the downpour can build up some steam. Will not resume until 9 iron umbrella unfurled and conductive grease applied to feet shod with copper toed shoes.

[Jeff K1NSS]

It's up halfway, enough to see I need more ladder line, which right now ends right in the middle of a four foot high armor-piercing briar patch. Ouch, in the rain. Need more guy rope too, but looks like it will be viable, so this big sissy will stay indoors and tend other business. Manana will get it fully airborn and see how it tunes. Dash! of course, never ventured out at all, content to point and laugh.

[kb2vxa]

"Dash! of course, never ventured out at all, content to point and laugh."

That figures, he was thinking of Uncle Remus, Br'er Rabbit and the briar patch with ladder line going into Ren's (Teh Bunneh) lair instead of yours.

[n2ize]

When we are stranded in smoke we cry tears of wine.

[Jeff K1NSS]

When we are stranded in smoke we cry tears of wine.


Rimbaud? Baudelaire? Ballantine?

4951

[n2ize]

Actually it is one of my own lines. Inspired by someone I heard who said, "tears are sweeter than wine".

[Jeff K1NSS]

When we are stranded in smoke we cry tears of wine.

T'ain't bad at all, McGee.

[W3WN]

Rimbaud? Baudelaire? Ballantine?

4951I could go for a Ballantine right now. But I'd settle for a Miller Lite...

[W3WN]

So Jeff, did you guys get on during the contest this weekend? I didn't have good copy on the east coast (EU, AF, and the West -- easy. East & Midwest -- tough. Long skip but no short skip) so if you did, I never heard you.

[Jeff K1NSS]

So Jeff, did you guys get on during the contest this weekend?

First things 1st: Drank skunky Ballantine Ale in college for the nostalgic hell of it. One of my prize little kid treasures was a three ring sign ball marker my OM brought home from the links. Mel Allen...Baseball and Ballantine! Yankees aside, associate it with getting sips from parents glasses as a kid -- Ballantine, Bud and Carling Red Cap.


4960

Paul was under the wx, so me, my logger and my Icom 718 took on the world. Friday PM was Work The Northeast Night, mostly NY,NJ,some PA, CT, NH, plus one each MA, VT and ME. Shut down about 9pm and nothing much doing until I wandered down Sat about 9am and everything was hopping. As you say, EU, EEU, North AF bombing in. Picking the healthiest signals, I got most everyone I called including Ceuta and Isle of Man, two old favorites from my NH QTH but never snagged here in NY. Checked in and out during the day for several hour/two hour stints and worked 120 stations altogether, primarily EU/Carib. Loads of EIs, as somebody mentioned. My primary antenna, backed up by the J-pole was, oddily enough, Buddipole dipole rabbit ears, without mast or tripod, hauled up to thirtysomething feet hanging from a branch. Worked like a champ, or perhaps the champ was brute propagation. Testing on receive, the J-pole was couple to three S units down, with the exception of some deeper SA sigs, on which the vertical was a little better. The dipole, BTW, was broadside NE/SW. Dipole SWR was low enough not to need retuning from 28.3 up to 28.9, so skipped around without fuss or muss. J-pole also pretty broad, so was easy to A-B polarizations with the switch on the tuner. Without a human to shame me into hanging in, I cashed in my chips mid Saturday afternoon let the world win, vowing to hurt its feelings bad some other day.

[N8YX]

As you say, EU, EEU, North AF bombing in.

The million-dollar question:

Did anyone hear or work anything from below the equator? In all the band-scanning I did, the Argies and lots of other South American ops were conspicuously absent from this one.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Worked maybe 4 or 5 Argies, about same Brazilians, heard CE, HK but they couldn't hear me. Not so many SA as I've heard in previous contests on 20/15.

[W3WN]

The million-dollar question:

Did anyone hear or work anything from below the equator? In all the band-scanning I did, the Argies and lots of other South American ops were conspicuously absent from this one.I worked a bunch of Brazillians, some Columbia, a few Argentines, one or two in Chile. Heard Uruguay but didn't bother with the pile-up. Ditto Peru. I think I got that HD2 in Ecuador as well, but I'd have to look at the log. I don't recall working or hearing Bolivia.

[W1GUH]

Looks like some great vintage stuff in that pic. What's all there?



So Jeff, did you guys get on during the contest this weekend?

First things 1st: Drank skunky Ballantine Ale in college for the nostalgic hell of it. One of my prize little kid treasures was a three ring sign ball marker my OM brought home from the links. Mel Allen...Baseball and Ballantine! Yankees aside, associate it with getting sips from parents glasses as a kid -- Ballantine, Bud and Carling Red Cap.


4960

Paul was under the wx, so me, my logger and my Icom 718 took on the world. Friday PM was Work The Northeast Night, mostly NY,NJ,some PA, CT, NH, plus one each MA, VT and ME. Shut down about 9pm and nothing much doing until I wandered down Sat about 9am and everything was hopping. As you say, EU, EEU, North AF bombing in. Picking the healthiest signals, I got most everyone I called including Ceuta and Isle of Man, two old favorites from my NH QTH but never snagged here in NY. Checked in and out during the day for several hour/two hour stints and worked 120 stations altogether, primarily EU/Carib. Loads of EIs, as somebody mentioned. My primary antenna, backed up by the J-pole was, oddily enough, Buddipole dipole rabbit ears, without mast or tripod, hauled up to thirtysomething feet hanging from a branch. Worked like a champ, or perhaps the champ was brute propagation. Testing on receive, the J-pole was couple to three S units down, with the exception of some deeper SA sigs, on which the vertical was a little better. The dipole, BTW, was broadside NE/SW. Dipole SWR was low enough not to need retuning from 28.3 up to 28.9, so skipped around without fuss or muss. J-pole also pretty broad, so was easy to A-B polarizations with the switch on the tuner. Without a human to shame me into hanging in, I cashed in my chips mid Saturday afternoon let the world win, vowing to hurt its feelings bad some other day.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Looks like some great vintage stuff in that pic. What's all there?


Icom 718 aside, my trusty Halli S19 Sky Buddy, Halli S-85, Drake 2B and Mighty Knight T-50, which all work in varying degrees, plus an S38C that does not. Some of the working stuff could use some TLC refurbishing, but I'm leaving that until I'm really old, really shaky and have more patience and dexterity. Elsewhere in the Communications Bunker,the non working, moldy Hallicrafters TW1000 World Wide portable and upstairs in the studio, a working dusty Zentih Trans Oceanic, circa 50s D model I think.

[K7SGJ]

Looks like some great vintage stuff in that pic. What's all there?


Icom 718 aside, my trusty Halli S19 Sky Buddy, Halli S-85, Drake 2B and Mighty Knight T-50, which all work in varying degrees, plus an S38C that does not. Some of the working stuff could use some TLC refurbishing, but I'm leaving that until I'm really old, really shaky and have more patience and dexterity. Elsewhere in the Communications Bunker,the non working, moldy Hallicrafters TW1000 World Wide portable and upstairs in the studio, a working dusty Zentih Trans Oceanic, circa 50s D model I think.


I don't know about you, but I reached the first part a long ago, and the second part brings flying monkeys and something about my ass to mind.

[W3WN]

Looks like some great vintage stuff in that pic. What's all there?


Icom 718 aside, my trusty Halli S19 Sky Buddy, Halli S-85, Drake 2B and Mighty Knight T-50, which all work in varying degrees, plus an S38C that does not. Some of the working stuff could use some TLC refurbishing, but I'm leaving that until I'm really old, really shaky and have more patience and dexterity. Elsewhere in the Communications Bunker,the non working, moldy Hallicrafters TW1000 World Wide portable and upstairs in the studio, a working dusty Zentih Trans Oceanic, circa 50s D model I think.I have an S-38 sitting on a shelf in the garage collecting dust.

It's not in functioning condition. K3VX bought it at a hamfest last spring for $1, thinking it was something he could work on, and then discovered it was in worse shape than described. Larry knew I used to collect Hallicrafters gear, so he gave it to me.

If you'd like to use it as a parts rig, just say the word.

[Jeff K1NSS]

I have an S-38 sitting on a shelf in the garage collecting dust.

If you'd like to use it as a parts rig, just say the word.


Tnx for the offer OM! Got mine for purposes of an "artist's" model. Assume yours is a C model, so I'm all set on carcasses, unless it's an an E. Whatever, by chance, does it have Hallicrafters brand metal tubes? Mine has at least one, although the logo marking is all but vaporized. Love to get some Halli tubes with more intact logos, dead is fine, for purposes of drawing and photos. I could root about for some gewgaws to offer in trade.

73 Jeff

[Jeff K1NSS]

I don't know about you, but I reached the first part a long ago, and the second part brings flying monkeys and something about my ass to mind.

HA! The FMs are circling as I type.

[W3WN]

Tnx for the offer OM! Got mine for purposes of an "artist's" model. Assume yours is a C model, so I'm all set on carcasses, unless it's an an E. Whatever, by chance, does it have Hallicrafters brand metal tubes? Mine has at least one, although the logo marking is all but vaporized. Love to get some Halli tubes with more intact logos, dead is fine, for purposes of drawing and photos. I could root about for some gewgaws to offer in trade.

73 JeffTo be honest, I don't know. I haven't had the heart to open it up and look at it yet.

I'd been considering using the case down the road for a future project, but nothing that's beyond the "what if?" stage right now. I have too many projects as it is... shack rebuild, basement kitchen install, Swan 3DriftyC to rehab, a couple of Twoers to work on...

But I will look at the tubes first chance I get. If there's at least one with the Halli logo on it, it's yours. And I can always use a coffee cup. I got one from the Worse Than Failure web site a few months back, and my wife loved the "WTF" logo so much, she confiscated it...

[Jeff K1NSS]

If there's at least one with the Halli logo on it, it's yours. And I can always use a coffee cup. I got one from the Worse Than Failure web site a few months back, and my wife loved the "WTF" logo so much, she confiscated it...

Deal. Have a "Homebrew is 60/40 Hot Lead and Pure Love" mug set aside for ya Slugger.

[WØTKX]

Let me know if you ever want to part with that Zenith. I'd love to have an old one.

Grandma set me up with her old tube Zenith TransOceanic when she upgraded to the transistorized version.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Let me know if you ever want to part with that Zenith. I'd love to have an old one.

Grandma set me up with her old tube Zenith TransOceanic when she upgraded to the transistorized version.


Roger roger. Yep, when it comes to portable shortwave romance, a TransO is hard to beat. In 1972, my first job as a newly-minted fiction writing Bachelor of Arts, natch, was mowing lawns and feeding a herd of 30 cats as a caretaker at a small estate on Little Bay in New Hampshire's seacoast region. The job came with a furnished cottage, which included, next to the fieldstone fireplace, perhaps the golden oldiest TransO -- the one with a Flying Fortress stitched into the speaker grille. On spying that sweetheart my eyes rolled 360 and I knew I was in clover. After my day was done, I'd set up my Olivetti portable next to the crackling fire, switch on the radio, wait for top 40 tunes to rise out of the B17, take a swig from a quart of Old German brand beer brewed with "Pure Artesian Well Water" and stare at the blank typewriter paper that was to become my novel, then novelette, then short story, then bird cage liner.

Curious about your grandma's transistorized TransOceanic. That was pretty snappy unto itself, chromey as a Chrysler. I remember seeing ads for it in spiffy venues like the New Yorker magazine and thinking I'll have one of those when I grow up and have a literary agent, though none of that came to pass. Life, eh?

Cool grandma! SWL or just liked nice things?

[W3WN]

Tnx for the offer OM! Got mine for purposes of an "artist's" model. Assume yours is a C model, so I'm all set on carcasses, unless it's an an E. Whatever, by chance, does it have Hallicrafters brand metal tubes? Mine has at least one, although the logo marking is all but vaporized. Love to get some Halli tubes with more intact logos, dead is fine, for purposes of drawing and photos. I could root about for some gewgaws to offer in trade.

73 JeffBad news, I'm afraid. Not a single original Hallicrafters tube in that poor rig. Sylvania, Cetron, even a Westinghouse... and all glass, too. But no Hallicrafters branded ones.

It is an S-38... not a C or any other letter. And it's in pretty crummy shape. Cosmetically it doesn't look bad, but there's at least one tube missing, the main dial doesn't turn with the knob, the back is all marked up, and from the looks of the bottom (bottom cover missing), someone tried to rehab it and didn't know what they were doing. It will require more TLC to restore than it's probably worth, sad to say.

Don't suppose you'd settle for a 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates calendar? Nah, didn't think so.

[KG4CGC]

Those old TR7s are some sweet rigs. Kind of reminds me of a Ten Tec Corsair.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Bad news, I'm afraid. Not a single original Hallicrafters tube in that poor rig. Sylvania, Cetron, even a Westinghouse... and all glass, too. But no Hallicrafters branded ones.

It is an S-38... not a C or any other letter. And it's in pretty crummy shape. Cosmetically it doesn't look bad, but there's at least one tube missing, the main dial doesn't turn with the knob, the back is all marked up, and from the looks of the bottom (bottom cover missing), someone tried to rehab it and didn't know what they were doing. It will require more TLC to restore than it's probably worth, sad to say.

Don't suppose you'd settle for a 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates calendar? Nah, didn't think so.


Shoot. Tnx for looking. You post mortem did prompt me check this site http://www.the-s38-guy.com/ for some much needed clarification about the series. I assumed, for no good reason, that there were much different looking earlier iterations. But at quick glance, the S38/ A/B/C look much the same, while the D and E are other kettles of fish. I gotta go back and suss out which of the first 4 my set really is, though it's my impression it was marked C. Sorry, I'm all calendared up at this late date, but keep reasonably clean Hallitubes in mind (dead Ok, brand/logo marking must be good shape) while prospecting if you'd care to swap for a mug

[N8YX]

Those old TR7s are some sweet rigs. Kind of reminds me of a Ten Tec Corsair.

Probably because a few of the Drake guys went to work for Ten-Tec, or so the story goes...

[K7SGJ]

Those old TR7s are some sweet rigs. Kind of reminds me of a Ten Tec Corsair.


I always liked the look of the UV3s also. A few bugs, but a very cool rig.

[N8YX]

I always liked the look of the UV3s also. A few bugs, but a very cool rig.
Had several; sold them this time last year. Also have two of the marine VHF version, the MRT-55. One rig's serial number is "Sample".

[K7SGJ]

You mean it was Juniors' ?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S2z8rDL9Hg

[W3WN]

Shoot. Tnx for looking. You post mortem did prompt me check this site http://www.the-s38-guy.com/ for some much needed clarification about the series. I assumed, for no good reason, that there were much different looking earlier iterations. But at quick glance, the S38/ A/B/C look much the same, while the D and E are other kettles of fish. I gotta go back and suss out which of the first 4 my set really is, though it's my impression it was marked C. Sorry, I'm all calendared up at this late date, but keep reasonably clean Hallitubes in mind (dead Ok, brand/logo marking must be good shape) while prospecting if you'd care to swap for a mugWorth a shot...

I also have an S-108 that's awaiting a spot in the shack as a dedicated SW receiver. I haven't looked under the hood on that one yet, although I will at some point... it came full of packing peanuts, I want to get ALL of those out. Don't know if there are any original tubes in that one, but there's hoping...

[W3WN]

Those old TR7s are some sweet rigs. Kind of reminds me of a Ten Tec Corsair.
You know, it's funny, I never thought of that before. There are a lot of style similarities between the two rigs. Both are gorgeous rigs; nothing against Drake, but I'll stick with my Corsair (now, if I ever get more room in the shack, we'll see about another rig)

[NQ6U]

Should anyone ever want to sell a restorable Drake SW-4, please let me know.

[W1GUH]

You know, it's funny, I never thought of that before. There are a lot of style similarities between the two rigs. Both are gorgeous rigs; nothing against Drake, but I'll stike with my Corsair (now, if I ever get more room in the shack, we'll see about another rig)

Don't need much room. There's always room for a TR-7 or R-7. Maybe even both! :twisted:;)

[W3WN]

Don't need much room. There's always room for a TR-7 or R-7. Maybe even both! :twisted:;)Well, you haven't seen my shack (maybe if we have more time for visiting on your next Dayton stop-over...) but no, I don't.

No one's fault but my own... I got talked into making a design change, and immediately regretted it. I basically need to tear down all the shelving on the outside wall and start over. And I may just take a few days off next month and do that. But if it works out, I'll have a better operating position for the Corsair & a spot for a third rig down the road... especially if I ever rehab that Swan 3Drifty...

[W1GUH]

Ahhhh.... the incurable vintage collecting disease! I've got a terminal case.

[NQ6U]

Ahhhh.... the incurable vintage collecting disease! I've got a terminal case.

I seem to have become infected with it myself. First, I got the Drake twins, then someone gave me a Hallicrafters S-20R. Then, just the other day, I found myself posting right here on this forum a request for a Drake SW-4 and perusing eBay for a good hollow-state AM rig...

[W1GUH]

Uh...oh......

"My name is Carl, and I'm a vintage radio collector."

Group:

"Hi Carl"

You're there. But there's a whole community of support. To help you get your next fix! Welcome to a great bunch! Wish I had something to help you out. But you're out in fecund hamfest territory.

[kf0rt]

Might have some vintage Drake to unload in the upcoming year.... ;)

[W1GUH]

There ya go, Carl. Always someone to help out your habit!

[NQ6U]

There ya go, Carl. Always someone to help out your habit!

Yeah. The farging bastidge.

[W1GUH]

Aw...you need us, and you know it! :rock::cheers:

[kf0rt]

Got a whole 4C line here in da closet. :whistle: