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w3bny
01-05-2012, 09:58 AM
Hiya all you herniated boat anchor owners.

I have a deal cooking right now for a DX-100B as a restoration project (lawd help me!) and while gathering documentation etc to accomplish this, I had another delusion. If...When...I get Mr. DX-100 operational, what is a good boat anchor receiver that wont set me back like that Hammerlund described elsewhere. Not sure if there was a "matching" receiver to the DX-100 but it dosnt have to be Heathkit.

Thanks everyone.

me...soon to get his first hernia from moving a DX-100

WØTKX
01-05-2012, 10:53 AM
Same RX, reasonable price...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HAMMARLUND-HQ-180A-HF-RECEIVER-NO-RESERVE-/290651851681?_trksid=p4340.m1374&_trkparms=algo%3DPI.WATCH%26its%3DC%2BS%26itu%3DUC C%26otn%3D15%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D53978429375543757 41

But... maybe a Lafayette RX, like an HE-80?

I had one of these for a while, it was OK. Especially with an outboard Q Multiplier...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lafayette-HE-80-Shortwave-Receiver-Ham-Mint-Condition-BC-SW-6-Meters-All-Modes-/200694897774?pt=Shortwave_Radios&hash=item2eba591c6e

N8YX
01-05-2012, 11:29 AM
I would go after the following for amateur-only usage:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HAMMARLUND-HQ-170-WORKS-WELL-/110802316640?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19cc552d60

Does the receiver have to be hollow-state? If not, I can recommend a number of "period" rigs that are fairly trouble free and ideally suited to operation on an AM net.

W1GUH
01-05-2012, 11:58 AM
Some nice period fits, by category:

Single Conversion:

SX-99
SX-85
NC-188
NC-109
R-100

+ a bunch of others that don't come to mind right away.

Double conversion:

SX-100
HQ-100
SX-101
NC-303

+ another bunch of others.

An HQ-180 or '170 would be a beautiful fit. Those are damn fine receviers and a total gas to opearate. The can be pricey, but there's always that sweet deal that patience and perseverence can yeild.

Same would go for a Drake (2B, 4-line) or, dare I say it? 75S-3x?

Sure I've left out lots...but there's a good selection to start with.

Have fun!

You're already hooked on vintage stuff...the needle looks good dangling on your arm! There's no known cure...what you have will be with you for life...but there's a great support group of fellow fun-lovers to take care of you!

Enjoy!

w3bny
01-05-2012, 12:20 PM
I would go after the following for amateur-only usage:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HAMMARLUND-HQ-170-WORKS-WELL-/110802316640?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19cc552d60

Does the receiver have to be hollow-state? If not, I can recommend a number of "period" rigs that are fairly trouble free and ideally suited to operation on an AM net.

Not really i guess. T00bs would be cool but if its period then that be koo!

NQ6U
01-05-2012, 03:27 PM
I can tell you from experience that the Drake R-4 line radios are very nice receivers. You can pick up a used R-4A in working condition for less than $200.

W3WN
01-05-2012, 04:17 PM
I always liked the SX-101A... ok, so I have a fondness for Hallicrafters, sue me... or it's successor, the SX-111. The '101 is more akin to what you have. Both receivers are plentiful.

One thing I'm looking forward to, if and when I get the shack remodel done and some more shelves up, is to fire up the S-108 (same receiver, but GC and no crystal filter) I picked up a few months back for a little light duty SWL'ing.

N8YX
01-05-2012, 05:10 PM
Not really i guess. T00bs would be cool but if its period then that be koo!

Older Racal.

Mackay Marine 3010 (tube) or 3020 (solid state).

Debeg (the Euro-rebranded version of the above).

Hammarlund HQ-215. Takes Collins filters.

Galaxy R-530.

Heath SB-303. HR-1680 if operating SSB/CW only.

The aforementioned Drake rigs. No need to pay extra for an R4C over a -4 or a -4B.

If you can score a deal on a Collins R388, 75A2-A4, S1 or S3 look into one of those.

As I think of more I'll add them.

W1GUH
01-05-2012, 05:36 PM
I always liked the SX-101A... ok, so I have a fondness for Hallicrafters, sue me... or it's successor, the SX-111. The '101 is more akin to what you have. Both receivers are plentiful.

One thing I'm looking forward to, if and when I get the shack remodel done and some more shelves up, is to fire up the S-108 (same receiver, but GC and no crystal filter) I picked up a few months back for a little light duty SWL'ing.

In know...picky, picky....but...


S-108:

http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/d/33432-2/Hallicrafters_S_108.jpg


SX-110:

http://www.antiqueradiomuseum.org/Hallicrafters%20SX-110.jpg


S-108 is the SX-110 without S-Meter & Crystal filter.

Same as the S-85 was an Sx-99 without same.

The '111 was dual conversion and a much better receiver. Pretty much a ham band only SX-100. Now there's a truly outstanding receiver, the '100. And it's pretty, too!


Was never all that big on those single cover Hallicrafters receivers. Hallicrafters never published the sensitivity spec for the '85, 99, 108, or 110. That turned me off....if it had been decent, I'm sure they would have published.

That's why my first upgrade was to the Knight-Kit R-100. Allied DID prominently spec its sensitivity...1.5 uV even on ten meters. Allied's emphasis. And it totally lived up to that. Besides, I like Q-multipliers a lot better than that type if filter in the '99 & '110.

WØTKX
01-06-2012, 04:36 PM
Go minimalist... :lol:

http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/RS_GlobePatrol.JPG

KG4CGC
01-07-2012, 03:56 AM
Go minimalist... :lol:

http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/RS_GlobePatrol.JPG
Want

WØTKX
01-07-2012, 11:00 AM
Me too... one of the first kits I ever built. Even used it for QSOs as a novice way back when.

Was a pretty good way to monitor most of the 40 meter novice band without turning a knob... :snicker:

w2amr
01-08-2012, 04:32 AM
The HQ-170/180 is a nice match for for the DX-100.

W1GUH
01-08-2012, 12:53 PM
The HQ-170/180 is a nice match for for the DX-100.

I a lot of ways, the Apache/HQ-180 combo I used to break into the AM window in '90 was the most fun set-up I've run. It was just so classic. Also used that '180 for my "Sunday afternoons on 15" with an SB-401. THAT's vintage operating par-excellence! Imagine if it had been a Marauder!

w3bny
01-09-2012, 09:27 AM
Go minimalist... :lol:

http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/RS_GlobePatrol.JPG

I wanted one of those so bad when I was a kid...sniffle...<tomato can>

XE1/N5AL
01-09-2012, 12:58 PM
Ah, the old Globe Patrol! That was my first receiver, although I think I had an earlier model than the one pictured. Dad bought it for me at the local Radio Shack and we spent a couple of evenings putting it together. It was a pretty cool receiver for a nine year-old. I remember you had to adjust the regeneration control until the receiver started squealing, and then back off a tad, to get maximum sensitivity.

A year or two later, Dad bought me a Heathkit GR-54 kit, for Christmas, and I moved up to the world of superheterodyne receivers.

WØTKX
01-09-2012, 04:08 PM
I got mine for Christmas when I was 11.

Gawd, I was so excited that I almost believed in Santa again.

w2amr
01-09-2012, 05:16 PM
Hiya all you herniated boat anchor owners.

I have a deal cooking right now for a DX-100B as a restoration project (lawd help me!) and while gathering documentation etc to accomplish this, I had another delusion. If...When...I get Mr. DX-100 operational, what is a good boat anchor receiver that wont set me back like that Hammerlund described elsewhere. Not sure if there was a "matching" receiver to the DX-100 but it dosnt have to be Heathkit.

Thanks everyone.

me...soon to get his first hernia from moving a DX-100
One hams opinion..........
http://amfone.net/ECSound/JNRECS.html

N8YX
01-10-2012, 10:49 AM
I take exception to #3 and #6 in the "worst" list. Had a '180AC for years, and it was perfectly acceptable for AM use. The R71...there are four in use in the shack at present, with thousands of hours of cumulative run-time. Very easy to fix compared to other gear I've owned, and the only failure points of consequence are the VCO trimmer capacitors and the memory board - which can be replaced with one of several aftermarket versions. With a good external speaker connected, AM fidelity is fine...and I must be deaf or something because I certainly don't notice excessive synthesizer noise with any of my '71s.

WØTKX
01-10-2012, 10:52 AM
Well, that may be like an audiophool thing. If you can measure it, but not hear it, it's still bad. ;)