Woot I got me a boat anchor

[KB3LAZ]

Good find young feller, congrats.

Thank you :)

[W1GUH]

Yes I did figure out how to calibrate it. :) It was rather simple actually after reading the manual..but I was too impatient at the time, I just wanted to see if I could hear anything out of that box from yesteryear as it is put.

As for the Eico I have one..it is not in my shack but rather at a local hams house. An older fella that says I can have it. I know he is unsure if it still works as it has sat in his closet with all of his other vintage gear for half a decade or so. I have been saying Id take it home for awhile now. But every time I get out that way it is more of a bullshoot. We never seem to get around to digging through "the junk closet" as he calls it. It is a spare bedroom full of BA's and BA parts.

Thank you for the other suggestions as well.

I'm not sure why I have an obsession with some of the gear that I do as I have never used a lot of it...kinda like with this HQ-129x. It is not a model that I really even knew about but it stood out when I saw it. I flip flopped between that an HQ-145, HQ-110, and a few other models all day. I suppose that the price, the fact it was reccaped, aligned, had all documentation and actually looked like a BA had a lot to do with it. But at the end of the day it was still there (as were the others) and a little voice inside my head said talk to him and buy it. Part of what I liked was the fact that the man selling it actually used it himself on a regular basis and knew a lot about it. He also took the time to asses my needs before and seemed to take an interest in me rather than just saying...you wanna get it off my table.

So far I have had nothing but fun using the 129. Little things that I have noticed is that I dont like to use the Crystal selectivity in any position other than off or 1 with am and 5 for cw. I dont much care for the Limiter either...its like using noise blanker and makes everything muffled..IMO. The beat Oscillator on the other hand is a wonderful tool! When listening to someone transmit code it sounds like code rather than a high pitch screech. Sounds more like the telegraphy that one would hear in a western movie.

It is hard to believe that there is so much to continue to learn from a receiver with only a dozen knobs and no menus.

I really need to get off my but and get batteries for my camera so that I can post a pic of it. It looks good on my desk (out of place but good, lol). Hard to believe that it is like 65 years old with as good of shape it is in. The trick is going to be keeping it that way for another 65 years. :D

Re: The Eico with your name on it. If that's with the '730, I say, grab it while you can. That's a really great vintage AM station. If it doesn't have a VFO, that's no big deal; they're easy to find. Personally I avoid Heathkit VF-1's and HG-10's because they need an external PS and their output is on the low side. OTOH, others love them, so...you pays your money and takes your choice! The only "quirk" with the '720 is it's standy/transmit switching. It works OK, but doesn't lend itself to easy mods for PTT (Press to talk). But that's minor issue & doesn't detract from the great signal it puts out.

Love your words about buying a BA from someone who's used it a lot. That's pretty much my experience buying at hamfests.

"Little things that I have noticed is that I dont like..."

Ahhh...I hear that. I'm not a personal fan of crystal fiters in that vintage receiver, either, but then, the filter was there mostly for CW and in that application they can be very useful. If that model has an xtal phasing control it can be used to both peak the desired signal or null an interfering signal. Takes a bit of practice but it can be very effective. I'm sure google will turn up words about that.

"It is hard to believe that there is so much to continue to learn from a receiver with only a dozen knobs and no menus. "

Yea, but hams are nothing but "knob twiddlers" at heart -- back in the day we'd judge a piece of equipment by the number of knobs! And...those knobs give you a better feel for what's going on inside the cabinet. Moreso than a menu can. Have FUN!!!!!!!!


And, please, please, puh-leez get of you butt and post some pix. That sounds like a real beauty!

Enjoy!!!!!