Shortwave radio the way it was meant to be. Can I ask, roughly, how much your repairs cost?
it cost me $300. That was a great price for such stellar work. I wanted to sing the guy's praises here but he insisted on me not doing it-I understand after seeing the work lined up from several places including Japan waiting for his attention. I asked this guy 2 months ago for a fix and because of a loaded bench and a full schedule then, he turned me away. 2 months later I get a call from the head guy at CHRS saying that this guy changed his mind because he felt bad leaving me hanging with a dead 88. What a guy
he replaced the whole bottom end in two days as well as some stuff up top like two coils and two tubes I missed. This rig is new again which means many joyful DXs on what you coined as "SW the way it was meant to be"
only thing I have to re-acclimate myself to SSB operation. On this rig, to bring up say 11175, you have more work as an operator to do to land intelligible voice!
Way to go Ridge!! I had one back in the day when I was young but I gave it away to an even younger fella that was just starting out learning about radio. I'd guess he was only about 10 or so. I myself had moved on to the first digital readout sets so I figured I may as well help someone out as an old ham had done for me. I was given the radio by an old neighborhood ham who is now gone. The kid I gave the 88 to still had it the last time we spoke but I don't know if he ever restored it. It worked great when I owned it and I can definitely recall the great sounding audio. I used it back then mainly for SW broadcast radio. I remember my dad helping me string up wires all over the yard but I did not have a clue what I was really doing back then! I still wonder if I know what I'm doing today :lol:
And yes, they do make good room heaters! Couple that radio with a 55 gallon aquarium running at 78 degrees, made my cold converted breezeway bedroom very warm in the winter! Hot as all heck in the summer though.
The kid I gave it to grew up to get a job at the old McDonnell Douglass aircraft plant here in town and eventually he worked with communications systems plus he became a general class ham operator. I often wonder if it was that SX-88 that sparked his interest for his future. He was working for Boeing (they took over the old McDonnell Douglass headquarters here years ago) the last I heard but I've not talked with him for a long long time now. I should try and contact him and see if he will give the 88 back! I miss it now that I see yours.
I hope it gives you many years of life!
I don't doubt it one bit that the SX-88 had a lot to do with setting the youngun off into that direction. The SX-88 was then, and is now, a very precision high-end reciever. Think about it-you hadda pay $595 for one in 1954! It was originally built for a government contract that fell through, so Hallicrafters sold a handfull to the (wealthier) public.. and apparently at a loss to boot! The point I want to make here is, I remember when my wealthy uncle gave me his Zenith Royal 3000-1 because every time we went there to visit, I would play with that radio for hours. He figured since none of my 6 cousins cared for it and he had no time to play it himself (anasthesiologist always on call) then he'd let it go to one who'd enjoy it like it should be. Well-this radio was leaps and bounds more refined and costly and serious than anything I had ever laid hands on-as a kid, I fully recognized the higher level of radio this was. Imagine how that kid felt when you gave him the 88!!!! His radio communications passion as well as his thirst for more knowledge likely advanced by years with the first session behind the dials