Any tubers here?

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KC0QNB

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How many of you have tube type HF receivers? I used to have a National NC-240d, wish I still did.
If you do have a tube receiver post a pic or two.
 

ridgescan

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I have a Hallicrafters S-X 88 sitting in the closet. It needs new tubes and a recapp. It's the 1954 model. I would do pics but I cant copy from my computer to here:( I have nowhere around here that works on these radios and although I love radios I never learned enough tech stuff to be really good in the guts-so its going to be a matter of clipping the capacitors that are leaky and hunting down electronic depots that still hold stuff for this radio. I have ONE possible electronics store about 40 miles from here who still carries the tubes and I think he can score the other stuff. It'll be a long road to get her running again.
 

KC0QNB

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I have a Hallicrafters S-X 88 sitting in the closet. It needs new tubes and a recapp. It's the 1954 model. I would do pics but I cant copy from my computer to here:( I have nowhere around here that works on these radios and although I love radios I never learned enough tech stuff to be really good in the guts-so its going to be a matter of clipping the capacitors that are leaky and hunting down electronic depots that still hold stuff for this radio. I have ONE possible electronics store about 40 miles from here who still carries the tubes and I think he can score the other stuff. It'll be a long road to get her running again.
Why can't you move pics from your computer to the forum? I can help you there if you desire
 

KC0QNB

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Nice rig, it says it has an analog readout, OMG analog, how does it work? (just kidding but the youngins here would ask that question for sure) I really miss my national big, heavy hot and if your weren't careful it would bite you. link to pic here.
I think I bought it for like $25 working, and work it did it even received ssb. If I could find another one for $25 it would be mine, of course the chances of that happening are real slim. There is a second hand store about 40 miles away that has had various tube radios over the years, I have a friend that bought a Hallicrafters, and a Heathkit, for like $50 for both. Well next Friday is payday, and my econo-stim check is on the way, who knows!?
 

Shortwavewave

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Feb 20, 2007
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I want a tube radio so bad......perferably one that had the tube showing so you could see the glow.
 

Thayne

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You guys will have the sierra club after you for wasting juice--:)

Just Kidding, I remember those days myself.
 

ridgescan

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Beautiful:) I got this one for $40.00 at an estate sale. The sellers figured it wasn't working-they had no idea the "rec-standby" switch was in standby:D This one "bit" me too when I'd be dumb enough to lift that hood and reach in to reseat the dial bulbs and ZZZZAPPP!!! I'd get a HELL of a shock off the back of the meter! This unit was absolute heaven to dial. You set the tuning dial and the fine tuning dial on the right hand lines then go fishin'. SSB would have you dreaming you were in a submarine or up on the 142 Alameda on a mission it has such a "military" feel. Fade was rare as this radio could use a dinner fork as an antenna:) but if there was any fade it would just add to the flavor. Obviously I really miss it. I had it bedside-the coolest time to DX. Unfortunately, one day I fired her up, all the tubes rose to life, the meter awoke and swung left...but failed to come into noise floor as there was NONE. Recieve is dead. All else still lives. I hope I figure this out so I can get all that fun stuff back! 73s-
 

KC0QNB

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Beautiful:) I got this one for $40.00 at an estate sale. The sellers figured it wasn't working-they had no idea the "rec-standby" switch was in standby:D This one "bit" me too when I'd be dumb enough to lift that hood and reach in to reseat the dial bulbs and ZZZZAPPP!!! I'd get a HELL of a shock off the back of the meter! This unit was absolute heaven to dial. You set the tuning dial and the fine tuning dial on the right hand lines then go fishin'. SSB would have you dreaming you were in a submarine or up on the 142 Alameda on a mission it has such a "military" feel. Fade was rare as this radio could use a dinner fork as an antenna:) but if there was any fade it would just add to the flavor. Obviously I really miss it. I had it bedside-the coolest time to DX. Unfortunately, one day I fired her up, all the tubes rose to life, the meter awoke and swung left...but failed to come into noise floor as there was NONE. Recieve is dead. All else still lives. I hope I figure this out so I can get all that fun stuff back! 73s-

Just a guess, if the filaments lit and nothing else happened, you probably lost the high voltage, I found a site where you could download manuals for old radios free, I snagged an owners manual for the NC-240 and a service manual also. the owners manual would have been nice 20 years ago, (I will find the link and post it with this thread.)

But I figured out how to make it work, lots easier than setting a VCR clock. When mine bit me the first time, I was hooking up the antenna, right next to the antenna jack were the "standby" mode terminals, just two screws on a phenolic strip with a bar across them, I eventually covered them with electrical tape.
 

kb2vxa

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I would suggest you call them boat anchors, potatoes are tubers. They say real radios glow in the dark but I say 12 volts is for wimps, real radios can kill you.
 
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k8mcn

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Hammarlund 145x and a Kenwood 520-S
Love the glow and the receive of a boat anchor in terms of audio quality they just cant be beat IMHO
All though the 520sugar is a hybrid, still has three tubes,so maybe it should be called a "raft anchor"
 

n2mdk

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I would suggest you call them boat anchors, potatoes are tubers. They say real radios glow in the dark but I say 12 volts is for wimps, real radios can kill you.

Warren you have to admit there are plenty of tubers on this group, I for one am a major couch potato.
 

KC0QNB

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Ok Ok I get the point but there were some "real replies" before you guys showed up, given the apparent intelligence of this forum, I didn't think Boat anchor users would do any better
Boat anchor user? well yeah I use a boat anchor when I go fishing, see the point?
 

kb2vxa

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"Warren you have to admit there are plenty of tubers on this group, I for one am a major couch potato."

Is your wife/girlfriend a sweet potato?

"Boat anchor user? well yeah I use a boat anchor when I go fishing, see the point?"

We saw the point long before you did; why do you think we call them boat anchors?
 

Thayne

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I, for one, feel a little bad about it (this thread) getting hijacked, but it assuaged my guilt after throwing away a few energy-sucking tubers myself.
 

n2mdk

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Is she spherical, Sputnik-like shape, sorry I didnt know what kohlrabi was had to look it up

Yeah with spindly arms and legs :wink:

OK sorry about the hijack lets get it back on track.

I remember growing up with the Hallicrafter 38E receiver, it was my friend Melanie father's radio.
Want to see way too many kludges check out my old radio buddy Hal k6dpz's website
http://www.landaircom.com/
 
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