HALLICRAFTERS S-118, any good?

[ryangassxx]

I have an opportunity to get one of these from somebody on the cheap.. I've always heard that the old tube radio's are the best.. Is this particular one any good? It's in real nice physical shape and was told it works perfectly.. I saw the pictures of the inside and it's very clean.

Should I go ahead and take it? I can get it for about $50

 

[jyams]

Halli S-118

I collect old Hallicrafters, but that radio is not one that is rated very highly, only because it is a 1950's model that began using solid state circuitry rather than tube technology. It will probably work to your satisfaction as a beginner. It is NOT considered an old "tube type" radio. But, hey, go for it and see for yourself. I just purchased a restored 1946 Hallicrafters S-38 for $60, shipped from a long-time ham operator who restored the radio himself!! Haven't received it yet but for $60, I figured I would take a chance. Some of my best bargains have come along like that....

 

[ryangassxx]

I collect old Hallicrafters, but that radio is not one that is rated very highly, only because it is a 1950's model that began using solid state circuitry rather than tube technology. It will probably work to your satisfaction as a beginner. It is NOT considered an old "tube type" radio. But, hey, go for it and see for yourself. I just purchased a restored 1946 Hallicrafters S-38 for $60, shipped from a long-time ham operator who restored the radio himself!! Haven't received it yet but for $60, I figured I would take a chance. Some of my best bargains have come along like that....

Are you sure because from everything I read on the internet is was actually made in 1962 not in the 50's.. And it does run on tubes...

Could you be mistaken?

 

[k9rzz]

A good source of equipment reviews can be found here:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/8


For the S-118:

"Should have a score of 3.6 to be fair. The S118 is really a remake of the series S107/S53A. A big mistake made by Hallicrafters was making it look like S120. This confused the public into thinking the performance was no better than a S120. Its very much better. The sensitivity compares well with the ICOM R75 on 80/40/20 meters. This is a quiet radio, no rf stage, to boost the noise. S118 has a sensitivity control to match the signal to the bfo output for comfortable ssb signal.Its stabilty is fair on ssb and can be used for long qso's without a lot of adjustments. Selectivity is pretty good with the 2 if stages. Bandspread is excellent make tuning ssb signals easy. By the way this a hot receiver on the am broadcast band. For its price range this is an excellent receiver. All this performance is done with only 5 tubes (wow)."

John K9RZZ

 

[ryangassxx]

A good source of equipment reviews can be found here:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/8


For the S-118:

"Should have a score of 3.6 to be fair. The S118 is really a remake of the series S107/S53A. A big mistake made by Hallicrafters was making it look like S120. This confused the public into thinking the performance was no better than a S120. Its very much better. The sensitivity compares well with the ICOM R75 on 80/40/20 meters. This is a quiet radio, no rf stage, to boost the noise. S118 has a sensitivity control to match the signal to the bfo output for comfortable ssb signal.Its stabilty is fair on ssb and can be used for long qso's without a lot of adjustments. Selectivity is pretty good with the 2 if stages. Bandspread is excellent make tuning ssb signals easy. By the way this a hot receiver on the am broadcast band. For its price range this is an excellent receiver. All this performance is done with only 5 tubes (wow)."

John K9RZZ

Yep thats one of 2 reviews I've read on it... There REALLY is not a whole lot out there about this radio.. I'll probably just go ahead and buy it to find out the only way I really can..

 

[52to12]

I have an Hallicrafters brochure copyright 1961. It shows the S-118 and lists tubes and functions: 6BL8 converter and oscillator, 12BA6 IF amp, 6BL8 IF amp and BFO. 6T8A detector. AVC, ANL and 1st audio, 6AQ5A audio output. Plus 2 silicon power diodes.
I have an SX-110 with an R-48 speaker hasn't been used since 1970. Radio belonged to my father. One of these days I will take it out of the box and see if it still works. I don't know what I will be able to hear. Outside antenna not permitted in my community.