If We Could Turn Back Time

Since we're getting into HTs, how many of you remember the Wilson 1400 and 1500 series. About the size of a brick and just as heavy, this old rockbound would stand up to just about anything. I know of one case where one was dropped out of a car wondow at 55, picked up, dusted off and the QSO continued. Can't hardly beat that for hardy.

 

Since we are looking back, I would have to say the best "normal" 1970's rig was the Ts-520S. Of course, the Signal One CX7A would have a place, if money was no object. 1960's? Heath Apache and SB10 for the "multitudes" and the KWM-2 or Collins S-line for the rich.
W2AGN Web Page

 

One of my favorite receivers from times gone by is the Drake 2B. This receiver wasnt big on cabinet size  and chrome knobs, but performance for price at that time is hard to beat.
I bought a 2B and a 2BQ(Q multiplier) a few years ago.
And it still performs as I remember it.
Very Stable, sensitive, and selective receiver.
The 2B is a credit to the engineering at R.L. Drake.

 

If I had my druthers, I'd like to have a TS 830 with built in dual VFO's and a general coverage receiver.  I've had two 830's and only wish they could rebuild the 830 with updated features.  I'd be the first in line for one.  The 6146B's were very forgiving to less than perfect SWR and the receiver was a dandy.  Bring it back as the 830S+.

Reid  WI3K

 

If I had my druthers, I'd like to have a TS 830 with built in dual VFO's and a general coverage receiver. I've had two 830's and only wish they could rebuild the 830 with updated features. I'd be the first in line for one. The 6146B's were very forgiving to less than perfect SWR and the receiver was a dandy. Bring it back as the 830S+.

Reid WI3K

 

By best is the Kenwood TS-940 with tuner. After selling my 830, I tried operating with a ICOM 706 (original model) but could hear almost nothing. Then I wasted money on a new Yeasu 847, but the HF part was only fair, and AO-40 is lost to most of us.

Thankfully, I got ahold of a used 940 of QRZ's swapmeet, and have been happy ever since. If you need a great receiver with a solid transmitter, this is the one. Second choice would be a 930, with the same quality receiver, if not all the features of the 940.

W0BFK

 

Best Rigs - if you could turn back time?

I really liked the 75A4 rcvr..  I think it is a piece of art both in looks and in performance.  I would rate it at the tip top of the stack.

The Hammarlund HQ series rcvrs .  The HQ170 & HQ180 rcvrs were excellent and had thunderous audio.

The Hallicrafters transmitters were wonderfull.  My favorite is the HT37.

The Ameco AC1 xmtr..  I dont know why, but I always wanted one..  I finally found one recently for 100 bucks and it really sounds great..  Very fine note (Really&#33.

As a CW op, the Drake C line is an all time farvorite.  Truely a high performance set..  It is hard to be satisfied with a transceiver after owning a good set of Drake twins.

The Central Electronics 100V xmtr was quite a fine rig (quite heavy too&#33

What I would give to be able to heat up my soldering iron and build a Knight T60 or a Heath DX60 or a Globe chief, or a SB102..   So many practical kits at reasonable costs.  Those *were* the days  ...if I could turn back time.

Ken (aa7jc)

My Webpage

 

Best rigs? I've had the most fun with less than the best, including early Motorola and GE boatanchor mobiles. My TM741 is nice, but you can get lost running mobile, and it becomes a useless piece of hardware pretty fast.

Receivers: Drake 2B (my novice station receiver) or the Collins R390. Both are the best for CW, and the 390 is the best for AM reception with the variable bandwidth IF.

Transmitters: Any of the classic boatanchors, from the DX100 and the Johnson stable. I have a Ranger/desk KW that will someday return to the air on AM/SSB/CW if I ever get it moved into the house.

Transceivers: Kenwood TS-120 for the KISS principle mobile. Just the basics, and I even worked Russia mobile from Jasper AB with it.

The most fun I ever had was with what could be considered the worst of equipment. But nothing will ever surpass my GE Deskmate Prog Line on 29.6 FM. Crystal controlled, 100 watts into a cut-down CB base station antenna, I worked 45 states summer of 1987.

Bells and whistles do not equate with the fun factor. There is a lost skill with working CW on a wobbly wide receiver like many Novices did. And when you did you KNEW it was an accomplishment.

Gary Hildebrand WA7KKP
St. Joseph, MO

 

Gee..... Do I have to pick just one? I have two; one mobile, one base. My mobile rig and I am still using it... is a Swan 100MX. This is a neat little no frills rig and is easy to operate w/o taking your eys off the road. You don't have to deal with menus or tiny knobs and swithces, everything is in easy reach and right where it ought to be. Audio reports are good and for a mobile, sigs are good. Recieve is quite adequate (OK, a notch filter would be nice).

My favorite base rig.... the Drake TR-4C I love this radio. with 300 watts input, you don't need a linear. Audio has always been reprted to be warm and nicely readable. Recieve is incredible! I never used anything but a 75m Dipole with a tuner and heard as much and as clearly as I could possibly imagine. This rig gets my vote for the best rig ever made. Period! I can't wait to restore it.

 

My nominations, in no particular order:

1.  Best HF transmitter:  Eldico SSB100A (As long as you could keep the carrier suppression balanced&#33  This was the phasing type SSB transmitter that had the one-inch CRT so you could watch your trap patterns as you spoke.

2.  Best VHF transceiver:  Icom IC28A/IC28H.  Very few bells, almost no whistles, but nearly indestructible.

3.  Best amateur VHF HT:  Vertex VX-150.  (What? You didn't think I'd mention any MODERN radios?)

4.  Best commercial VHF HT:  Vertex VX-900, especially when the low first cost is considered, and the audio is LOUD and undistorted as well.

5.  Best HF transceiver with a reasonable price: Drake TR4. Outdated by today's standards, but I could lug it everywhere and it always worked - - and it put out 200 watts DC on 75 meters!  

Tom, W2NJS
...in D.C.

 

Interesting subject...reminds me of the ssb/am battlefield days hi...like anything their is the good and then their is the bad and much can be said about the ham radio equipment of present and of yesteryear in that same maner.

Personally I still use older equipment (kenwood TS530s)partly because of cost due to currency changeover and partly because "do I really need a super duper bells and whistle" rig...at the end of the day especially on cw and even ssb you couldnt tell the difference between a 2002 model and a 1980's model and on recieve most kenwoods always had a good reciever plus if the added filters for cw and or ssb are used you can pretty well hear what the dsp rigs are hearing. I still use a Auteck QF1 outboard filter along with 270/500hz cw filters in the 530s and can hear and dig out most stations with ease. Plus its all ease of operation instead of pushing this and that and fiddling with this and that Hi..the only pitfall to the 530s is that their is no 2nd VFO which is the problem with a majority of older rigs.

Other rigs I found FB were the Hallicrafters HT37 Xmtr.it weighed a ton but the performance and audio from that xmtr has to be rated in the top ten of all time as were the majority of Hallicrafters equipment of that era.

Having had such other rigs as the Heathkit DX40 etc and then the earlier xcvr's like the Swan Cygnet 270B on HF and then the Ameco TX62 VHF xmtr..which was a great workhorse on 6/2 meters and used later on for the uplink on 2 meters for the early Oscars 7/8 and RS 3-8.

The point I guess is that the old gear was reliable and yet with some basic electronic knowledge you could work on the darn thing to some degree depending upon experience of course and seems like they kept on going.

Of course there have been improvements especially in the receivers of some newer radios and the compact size and thats progress of course.

Ham radio is a hobby it is everyone's right to do what they wish with it and to enjoy what equipment they can afford or prefer to have. Its that simple but I still like the older gear HI 73's cul de Bill ZL3NB