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November 26th 03, 02:07 AM

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 00:01:57 UTC, (LawyerKill)
wrote:

NoSpam
A 30-40 year old SSB radio such as the Collins KWM-2 or the Heath
SB-100 will perform as well and sound as well as a new modern radio.

I should qualify this too. An old radio will do the job, it might
take longer to warm up and might be a little quirky but it will
let you punch a signal around the world.

LK

But can you still get parts for the SB-100 at a reasonable price?

Yes and no. The no is very qualified.

Most parts in these radios are very standard. If you're not a
purist, then any of the hundreds of resistors, wires, capacitors can
be replaced by modern equivs. Most of the tubes are plentiful.

There were a few custom parts that are scandalously expensive but
only in comparison to the original price.

One example are the plastic knobs, especially the lever control on
the SB-100's. Although there were thousands made, the parts that
were custom made for the SB-100 are, well, one SB-100, one part.

The meter is another. For each SB-100, there is probably one and
only one meter.

Each of these special parts can be manufactured, repaired or
replicated today. The problem isn't that the modern manufacture
would be rejected by a "purist", the problem is that it takes time
to tool up to build the replica. Why build a one-off lever knob to
sell for $50?

If you follow the old radio lists, folks are looking for these
specific parts. Some are breaking down radios because the parts
are worth more than the whole. I don't encourage this.

Another interesting area are the powercaps. Electrolytic caps age
and die. These are electro-chemical devices. Some restorer's will
take an old cap, core it out, and put a more compact modern device
inside the old.

I admit that an old radio with new caps looks wrong. The new
devices are smaller, shiner, and have odd names on them. I don't
have enough of a purist streak to refill a cap. I do keep the
old part, bag it and tag it so that when I sell the radio, I can
offer it "with the orginal powercaps, if you want to refill and
install them."

A few tubes have gotten rare and expensive. The tubes in the SB-100
are still common but some sets are essentially worth only what the
tube is worth.

An example is the Heathkit SB-230. A websearch will reveal
discussions on the tube problem. Searching on "sweep tube
amplifier" might also yield more insight.

This is a niche market. I don't fully understand it. I'm glad that
the collector on the street has not discovered SSB radios. These
prices are rising but nothing like guitars.

I know that many afficionado's will have a wall display of old rock
guitars. I've seen one or two articles about these, special rooms
and such. I'm guessing that there are more folk collecting guitars
than can play at a level that would make other people want to
listen.

Well, the radios aren't like that. I use my SSB radios to talk to
other
folk on the air. I fix them, I use them, and I send people that I
talk to, pictures of the radios. They say, "Wow, you have a
Heathkit SB-100! It sounds Great!"

These are complex machines, the peak of the technology of an era
that has passed. I can use them, enter contests even. So there
is positive feedback to owning these.

I'm not knocking collectable guitars or even weird ceramics but if I
had them, I would sell them and buy another radio.

By the way, Joe Walsh of the Eagles (Hotel California) collects old
SSB radios. He owns sets that are too dear for me. He has the
"Gold Dust Twins" the Collins 75A4 and the KWS-1. These are "military
grade" comm radios from the 1950's, fully restored.

I'm sure he also has a few nice guitars.

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