Mauro wrote:
What is a reasonable price for a good working one?
Is this a good set? Can it be compared to Drake C-line or Collins KWM-2?
Thanks
Mauro

Hi, Mauro

I have a Hallicrafters SR-2000 "Hurricane" transceiver, which is
the (slightly) big brother of the SR-400. I also have a KWM-2.
The Hallicrafters is easier to repair, since the Collins used
Vector sockets, to squeeze in components vertically as well as
horizontally. The KWM-2 is a bit more stable, I think
due to the use of varicap in the dial readout correction circuit
of the Hallicrafters.

The SR-400 has about 200W output, twice that of the KWM-2.
To accomplish this, the SR-400 uses TV sweep tubes,
which are now expensive to replace, while the 6146's
used in the KWM-2 are comparitively cheap.

A big advantage of the SR-400, to a DXer, is the accessory
external VFO, model HA-20, which allows for dual frequency receive.
I think that was a unique feature in the vacuum tube days.

Both the SR-400 and KWM-2 are high quality units,
although the paint job on my Hallicrafters cabinet hasn't held up
as well as the Collins. Both sound smooth on SSB transmit and receive.
The Collins does not have receiver incremental tuning (RIT).

The SR-400 has a great advantage on c.w., since it has a narrow
c.w. bandwidth available. The KWM-2's c.w. performance
is just terrible - it keys an audio tone into the mic circuit
to generate a carrier. Collins used a 1.3 KHz audio tone oscillator,
so you will need to listen to a received 1.3 KHz c.w. signal
to be zero beat. On c.w you will generate a weak carrier frequency
as well as your desired frequency, and a weak keyed spur
about 2.6 KHz down the band, at a strength determined
solely by the mechanical filter rejection.

73,
Ed Knobloch