About to wind up my Hammarlund HX-50
 

Soliciting advice here. I am not so familiar with these old boatanchor
transmitters.

Just about done with a re-cap and a re-transformer and into this thing
for way more than it's worth. Any advice concerning powering it up. I
don't want to let any smoke out. I figure I'll make sure fuse is
proper size and wind up slow on a variac. Maybe pull out solid state
rectifier tube replacement and run thru the thing - oscillators,
sideband, and audio and so on.

Any advice give is surely needed and will be appreciated.

73
Bob
N9NEO

About to wind up my Hammarlund HX-50
 

Bob,
I think you have the right idea. Bring it up with the Variac without
the rectifier and see if everything lights up, and then start over with
the rectifier in place.

I would keep a voltmeter on the B+ line as you bring it up.

I had an HX-50 in my shop almost 30 years ago, and remember the rig but
don't remember details.

Recall that it was a filter type SSB job with a 6DQ5 final and put out
maybe 30-50 watts or so.

Do you have any history of the rig and did it work before the
transformer conked out?

John

About to wind up my Hammarlund HX-50
 

Hi John,

Unfortunatly I have no history. I bought it off Ebay from
deadpeoplesthings.

When I got it there was three transformers inside in an effort to
duplicate the one factory. I stripped them out and bought a very
expensive (ouch!) Peter Dahl replacement. SK made some relay
modifications and the solid state relay and holes in the chassis all
over the place. Looks like swiss cheese.

I'm into it for about 500 bucks and almost running. Last capacitor
should be on the front porch when I get home. I'll probably trash the
previous owner's relay mods before I power it up. One of the relays is
a T/R switch which I can do without.

I sold a nice HT-32 last summer in order to pay for a Drake R8B that I
just had to have. HT32 was excellant shape with new finals and
alignment. I sold for $200 so I gave it away. And the HT32 is twice
the rig the HX50 will ever be.

I don't fret too much over the time or money I got into this rig. We
do it cause we like to. Right?

73
Bob

About to wind up my Hammarlund HX-50
 

Bob,

You really do have some money in that little rig. Is that Peter Dahl
specifically wound for the HX-50?

You're right about the money invested. If it's something that you
consider a challenge and you enjoy the feeling of accomplishment in
finishing the project, I say it's worth it.

Too bad you had to let the HT-32 go. It was 1958/59 when I met a local
ham who had an HT-32 paired up with an SX-101. What a nice looking
station. Lot of money in those days. The next time I visited him, the
SX-101 was gone and replaced with a Drake 1A receiver! The HT-32 looked
heart broken sitting next to that little 1A.

Let us know when the Hammarlund draws it's first breath.

John