First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?

Here is a picture of my first, named "Radionette Combi Star":
http://www.nnrm.net/Teknisk%20info/R...0CombiStar.htm

Some technical data (translated from the above):

Year of build: 1960 (by Radionette A/S, Oslo, Norway)
Transistors: 2x OC71, 2x OC604 (germanium with long legs).
Frequency bands: LW, MW, 1.6 - 3.3 MHz ("fishery-band" on our lingo since
fishermen used it to "phone" home) and SW 49m - 19m bands (continuously).
Price in 1960: NOK 590,- (approx. 90 US$ then).
Power alternatives: 110V, 130V, 150V, 210V, 230V or 7.5V battery pack.
# produced: unknown.

Variants in the750001-751600 series had Garrard record-player. While the 755001 had a
Star record-player (45 RPM). The first model which came in 1958 had a mix of germanium
transistors and tubes.

I remember it had an internal loop antenna hidden around the inside rim
of the wooden chassis. So the MW reception and null-effect (figure-of-8) was
rather good. It had exactly the same colour as in the picture above (but available
several others). It was sturdy built and had a good speaker. Since it also had a battery
pack, I could even take it to the beach and play my 45 RPM records.

I remember my first good DX on this radio; Radio Australia (ABC) on the 25m band. As a
12 year old, I couldn't really believe my ears. Got it from my step-mother after she got tired
of it. And since FM was long common then (1970), she had no use for it. So, that was some
tales of my first radio-love.

--gv

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

On Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:39:17 +0200, Gisle Vanem wrote:


I remember my first good DX on this radio; Radio Australia (ABC) on the
25m band. As a 12 year old, I couldn't really believe my ears. Got it
from my step-mother after she got tired of it. And since FM was long
common then (1970), she had no use for it. So, that was some tales of my
first radio-love.

--gv

Around 1964, my mother got me a Hallicrafter's S-120 at Sears for about
$70. I got about 40 countries on that POS, before I moved on to
something better. Now, for nostalgia, I have a refurbed Knight Star
Roamer, like the S-120, and it is still a dead duck!

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

On 07/04/2011 07:39 AM, Gisle Vanem wrote:
Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?

Here is a picture of my first, named "Radionette Combi Star":
http://www.nnrm.net/Teknisk%20info/R...0CombiStar.htm

Some technical data (translated from the above):

Year of build: 1960 (by Radionette A/S, Oslo, Norway)
Transistors: 2x OC71, 2x OC604 (germanium with long legs).
Frequency bands: LW, MW, 1.6 - 3.3 MHz ("fishery-band" on our lingo since
fishermen used it to "phone" home) and SW 49m - 19m bands (continuously).
Price in 1960: NOK 590,- (approx. 90 US$ then).
Power alternatives: 110V, 130V, 150V, 210V, 230V or 7.5V battery pack.
# produced: unknown.

Variants in the750001-751600 series had Garrard record-player. While the
755001 had a
Star record-player (45 RPM). The first model which came in 1958 had a
mix of germanium transistors and tubes.

I remember it had an internal loop antenna hidden around the inside rim
of the wooden chassis. So the MW reception and null-effect (figure-of-8)
was
rather good. It had exactly the same colour as in the picture above (but
available
several others). It was sturdy built and had a good speaker. Since it
also had a battery
pack, I could even take it to the beach and play my 45 RPM records.

I remember my first good DX on this radio; Radio Australia (ABC) on the
25m band. As a 12 year old, I couldn't really believe my ears. Got it
from my step-mother after she got tired
of it. And since FM was long common then (1970), she had no use for it.
So, that was some
tales of my first radio-love.

--gv

I had a newer version of this:

http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=139963

Mom refinished it and dad flipped out. I got the radio.

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

On 7/4/11 09:39 , Gisle Vanem wrote:
Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?

Here is a picture of my first, named "Radionette Combi Star":
http://www.nnrm.net/Teknisk%20info/R...0CombiStar.htm

Some technical data (translated from the above):

Year of build: 1960 (by Radionette A/S, Oslo, Norway)
Transistors: 2x OC71, 2x OC604 (germanium with long legs).
Frequency bands: LW, MW, 1.6 - 3.3 MHz ("fishery-band" on our lingo
since
fishermen used it to "phone" home) and SW 49m - 19m bands
(continuously).
Price in 1960: NOK 590,- (approx. 90 US$ then).
Power alternatives: 110V, 130V, 150V, 210V, 230V or 7.5V battery pack.
# produced: unknown.

Variants in the750001-751600 series had Garrard record-player. While
the 755001 had a
Star record-player (45 RPM). The first model which came in 1958 had
a mix of germanium transistors and tubes.

I remember it had an internal loop antenna hidden around the inside rim
of the wooden chassis. So the MW reception and null-effect
(figure-of-8) was
rather good. It had exactly the same colour as in the picture above
(but available
several others). It was sturdy built and had a good speaker. Since
it also had a battery
pack, I could even take it to the beach and play my 45 RPM records.

I remember my first good DX on this radio; Radio Australia (ABC) on
the 25m band. As a 12 year old, I couldn't really believe my ears.
Got it from my step-mother after she got tired
of it. And since FM was long common then (1970), she had no use for
it. So, that was some
tales of my first radio-love.

--gv



My first was a Hallicrafters S-53A

Built in 1951

8 tubes

5 bands, 54 - 1605khz, 2.5 - 6.3Mhz, 6.3 - 16.5Mhz, 13.8 - 33Mhz,
46 - 55Mhz.

$90.99 when purchased.

120V AC

Variants include S-53 and S-53U with largers IF cans. S-53U
international power transformer.

Requires an external antenna -- single wire unbalanced, or
balanced ladder line -- and a good ground.

I learned how to tune SSB using the CW tone and offset tuning. Not
particularly selective on crowded bands, although it was adequate.
And it had a good sound. Full, rich audio. Had a phono input so I
could use it as a power amplifier for some of my audio experiments.
Pin sockets output so a pair of Brush Clevites could be used for
private listening.

I heard more Blues hockey games on that radio than any since, and
it was always good listening.

Began listening to BBCWS on that radio. That's where I first heard
"Just a Minute," and untold radio dramas.

I gave it away to a colleague in the late 70's. Immediately found
and purchased another one, which I still use.

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

Setchell Carlson home/family radio way back around 1946, in
Carthage,Missy Sippy.I used to tune around on that dial.My mom always
liked to listen to those soap opera radio programs, Stella Dallas and so
forth.And there was real Good Music, Big Band/Swing era Music, on the
radio way back in those years.

The yearrrs go by,,,, quicker than a wink,,, enjoy yourself, enjoy
yourself while you are still in the pink,,,,,

How True it is.

Say cuzz, you wants to build a Tube Amp for your iPod? Look in the July
2011 Popular Science magazine.Or looka here,
http://www.devilfinder.com/find.php?...e+Amp,+Remixed
cuhulin, Quicker than a Wink

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

On Jul 4, 9:39*am, "Gisle Vanem" wrote:
Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?

Here is a picture of my first, named "Radionette Combi Star":
*http://www.nnrm.net/Teknisk%20info/R...0CombiStar.htm

Some technical data (translated from the above):

* Year of build: 1960 * * (by Radionette A/S, *Oslo, Norway)
* Transistors: * 2x OC71, 2x OC604 (germanium with long legs).
* Frequency bands: LW, MW, 1.6 - 3.3 MHz ("fishery-band" on our lingo since
* * *fishermen used it to "phone" home) and SW 49m - 19m bands (continuously).
* Price in 1960: NOK 590,- (approx. 90 US$ then).
* Power alternatives: 110V, 130V, 150V, 210V, 230V or 7.5V battery pack..
* # produced: unknown.

Variants in the750001-751600 series had Garrard record-player. While the 755001 had a
Star record-player (45 RPM). The first model which came in 1958 had a mix of germanium
transistors and tubes.

I remember it had an internal loop antenna hidden around the inside rim
of the wooden chassis. So the MW reception and null-effect (figure-of-8) was
rather good. It had exactly the same colour as in the picture above (but available
several others). It was sturdy built and had a good speaker. Since it also had a battery
pack, I could even take it to the beach and play my 45 RPM records.

I remember my first good DX on this radio; Radio Australia (ABC) on the 25m band. As a
12 year old, I couldn't really believe my ears. Got it from my step-mother after she got tired
of it. And since FM was long common then (1970), she had no use for it. So, that was some
tales of my first radio-love.

--gv

A Hammarlund AACS which was a SP-200 variant. Tuned from 300 KC to 10
MC.

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

Gisle Vanem wrote:
Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?

In 5th grade (1965) I got interested in electricity. I moved that summer
and a neighbor across the street gave me two ARRL Handbooks, one from the
1940's and one from the 1950's. No ham, no radio, just the books.

Two years later I moved again and this time I was in an apartment with a
trash chute in the nearby stairwell. We were on the ground floor, so I could
open the hatch as it were and see what was inside.

Someone had a Normende (or was it Nordmende?) AM/FM/SW portable that had been
dropped and was now still all connected, but in parts. The front and back were
separate, the IF coils were all plastic and broken off at the bottom. It
still worked.

About 5 years later, I was given a Halicrafters S-38B which was in one piece
and a quantum leap better in performance. Remember this was around 1970, and
ten feet of wire would get you the world 24/7.

At the time I had a TTY ASR33 and a dial up modem, probably the only computer
hardware within a mile of my home. No noise there.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
Making your enemy reliant on software you support is the best revenge.

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

On 04/07/2011 9:39 AM, Gisle Vanem wrote:
Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?

Here is a picture of my first, named "Radionette Combi Star":
http://www.nnrm.net/Teknisk%20info/R...0CombiStar.htm

Some technical data (translated from the above):

Year of build: 1960 (by Radionette A/S, Oslo, Norway)
Transistors: 2x OC71, 2x OC604 (germanium with long legs).
Frequency bands: LW, MW, 1.6 - 3.3 MHz ("fishery-band" on our lingo
since
fishermen used it to "phone" home) and SW 49m - 19m bands
(continuously).
Price in 1960: NOK 590,- (approx. 90 US$ then).
Power alternatives: 110V, 130V, 150V, 210V, 230V or 7.5V battery pack.
# produced: unknown.

Variants in the750001-751600 series had Garrard record-player. While
the 755001 had a
Star record-player (45 RPM). The first model which came in 1958 had a
mix of germanium transistors and tubes.

I remember it had an internal loop antenna hidden around the inside rim
of the wooden chassis. So the MW reception and null-effect
(figure-of-8) was
rather good. It had exactly the same colour as in the picture above
(but available
several others). It was sturdy built and had a good speaker. Since it
also had a battery
pack, I could even take it to the beach and play my 45 RPM records.

I remember my first good DX on this radio; Radio Australia (ABC) on
the 25m band. As a 12 year old, I couldn't really believe my ears. Got
it from my step-mother after she got tired
of it. And since FM was long common then (1970), she had no use for
it. So, that was some
tales of my first radio-love.

--gv

Wow! A post that is on topic. What's going on here?

My first radio that I began spending hours at a time trying to find
distant stations was a Wilco ST7 that my older brother loaned to me when
I was a young boy on the farm. Not much to look at now, but it was a
source of wonder to me back then.

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

"GM homepc" wrote:

Wow! A post that is on topic. What's going on here?

:-)

My first radio that I began spending hours at a time trying to find
distant stations was a Wilco ST7 that my older brother loaned to me when
I was a young boy on the farm. Not much to look at now, but it was a
source of wonder to me back then.

Yeah. Nostalgia ... it's not what it used to be. Never has been. Thanks folks,
lots of good sharing of memories.

--gv

First radio that got you into DX-ing?
 

On Mon, 4 Jul 2011 16:39:17 +0200, "Gisle Vanem"
wrote:

Please folks, tell us about what radio got you into DX-ing. I.e.
which radio was the first "fix". The one that made you pursue DX-ing?


The first radio that got me into DX'ing belonged to a friend of mine.
It was a 1930's Westinghouse tombstone design (wood cabinet) 3 band
with a huge electro-dynamic speaker (electro-magnet). Spent many
afternoons listening to BBC, Radio Moscow and the like.

My first receiver was a Radio Shack DX-150A which I still have and it
still works.

Jim