About Us

[email protected] · January 30th 17, 08:32 AM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 3:22:43 PM UTC-5, Joe from Kokomo wrote:
On 1/29/2017 5:30 AM, wrote:

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Sadly, you've pretty much answered your own question as to if there is
anything worth listening to. On the other hand, you already own your
Hallicrafters S-41. You could fire that up again and for less than five
bucks, just check/replace if necessary the coupling and bypass
capacitors. Then tune around the bands, see if you hear anything you
like and THEN invest in a better/newer radio.

P.S.

Don't forget the isolation transformer on the S-41.

A radio which has not been plugged in for that many years may/must require more than just a few capacitors. It is 70 years young.

analogdial · January 30th 17, 01:46 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

wrote:

A radio which has not been plugged in for that many years may/must require more than just a few capacitors. It is 70 years young.

Probably a new power cord and likely new dial cords. Contact
cleaner for the switches and a light film of grease for some of the
moving parts. Still easy and cheap.

If it's been stored in a reasonably dry location, it's not likely that
humidity has damaged the RF coils. There's no transfomer to damage on
this radio, either.

Carbon composition resistors sometimes drift up with age. Replacements
are cheap and more stable than the originals. Drifted up resistors can
usually be safely ignored, too. In most circuits, high resistance won't
cause any damage, it will just kill some gain. I replace the drifted
resistors, anyway. Some people are fussy about keeping things as
original as possible.

One nice thing about the pre 1950 (approx) radios is they don't use
those crummy single wafer silver mica capacitors at the base of the IF
can. I believe the S41G uses compression mica caps in the IF cans.

Joe from Kokomo[_2_] · January 30th 17, 04:20 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 3:22:43 PM UTC-5, Joe from Kokomo wrote:
On 1/29/2017 5:30 AM, wrote:

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Sadly, you've pretty much answered your own question as to if there is
anything worth listening to. On the other hand, you already own your
Hallicrafters S-41. You could fire that up again and for less than five
bucks, just check/replace if necessary the coupling and bypass
capacitors. Then tune around the bands, see if you hear anything you
like and THEN invest in a better/newer radio.

P.S.

Don't forget the isolation transformer on the S-41.

On 1/30/2017 3:32 AM, wrote:

A radio which has not been plugged in for that many years may/must require more than just a few capacitors. It is 70 years young.

Well, you are partially right -- if you consider the context.

If you want to do a full-bore, complete restoration, what you say is true.

On the other hand, the OP just wanted to see if short wave was worth
listening to and then buying a better/newer radio.

In that case, what I said was true, just change a few capacitors if
needed so you are not putting B+ on the grids of the next stages or
shorting out the B+ with defective bypass capacitors.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
No radio topics ANYMORE	[email protected]	Shortwave	0	October 30th 08 10:29 PM
75 Ohms - It's Not Just For TV Anymore	RHF	Shortwave	10	August 15th 08 01:09 AM
I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!	SUPER SKYHOOK N8WWM	Swap	0	July 18th 08 09:28 PM
We need no Licenses anymore.	Bruce	Policy	10	July 25th 05 10:43 PM
VOIRI English Service, Not on Shortwave Anymore?	Tom	Shortwave	2	April 6th 04 05:38 PM

Menu

About Us