"Buzzygirl" wrote in message
. ..
Just curious to hear about shortwave receivers that people have
owned that
are their longest-operating receivers. How long did they last, and
are you
still using them? Did they require major overhaul at any point
during their
long lives?

My old DX-440 from 1989 is still working fine, and I
occasionally use it so that the kids will get a chance
to play with it.

The oldest radio that I own that still works is the
Hallicrafters SX-100 Mk1, which I obtained last
year. It's it pretty good shape; some recapping
(which I didn't get to this winter) and some other
work will bring it back to great condition.

The Hallicrafters S-20R Sky Champion would have
been working, if I hadn't gotten the idea in my head
to replace the driver on it. It's been in a state of
disrepair for the past 10 years.

--Mike L.

My original ARC-5 BC-454, purchased in 1959 on Radio Row in NYC, is still
working happily. It's on its third power supply, though. 8

-- Larry

Buzzygirl wrote:
Just curious to hear about shortwave receivers that people have owned that
are their longest-operating receivers. How long did they last, and are you
still using them? Did they require major overhaul at any point during their
long lives?

My early '40s vintage SX-28 is still going strong, although it needed a
partial recapping. The R-390 hasn't needed anything.

If you wanted to ask about medium wave, my 1916 Navy loose coupler
crystal set still works fine, other than occasionally having to look for
a new hot spot on the galena. ;-)

P.S. Tip for SX-28 owners--watch out for the coupling capacitors on the
6V6 grids. If they go and you don't catch them in time, they could take
out the (replaceable) 6V6s and the unobtainium output transformer.

Dear Jackie,

On April 6, 1962 I bought a Lafayette HE-10 ($79.95) and its associated
speaker HE-11 ($7.95) along with a pair of Lafayette headphones
($1.49).

Being dissastisfied with those headphones, on July 27, 1962 I bought a
pair of Clevite Brush BA-200 headphones ($14.79) and headphone cushions
($0.73).

For over thirty-eight years, until I bought my Grundig Satellit 800 in
June of 2000, this was my primary shortwave receiver.

Except for a few tube replacements and a couple of full alignments
(just to make sure!) over the years, it has always operated as it did
when I first removed it from its box.

Now owning the aforementioned Grundig and an AOR AR7030 Plus
(factory-customized), I do not use the Lafayette much anymore. I ALWAYS
use it on April 6, its "birthday," (It'll be 44 this year.) but, aside
from reliability and its operation, which I LOVE - there's nothing like
heavy flywheel-weighted tuning knobs (TWO of them in fact), its overall
performance cannot compare to a modern receiver.

But I'll never sell it! It's really nice to "fire it up" and relive my
youth every once in a while.

Over the years I tried to replace it, most notably with a Radio Shack
DX-400 which I purchased in May 1984. But that set was not in the same
"ballpark" as the Lafayette, digital tuning and triple conversion
notwithstanding. Until I bought the Satellit 800 and then later the
AR7030, I had not found any radio which satisfied me the way that old
Lafayette did.

My first portable shortwave radio was a Hitachi KH-1108S which I
purchased on June 26, 1969. The only "servicing" this radio has had
over the years is battery replacement (4 alkaline D cells last about
three years!) and a thorough exterior cleaning which I did a couple of
years ago - it now looks like "new" (except for the leather case which
has hardened and cracked in places). I still use this radio, for local
MW boadcasts - rarely for SW or FM, daily.

Best,

Joe

On Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:44:43 UTC, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:

Dear Jackie,

On April 6, 1962 I bought a Lafayette HE-10 ($79.95) and its associated
speaker HE-11 ($7.95) along with a pair of Lafayette headphones
($1.49).

Being dissastisfied with those headphones, on July 27, 1962 I bought a
pair of Clevite Brush BA-200 headphones ($14.79) and headphone cushions
($0.73).

For over thirty-eight years, until I bought my Grundig Satellit 800 in
June of 2000, this was my primary shortwave receiver.

Except for a few tube replacements and a couple of full alignments
(just to make sure!) over the years, it has always operated as it did
when I first removed it from its box.

Now owning the aforementioned Grundig and an AOR AR7030 Plus
(factory-customized), I do not use the Lafayette much anymore. I ALWAYS
use it on April 6, its "birthday," (It'll be 44 this year.) but, aside
from reliability and its operation, which I LOVE - there's nothing like
heavy flywheel-weighted tuning knobs (TWO of them in fact), its overall
performance cannot compare to a modern receiver.

But I'll never sell it! It's really nice to "fire it up" and relive my
youth every once in a while.

Over the years I tried to replace it, most notably with a Radio Shack
DX-400 which I purchased in May 1984. But that set was not in the same
"ballpark" as the Lafayette, digital tuning and triple conversion
notwithstanding. Until I bought the Satellit 800 and then later the
AR7030, I had not found any radio which satisfied me the way that old
Lafayette did.

My first portable shortwave radio was a Hitachi KH-1108S which I
purchased on June 26, 1969. The only "servicing" this radio has had
over the years is battery replacement (4 alkaline D cells last about
three years!) and a thorough exterior cleaning which I did a couple of
years ago - it now looks like "new" (except for the leather case which
has hardened and cracked in places). I still use this radio, for local
MW boadcasts - rarely for SW or FM, daily.

Best,

Joe
I have been looking for an HE-10 for years! It is almost like my
S-38, but it is much better. Would you consider selling it/or trade
selling it for something? I have an excellent RF-2200.
Bob Grimes

--
"What do you mean there's no movie?"

the radio i had in my miss-spent youth was a beautiful 1947 firestone
console. it had 6v6 push-pull output, a great sounding 12 inch speaker
and a built in rotatable loop antenna. it was still working great in
the early 1980's until i met my wife. spending lots of time with her
(you know, i had a new toy!) i neglected my listening for two months.
that was just enough time for a family of mice to move in and destroy
everything! i didnt know and the first chance i had to use the old girl
was the last! the fire left no chance of a re-build. we held a solemn
funeral later as my friends carried her still beautiful carcass out and
laid her to rest. (it still chokes me up just thinking about it!) you
never get over your first! oh well......i still have the wife, it was a
good trade........i guess........

On Mon, 27 Mar 2006 18:36:25 -0600, "Buzzygirl"
wrote:

Just curious to hear about shortwave receivers that people have owned that
are their longest-operating receivers. How long did they last, and are you
still using them? Did they require major overhaul at any point during their
long lives?

Jackie



Why - my Satellit 800 of course!!


Ah - OK April fools....

Just curious to hear about shortwave receivers that people have owned that
are their longest-operating receivers.

Don't get me wrong, but my older Sony ICF-SW10 is working really fine
since 1995 . Well, I bought a Sony ICF-SW7600G next year, it couldn't
last as SW10.


--
Raqueeb Hassan
Bangladesh

It will probally outlast me.
cuhulin

Buzzygirl wrote:
Just curious to hear about shortwave receivers that people have owned that
are their longest-operating receivers. How long did they last, and are you
still using them? Did they require major overhaul at any point during their
long lives?

Jackie

The longest lasting receiver is a National 100ASD that I inherited from
my father. He began using it new in 1947 as a recently licensed ham.
It was overhauled several times in it's long life.

The next longest lasting receiver is a Kenwood R-5000 that I acquired
new in 1987 with a full complement of filters, serial interface and DC
adapter. No overhaul to date, although the keys do need a bit of a
workout after it has set for a month to settle down the key bounce.