tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post1442532399333409179..comments2024-03-28T08:01:27.111-04:00Comments on SolderSmoke Daily News: Pigs, Lipstick, and my old Hallicrafters S38 "Widow Maker"Bill Mearahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07662500663603350847noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-9920276365827776922016-04-21T17:44:34.436-04:002016-04-21T17:44:34.436-04:00Bill,
This one hurts deep down. My first receiver...Bill,<br /><br />This one hurts deep down. My first receiver, as a novice Ham in 1957 was an S38, although my history with it goes back well before then. My father bought it new in 1946. The original version. My uncle (who I believe had the Knack), connected the audio output to a stand alone 40 W audio amp which drove a 12" woofer with a very heavy magnet. He said it came from a movie theater. This whole arrangement was installed into a large wood cabinet which my father built. The top could be raised and held in place with locking hinges. The S38 sat in a special cut out at a 45 degree angle, with the speaker behind a cloth grill below. Next to the receiver was a 78 RPM turn table could be switched to the amp. It was very handsome and was prominent in our living room. <br /><br />At a very early age (probably 5 or 6) I was allowed to turn it on and tune in WOR in NY. Home of the John Gambling Show every morning, and of course Jean Shephard later in the day. <br /><br />Once a year my father would extract the S38 from the cabinet and take it on our vacation to the Jersey Shore where he would listen to the fishing boats on 2.5 Mhz AM. I'm not sure what information he gleaned from this communications, it all was a mass of heterodynes to me. But he would usually bring home fish.<br /><br />When I eventually got my ham license at age 12, it moved to the operating table. Of course I did not know anything about the lack of a transformer and I'm sure my father didn't either. <br /><br />In fact I don't care that it is looked down upon so much, I still have this radio and have no plans to give it up, or to try to turn it on for that matter. It sits in a place of honor in my shack today. It's missing some of the original knobs and I'm always on the look out for them. But after 70 years of ownership in my family, it's technical shortcomings are not an issue. <br /><br />Bill, the lipstick on the pig image is painful and I suggest not appropriate. Hallicrafters sold many thousands of S38's and their subsequent versions in the 40's and 50's, which made the Ham Bands available to many who would not have spent money for anything more expense. It probably made a significant contribution to the growth of the hobby. Was it a good ham receiver for the long term? No. But it was an important receiver.<br /><br />Fairly soon my novice station added a series of better receivers, and the S38 went back into its wood cabinet. I barely remember anything about these subsequent receivers, but I do remember making some of my first QSO's through the QRM from Radio Moscow, and achieving enough satisfaction to keep me in the hobby. <br /><br />The bottom line is. It is what it is. It will never be a great receiver even if you fix the transformer issue. Accept it or go in a different direction.<br /><br />If my father had not bought that receiver I might not be a Ham today.<br /><br />Sorry for all the nostalgia.<br /><br />73, Dave, K1KAk1kak1kahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12767048387364246620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-5405113296112412412016-04-20T13:41:36.926-04:002016-04-20T13:41:36.926-04:00She's a drifter. :-)She's a drifter. :-)Steve N8NMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-89445749225355100052016-04-20T10:48:49.080-04:002016-04-20T10:48:49.080-04:00Maybe S-38E could be the next SolderSmoke Mascot. ...Maybe S-38E could be the next SolderSmoke Mascot. She is a mobile ham you know.N6QWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09160697334746659660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-7072960035539504182016-04-19T17:40:58.017-04:002016-04-19T17:40:58.017-04:00I occasionally pair my S-38B with a 6L6 transmitte...I occasionally pair my S-38B with a 6L6 transmitter on 40, and the drift is reasonably manageable. It's a lot of fun when the band isn't terribly crowded.<br /><br />Mine does have a transistorized BFO; the regenerative IF scheme Halli used is pretty awful.Steve N8NMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-58246626612246332542016-04-19T16:42:44.294-04:002016-04-19T16:42:44.294-04:00A good RCD on the supply, an isolating transformer...A good RCD on the supply, an isolating transformer, and one hand in the pocket has got me to 52, love the old hallicrafters, and by association, pigs in lipstick. Go for it!Pat Pendinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09671934072988277705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-4354201248712288292016-04-19T12:45:06.842-04:002016-04-19T12:45:06.842-04:00Bill, no widows get made as long as the chassis is...Bill, no widows get made as long as the chassis is connected to the neutral wire. If it's not at least there's the thrill. A bit like risking death in the heat of a polo match. For extra thrill leave the case at a car body shop snd tell them to paint it and over cure it the same color as their next job. Mine came out BMW black. With a more pretentious radio I might not have dared. Filippohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07661267842743909027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-86406086494561024322016-04-19T12:43:32.519-04:002016-04-19T12:43:32.519-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Filippohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07661267842743909027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590176649168185428.post-18244759483725607262016-04-19T10:13:34.225-04:002016-04-19T10:13:34.225-04:00The definitive ac/dc shortwave radio was described...The definitive ac/dc shortwave radio was described in "QST" in May r June of 1971.<br /><br />Someone took an All American Five, plentiful at the time, and added an isolation transformer. They added some regeneration in the IF stage for better selectivity. Then a transistor BFO. They changed the loop to a shielded coil (so no unwanted pickup of local stations), and transistor converter.<br /><br />Not that far from some of the modified S-38s, but surely better performance.<br /><br />MichaelMichaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13699701261288661640noreply@blogger.com