Today was big day here at SolderSmoke HQ. John, K2ZA, and his lovely wife Erika drove down from New Jersey bringing with them the Heathkit DX-100 that John's dad (now a silent key) had built years ago. John heard me mention my long yearning to once again own a DX-100 (I'd had one as a kid); he very generously decided to give me his dad's. It's beautiful. And BIG: Shipping weight: Over 100 pounds. This, gentlemen, is the rig that they were talking about when they first started to refer to certain transmitters as "boatanchors."
After some time on a Variac, I plan on pairing this magnificent transmitter up with a suitable thermionic-based receiver. Maybe the HQ-100. Then I will put it on 75 meter AM and will attempt to establish myself as one of the plate-modulated, big signal anointed, perhaps even attaining "tall ship" status. We can dream...
Getting the DX-100 was great, but even nicer was meeting John and Erica. What nice people they are!
John and I recorded (in both video and audio) a short segment about the DX-100. I will plug the audio into SolderSmoke #131, and will upload the video to the SolderSmoke YouTube page.
Here's John with the Drake 2-B, the HT-37, and the INFAMOUS Astatic D-104:
Thanks John!
Congratulations Bill on giving that old beast a new home!
ReplyDeleteHA! I couldn't figure out what kind of Drake receiver that is in John's photograph. Then I realized it's a 2B with the 2BQ along side. Wouldn't it have been neat if Drake had made an optional single cabinet for the 2B - 2BQ combo? What a handsome radio that would have made!
Ah, yes. The DX-100. High-level 100% plate modulation. Read iron and steel. Nothing fake inside that baby! Made when hams were real men. I much prefer the -100 cabinet over the cabinet of the -100B.
The -100/100B even has 11 meters and will transmit 100% duty cycle. I won't say how I know that. Hey, I was 19 and stupid at the time. Now I'm just old. :-P
73 from a former denizen of "Hetrodyne Alley"
Steve Smith WB6TNL
"Snort Rosin"