SX-101A

[George Maier]

Chris, Pete and all:

This aspect of the SX-101A is really an interesting mystery!

Hallicrafters offered the HA-2/ HA-6 transverters around the same time, and
styled them after the HT-37 family. I think most would agree that they are
the best tube type transverters that were ever made. The IF in/out is 28-30
MHz, but the entire band on 6M or 2M can be covered because Hallicrafters
included a crystal switch in the LO to shift the IF appropriately.  

As has been pointed out, the SX-101A converter IF input is 30.5 - 34.5, a
range originally chosen by National in the NC-300/NC-303 at least four years
before the SX-101A came out. The difference is that National made a complete
line of converters for this IF to cover 6M, 2M, and 220 MHz; Hallicrafters
never did.  Tapetone and probably a few others made converters for this IF,
but they are hard to find now, while the National converters are more
commonly available.

Truth is, the SX-101A was the first receiver in the series to have a product
detector, (which National had all along in the 300 & 303) and was probably a
catch-up model to compete with the NC-303.  My guess is that Hallicrafters
management gave an order to "make it like an NC-303", and that's exactly
what happened. If they had just calibrated the 10M band for 6 & 2 instead of
picking the National IF scheme, it would have made a lot more sense. 
Oh well!!!

73 all & Happy New Year
George - W1LSB (ex K1GXT)

-----Original Message-----
From: Boat Anchor Owners and Collectors List
[mailto:BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV] On Behalf Of Peter A Markavage
Sent: Monday, December 24, 2007 12:56 PM
To: BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Subject: Re: SX-101A

The SX-101A has "dial" provision to use a converter with an IF output of
30.5-34.5 MHz for 4 MHz of coverage. However, I would be more inclined to
get a 6 or 2 M converter that has a 28-30 MHz output and feed it into the
receiver on the 10 meter position. You only get 2 MHz of band coverage
for 6 M, 50 to 52 MHz is more then enough. Actually, if you could find a
converter that has a 14-18 MHz IF output, you could use the 20 M band
position and have lots of 6 M bandspread and just cover 50-50.4 MHz.
 
Pete, wa2cwa
 
On Mon, 24 Dec 2007 08:48:50 -0800 Chris <boatanchors at PEOPLEPC.COM>
writes:
> Hello and Happy Holidays
> 
>  I have a Hallicrafters SX-101A which is the 10-80M and Converter 
> for 6-2m...My question is I am wanting to get a 6M converter to use 
> with my 101A but not sure which one to get that will work with my 
> 101A...I have seen the Ameco 6M & 2M converters for sale and so on 
> but not so sure if they will work with my 101A...Can someone shed a 
> little light on the subject as to which converter to get that will 
> work for me. Thanks and Happy Holidays to all...Chris

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