Nice Find!

[WD8BIL]

Just received today. A gift from a guy at work.
Best I can figure it's an SP100 series. The Lable says Type L.
Any comment or info will be appreciated.
The pix were taken with a cell phone cam so please excuse the blur.



Power Supply
  Radio

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Looks like a SP-110X. They also made a LF version. Broadcast band was replaced by a lower frequency band. Suffix X means crystal filter.

[WD8BIL]

That's what I'm finding Pete.
This one has the Type "L" designation which indicates the LF version.

[k4kyv]

Love that old-style wrinkle texture.  Notice how it is not totally uniform like
 more modern wrinkle jobs, with a clearly visible pattern to the texture.  A
 good example of "modern" wrinkle is the Collins 75A-4, with perfectly uniform,
 fine wrinkle and no visible pattern.

Another good example of the older texture is the pre-WW2 National products,
 such as the HRO and the antique National oscilloscopes.

Does anyone know how to reproduce that texture?

[W1GFH]

Beautiful receiver!!!!!

Let us know how it performs.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Buddly,
          Congradulations! It's a first generation Super Pro, either a SP-10, or SP-100. Please let me know the tube type and count, especially the audio lineup. If it sports a 76 driving a 42 to drive a pair of triode cornected 42's, it's a SP-10 from 1936. Some were made with an audio transformer with an 8 ohm output. If it's a SP-100, you'll need a choke in series with the field coil of the speaker, or a 1K resistor. I can send you both if you need 'em.

Did it come with a power supply?

In spite of it being a mid-thirties receiver, it's absolutely first class, and has audio in teh Hallicrafters SX-28 class. The "Lamb type" filter is adjustable from 16KC in teh wide position, and something like 2KC if you narrow it up. If I remember correctly, the S-Meter doesn't work like a cornventional job, there's something different about the way it reads. Don't be alarmed if you think it's screwy.

I think you like it as much if not more than your Scott "Morale Receiver".

Let me know the particulars about it and if you need anything for it, etc.

In my opinion. it's a definite "keeper" and welcome edition to the infamous "BIL" studio!

I have a SP-10 and love it. It's one of my alltime favorite receivers.

Best Regards,
                    Joe Cro N3IBX

[Jack-KA3ZLR-]

DITTO, Nice Bud..Real FB...

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Buddly,
          Just as a point of reference, In my opinion, the foremost Hammarlund Historian is Les Locklear of Mississippi. He's not a Ham, but rather an SWL and receiver afficianato. I was told he knows more about Hammarlunds than anyone else. When I first received my SP-10 I needed to identify which model it was and his knowledge was Godsent.

If you'd like his email address let me know.

[WD8BIL]

Thanks for the info Joe. I'll do an inventory of the tubes and let you know.

I really think it's an SP-100.

I just came in from the garage where I was checking it out.
After bringing it up slowly on a variac (over a hour) I put
headphones on it and the 75 meter antenna.

IT WORKS !!! Heard WA1HLR, W1IA calling the nonet net to session,
and VE9AT Dave !!!

I put a conventional 8 ohm speaker on the headphone jack and I
get PLENTY of audio !!!! Now to find a manual or schematic at least.

Who said Mondays are always a drag !!!

[w3jn]

That's a real keeper, Buddly.  There's little difference other than frequency range and some other minor differences (ANL, xtal filter, etc) between any of the SP-series from 100 to 400, BC779/BC1004, etc.

I wouldn't leave it on unattended until you replace the wax bypass caps.  I recently had one catch fire in a NC-183.  BTW there are caps-o-plenty inside the IF cans (not too bad to pull the covers off and replace 'em).  And the trimmer caps on the IF cans are hot with B+ so be careful!

73 John

[WD8BIL]

Thanks John, I'll remember the B+ on the trimmers

I was gonna PM ya later for some mentoring but ya beat me to it !!

[w3jn]

I'm here if you need any advice.  I've done over several and have one to finish yet.

BTW the caps in the power supply are oil filled and I've never seen a bad one.  Still you should fuse it just in case.

ALthough it's an outstanding receiver, esp. considering it's almost 70 years old, it'd make a UL inspector cringe in despair.  There are innumerable ways to shock yourself; the power supply terminal strip on the back that has 110VAC plus 400V B+, 250V, -50; the afore-mentioned trimmers, and the standby switch on the back that also has about 400V on it.

73 John

[WD8BIL]

Ok ....
The power supply fuse still had it's sealed cover on. I checked it out and the fuse holder cap and fuse looked brand new. The seal is still good.

Now that you mentioned it.....
The speaker John gave me needs DC to the mag coil. Do you know which PS terminals the mag coil goes to ??

[w3jn]

Hmm... none of the ones I've had have needed a dynamic speaker.   Usually those things are in series with the PS B+; I'd put the field in series with the HV line (that goes to the audio outpoot toobs).

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Hmm... none of the ones I've had have needed a dynamic speaker.   Usually those things are in series with the PS B+; I'd put the field in series with the HV line (that goes to the audio outpoot toobs).

Johnny - My SP-10 has an 8 ohm outpoot and doesn't require a filter choke in series with the speaker. Possibly the audio outpoot trannys in our receivers were changed out or speced that way.

[WD8BIL]

Mystery solved.

This unit does have 8 ohm outpoot. A conventional speaker hooked to the back speaker screws works great. Much much audio strap !!!

The previous owner remembers piggy backing the field lines of the old speaker with one of the supplies but can't remember which. Until I get more dope on the old speaker I'll hold off on trying it. It would be nice to have the old girl working again. It looks sooooooo old buzzardly !

She's cleaning up beautifully. A couple more days and she'll be in the shack !!

Thanks guys.