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Saturday, February 19, 2011

K2ZA's DX-100 Arrives at SolderSmoke HQ

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!

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations Bill on giving that old beast a new home!

    HA! 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"

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