Vintage Hallicrafters SX-25 Super Defiant Shortwave Tube Receiver Radio Demo

Neat old Rusty receiver. Very nice performer. Tubes have the sound! Listen to it boom in!

[jonteske]

When I got my Novice and a few months later my General when I was age 13, this radio salvaged my early ham career. At home I was struggling with a Hallicrafters S-38D, probably the worst possible radio for two way comms. I also had a Heathkit AT-1 ostensibly 25 watts input, but only about 6-7 output. My mentor, my shop teacher, W9ZKB, brought in his old SX-25 and a 75 watt home brew transmitter (he made it when he was in college post-WW II on the GI Bill.) It was set up in the drafting room and I had free access to it during noon hours, after school, and study halls. He was the trustee of our club station at our Jr. High School, W9DWR. I probably made 90% of my first year contacts from this rig. The SX-25 was old even in 1956. I finally had success at home when my folks bought me an HQ-100 (I was too young to legally work) and I got a Viking Adventurer from my allowance for doing household chores. The transmitter W9ZKB brought in could do voice, but even once I got my general I had to operate CW and use headphones because his drafting class was going on at the same time so I got really into CW.
-W3JT but K9CAH back then.

[crazybobdj]

I recently acquired a SX-25. It was refurbished with new caps, etc. Great boatanchor!

[chuckbrasch]

cool video.. 60 years ago, I got one of these from a 'silent key' family. I completely restored it and added a crystal marker generator circuit so I could calibrate the bandspread. Used it for a number of years along with an SX-101 MK III.. Many memories, TNX OM 73 de WB6PVC

[nei]

The push pull audio cant be beat. Miss my SX-28 but my friend is taking good care of her.

[radicalham]

I gotta tell ya, although I wouldn't have played the song throughout the entire video, the choice of song/genre was just awesome! Spices up shortwave just right. You're probably the coolest radio guy on the tubes. LED watch, fine taste in radios and Euro music, sometimes a glass of wine. Much respect to you!

[JJamesBased-dad]

dude i love this so much. getting ripped and listening to shortwave. you are the cool neighbor i never had.

[EdWatts]

Yeah, it's sold, but "3B" band is to help with bandspread accuracy on forty meters.  "3" band works for everything else and makes bandspread accuracy very good on twenty meters.

Ed, KI6DCB

[Sagurasu]

Wonderful old receiver/boat anchor! In these days of computers there's nothing like the smell of dust cooking on tubes. I like the bgm-German electronic music Kraftwerk's song "Radioactivity." It has a wonderful retro feel.

[nileshalinger]

thx. i have one with speaker. hasn't been turned on for years. i use a long copper wire as antenna. are there 'inexpensive' proper antennas?

[IGNETRON]

I wonder how much such lovely radio?? This is probably expensive antiques?? 73!

[patrickwall]

2:55 That sounds like the 40 meter band to me too, there are a couple of amateur radio am nets that meet on 40.

[bobrenfro]

Maybe on the SX-24 bandspread a bit of dial cord dressing would save re-stringing it.
73, K4OF.

[tylersanders]

Hello kind sir! I own one of these SX-25 receivers in really good condition, yet it has a problem. The unit powers on, but the power transformer chugs out smoke after about 10-15 seconds when powered on. The radio has been totally re-capped by the previous owner. Do you know of any resources where I may find a new or used power transformer for this? OR.. would you be interested in repairing the radio? I'm in Northwest Ohio and I am not too far from you. Thank you and I hope to hear from you!

[joaodamascenoufc]

Very good. How old is this radio? And, what antenna do you used?

[talkartoons]

WTF with that push pull audio stage you might as well start a rock band!

Does anybody know why they put such a hefty audio stage on these?

[danielthomas]

a real beauty!!...come over on the Titanic...

[bobrenfro]

N6TLU be ashamed----the AVC is off ! No wonder that AM is distorted !
K4OF.

[rogersbonettmb]

In order to being able these radios to receive SW signal means that the radio station needs to transmit in SW? If yes, who wants to transmit in SW?

[cfcreative]

Hi I am refurbishing one of these. I was wondering if you could test a mica can cap with just a multimeter. Would it read shorted if it was bad? Thanks. MK.

[kennynvakehve]

That music sounds like the group Kraftwork from Germany