Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020
I have been working — albeit slowly — to get the shack cleaned up in preparation for my new Yaesu FTDX-101MP. A couple of days ago, I uncovered something I thought I had long sold, a Radio Shack DX-394 HF Communications Receiver.
When I saw it in the shadows under one of my tables, I thought it was an old police scanner; but when I saw the attached AC cord, I realized it was something different.
The DX-394 was the second one of this same model I’ve owned. I bought this one with the expectation that I would get around to performing some of the many mods to the radio in order to improve its all-around performance. For the cost of parts and time, you can upgrade the radio to be something of a top performer.
Obviously, that goal had been set aside long ago, much like the receiver. I took it up to Studio C and hooked it up, and it performed quite well, just as I remembered. I originally had plans to couple the receiver with an Amateur Radio transmitter, but again, those plans never materialized. So I shot a short video of the rig working, and then listed it on eBay a couple days ago. I listed most everything with both a Buy It Now price and a Best Offer. While I want to sell EVERY thing I list on eBay, I’m always willing to consider good offers.
A fellow eBayer sent a question about the listing, asking if the radio in the video was the actual radio I was selling. Yes, it was. He then submitted an offer that was less than my Buy It Now, but still a decent price to a guy wanting to shed extra gear.
I don’t need to raise money to buy a new rig at this point, but any money I can assemble can go for other things, like a tuner, microphone, or what have you. Or perhaps some decent storage shelving. Or a new high-end bug, like GHD or Begali, or a nice N3ZN iambic.
I found a couple of VHF and VHF/UHF rigs that are headed to eBay, so I have to get those listings ready in the next day or so.
NET CHECK-IN. I’m having a blast listening to and operating my Tempo 2020 station. I’m thinking that I may need to add another table to Studio C for other ham gear. I still have my Hallicrafters “Twins” station — the SX-117 and HT-44.
And of course, I have a Hallicrafters SR-150 station I can run as well. The only problem with the SR-150 is that it really is not a great CW station. The SX-117 is a much better receiver for CW operation.
Enough for tonight … 73 es CUL …. de KY4Z … SK … SK …. (dit dit) ….