Hallicrafters S-41G Communications Receiver

[DavePEI]

Here is the Hallicrafters working on my desk. I got the caps securely installed this morning and using about 8 feet of clip-leads as an antenna, received a number of stations. I still need to re-test all the tubes, and replace any which are marginal,

What tube tester do you have?

I have two from my years servicing radios and tvs.... One is a Mercury Model 1100B, and the other is a Hickox card reader type, Model 121.

Hickox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPFvOZuCpIk

Mercury: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7kVRmkXB88

I can check more tubes on the Mercury, simply because it had more recent updates. I also have an el-cheapo, but really all it does is check filament continuity.

I thought I had all of the tubes in my stash, but I am going to have to order a 12SQ7 and a 12SK7 for the radio - those in it are marginal, but still working. Still pretty good for a radio that likely hasn't been turned on for 20 or 30 years! Though I have better modern receivers, it is a nice feeling to resurrect one this old.

[TelePlay]

Here is the Hallicrafters working on my desk.  .  .  .    Not bad for an 80 year old radio!

Nice work, Dave! Looks great.

[DavePEI]

Here is the Hallicrafters working on my desk.  .  .  .    Not bad for an 80 year old radio!

Nice work, Dave! Looks great.

Thanks, John. I have placed a short video of the radio in operation on both the Museum Facebook page, and on YouTube at:
https://youtu.be/8qrA4UM-MI0

[DavePEI]

I have the S41G working well - it has a rather good receiver for a tube radio of this vintage. However, just as I was finishing it up, the bandspread dial cord broke. Argggh! Alas, on this radio, bandspread is accomplished by a small ferrite slug moving inside the oscillator coil via the fine tuning/bandspread dial cord. This is accomplished using a really difficult dial cord routing to get at. Honestly, I don't know how they accomplished getting the cord on in the first place. I know its routing, but with my big arthritic fingers and poor eyesight, I wasted four hours today trying to replace it. Maybe if I have a day where my eyesight is better, and I have more patience, I will try it again... I do have the proper Sams Photofact routing for the cord - it is just a matter of getting the cord tight enough to work correctly with huge fingers :-)

However, I can still tune it with the main tuning knob, but of course it is very touchy without the bandspread - <G> I wish it had been that cord which broke - much easier to re-string.

However, still having fun with it, and hopefully I will eventually manage to get a new bandspread dial cord on it!

[Stan the Man]

Just ran across this thread,.. I am working on my second S-41G now.. I have a thing for these and the old Echophone EC-1 radios.. I have a few..

Stan