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member - Monday, December 12, 2011 at 06:02:03
Reception Set R106 MK11, otherwise known as the National HRO 5t, the "t" denotes the table cabinet version, the R106 MK11 employs all octal valves instead of the earlier UX6 series but the circuit and layout is basically the same as the earlier HRO. These receivers were fitted with a non illuminated signal strength meter callibrated 0 to 1 Ma and not in signal strength units.
The receiver shown has had the tropicalized anti fungal treatment although some of this has been removed off the control knob skirts. This particular receiver has had the front end converted to higher gain minature B7G valves, it will be converted back to octal at some point in the future.
The receiver shown is all workie workie and is used quite regular, also shown is a National Co. matching loudspeaker, it being an 8" model. The coil sets are shown in another picture in the gallery.

Lawrence. 12/11/2011.
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 19:12:07
Collins 75A-4. Probably one of the most lusted-after comms. receivers in traditional Amateur Radio circles! Double conversion s/het.: 1st. I.F. 1500 → 2500 kc/s (tunable); 2nd. I.F.455 kc/s. That front panel is just so attention-grabbing ~ it simply shouts "Switch me on! Operate me!" :cool:

Rarely seen in U.K ownership; more widely seen in the U.S.A. On the S/H market, a carefully-preserved one (which most are) fetches a serious price*. And so it should: it's a serious receiver; seriously designed; seriously engineered, seriously manufactured; it's a Collins!
When you've operated one of these, all the others are, well, mundane.

*Ownership? Me? Not yet - but one day, one day . . .

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12, 2011
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:56:59
Collins 51S-1. For Collins, a no-frills basic comms receiver, predominately aimed at the S.W.L., although certainly usable for other purposes.
As with all Collins receivers, the tuning is ultra smooth and very precise - and matched by the quality of the engineering inside.

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12, 2011.
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:51:20
Collins 51J-4. Apparently, this is the Collins receiver that the design of the Racal RA-17 was based on. You can certainly see the similarity in appearance!

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12, 2011.
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:32:28
Collins TCS-12; one of their products aimed at the military market.
Single conversion s'het.,(460 Kc/s I.F.); one R.F. stage; freq. coverage 1.5 → 12 Mc/s.; 7 Octal valves: 12XXX series. {A common modification found is the replacement of the output and local osc. valves to substantially reduce the H.T. current demand]
Originally designed to be used with a matching transmitter. This receiver does not incorporate its own a.c. → d.c. P.S.U. (Unmodified, requires 250v.d.c @ 80 mA and 12v.a.c. @ 1.25 amps.)

Not widely seen in U.K. enthusiasts' collections: AmRad & S.W.L. This is probably because not many were released to the S/H market here (typically during the 1950's and early 1960's); it is much more common in the U.S.A.

For serious use, it does have a couple of limitations*: wide bandwidth and inadequate bandspread; although the freq. stability is apparently excellent (it is a Collins product!).

{* So I have been reliably informed; I've never owned one, nor used one.}

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Photo submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12, 2011
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:12:16
The famous Collins R390A ~ one of Collins' forays into the military market - but these days, often found in Amateur Radio hands, especially in the U.S.A. (surprise, surprise!)
Very highly-prized by their owners (and with good reason). With so much known about this model and what is available on the Internet, I need say no more . . . . except that I don't own one! :sad: (Yet!)

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12, 2011
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:04:53
Featuring that classic 'Collins look' ~ the R388.
I don't know a great deal about this receiver, so if anyone can add some useful data - please do. Thanks.

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12, 2011
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 18:01:10
KWM-2A ~ from Collins (U.S.A.) ~ probably the most respected manufacturer of comms. radios in Amateur Radio circles. Collins were the pioneers in the 'tuneable I.F.' concept, and this radio incorporates just that: 2955 → 3155 kc/s tunable, followed by 455 kc/s fixed.
As with all Collins products, the quality of the engineering is simply excellent; built to a specification, not down to a price.

This model appears to be not widely owned in U.K. AmRad circles, judging by records of second-hand sales, but that is probably because when you own a Collins radio, you tend to keep it for life: when you've got the very best money can buy, why trade it in?

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 12th., 2011
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 17:23:47
Hammarlund SP600JX ~ American manufacturer.
Another classic high-performance comms. radio from this famous company, with Hammarlund's distinctive 'tuning sector' windows.
1965 vintage. 540 kc/s → 54 Mc/s. (that's not a typo!); 20 valves.

Once used - never forgotten; simply superb! :like: But rare in U.K. enthusiasts' hands.

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Photo. submitted by Al. (Skywave); Dec. 11, 2010.
member - Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 17:06:56
Hammarlund HQ-180; U.S.A. manufacturer.
General coverage, 540 kc/s → 30 Mc/s in six switched bands.
Multiple conversion s/het.; 3035, 455, 60 kc/s.
Pre-WARC Amateur Radio bands: 80m. → 10m. are bandspread. A Q-multiplier is an integrated feature plus every user-control an enthusiast could desire!
a.c. power 117v,; weight 38 lbs.; 19" x 10.5" x 13"

There are several variations on the basic model: HQ-180C features a clock-timer (as shown above); HQ-180XE has a crystal selection switch (where the clock-times is on the "C" model).
The HQ-180 is a logical development of the company's earlier models: HQ-170; HQ-160 (dual conversion)

During the late 1960's I had a loan of an HQ-180X for a few months; I was very reluctant to return it to its owner - the performance was superb! In U.K. collections they appear infrequently - like many high-performance U.S.A.-designed comms. radios of the 1960's / 1970's.