Sears ssb

[Mp1969]

Father in law gave this sears ssb to me to pass the torch so to speak. It worked when he last used it. Anybody know it's reputation?
He also gave me his old amp, which I am afraid to plug in. Told me his buddy made it back in the 70's. Anybody have anything they can say about this thing?
Thank you.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Oh I have a few things to say about that amp but I shall keep them to myself for now in the interest of decency.

 

[Mp1969]

Oh I have a few things to say about that amp but I shall keep them to myself for now in the interest of decency.

I can only imagine! I'm shocked that it was once in use and amazed nobody was hurt.

 

[nomadradio]

Scrape away the mud layer and turn the clock back 40-plus years.This amplifier looks a lot better than some of the garage-built two-tubers we saw back then.

If you're qualified to build this one from scratch, you're good to go if it needs any service. And if not, there is no diagram to guide you.

I don't recommend plugging in the amplifier. Age will cause some parts in the power supply to fail, as a rule. I would not expect this amplifier's fuse protection to prevent collateral damage when that happens.

The radio was not bad in 1976. But this many years later, it's like a 41 year-old car.

Expect bad electrolytic capacitors in the radio, too. Pretty sure it has a relay in it Moving parts sometimes last 42 years. Sometimes.

Biggest headache will be crystals that have drifted off frequency. Can't remember the model number of that one to look it up, but you'll typically find about 18 crystals in this kind of radio. Expect only some of them to be on frequency.

Like a 1975 car, it may start and run. But making it a daily driver will turn into a project.

73

 

[Sarasota Slim]

My grandfather had a Sears radio, that he got from a tech at one of the radio stations where he used to work. We were going to hook that thing up, one summer, back in the 90's, but never got around to it. According to my grandfather, that particular radio was the greatest radio on the planet.

Slightly related, I briefly used a homemade tube guitar amp, back when I played in a band. It had an open back, and my finger hit one of the tubes when packing up equipment, one day. That sucker was effin' hot! I left a layer of burnt skin on that tube. I learned my lesson, that day. From now on, I'm careful with tubes, lol.

 

[Sarasota Slim]

The radio was not bad in 1976. But this many years later, it's like a 41 year-old car.

Assuming that the 41 year old car is in reasonable, running condition, I'd prefer that over the garbage that's been put on the road, this millennium. Especially if it's an El Dorado Biarritz, or a Lincoln Mark V.

 

[silver devil]

Ive had a few of those sears radios. They are okay but dont expect much out of it......

 

[Tallman]

Most of those radios were designed and built by Hitachi. The ones I have are great radios good ears and clear modulation. I adjusted the modulation on them and they do not need power mikes.

 

[silver devil]

Best thing to to do in regards to anything old thats tube is to use a variac to powder it up SLOWLY!!!! I have one and i use it all the time for powering up stuff that hasn't been turned on in years.... That way you can see issues that pop up at low voltages.

 

[silver devil]

Most of those radios were designed and built by Hitachi. The ones I have are great radios good ears and clear modulation. I adjusted the modulation on them and they do not need power mikes.

The 23 Ch sears i had were dogs...

 

[silver devil]

View attachment 21590 View attachment 21589 View attachment 21588 Father in law gave this sears ssb to me to pass the torch so to speak. It worked when he last used it. Anybody know it's reputation?
He also gave me his old amp, which I am afraid to plug in. Told me his buddy made it back in the 70's. Anybody have anything they can say about this thing?
Thank you.

Whatever you do dont turn it on until you clean it up and find someone with a variac that can power it up slowly so you see find issues with lowered voltages..

 

[Tallman]

The 23 Ch sears i had were dogs...

No manufacturer can make 100% perfect product all of the time. I have owned Mercedes that were real mutts. The ones I had were good.

 

[nomadradio]

Hitachi CB radios like this one had their quirks. So did every Cybernet, Uniden, Chiba, NDK and Interworld-built CB radio chassis.

As they say, your mileage may vary.

73

 

[Tallman]

Best thing to to do in regards to anything old thats tube is to use a variac to powder it up SLOWLY!!!! I have one and i use it all the time for powering up stuff that hasn't been turned on in years.... That way you can see issues that pop up at low voltages.

There are no tubes involved in the Sears radios.

 

[Sarasota Slim]

There are no tubes involved in the Sears radios.

But, there are 2 tubes in that garage-built amp that is pictured, in the original post, along with the Sears radio.