Can someone please! give there opinion of this radio The National Model
NC-125 Radio Receiver,I can buy it for hundred buck's.The owner said it
works like the day he purchased it.It has the matching speaker and
headphones.The case is in good shape,a small nick here and there but overall
nice shape,I'm new to this type of receiver,all though I've been listening
to shortwave on my antique radio's for years. Thank You: Chuck In
Pittsburgh,PA

Di & Chuck wrote:

Can someone please! give there opinion of this radio The National Model
NC-125 Radio Receiver,I can buy it for hundred buck's.The owner said it
works like the day he purchased it.

;-) That can mean a lot of things!

It has the matching speaker and
headphones.The case is in good shape,a small nick here and there but overall
nice shape,I'm new to this type of receiver,all though I've been listening
to shortwave on my antique radio's for years. Thank You: Chuck In
Pittsburgh,PA

William Mutch wrote:

All tubes are still available, but the
electrolytic caps are getting real hard to find.

??? When did electrolytics start to become scarce?
Did you mean to say something else?

Really! As long as Marshall etc. continue to use 500 Volts + on their
guitar amps, HV electrolytics should continue to be available.

And even a simple tube rig is superior to 99% of the solid state rigs
for chasing DX. You cannot duplicate the effective sensitivity and
dynamic range of a tube front end with cheap silicon.

On Fri, 01 Aug 2003 20:43:03 GMT, Enoon wrote:

William Mutch wrote:

All tubes are still available, but the
electrolytic caps are getting real hard to find.

??? When did electrolytics start to become scarce?
Did you mean to say something else?

You cannot duplicate the effective sensitivity and dynamic range of a tube
front end with cheap silicon.

And if you replace the high value RF, Mixer, and Oscillator (and, maybe, AGC)
resistors with carbon deposit types, your can get rid of shot noise.

Bill

I currently have and mostly use a Drake reconditioned Sat800 which
is a much better radio (except for no AGC- OFF feature), but I still
listen to the NC-125 at least once a week and am emotionally very fond
of it. It's a real radio...glows in the dark.

A feature of the NC-125 I really like and forgot to mention is the
bandspread has low friction, anti-backlash gears which make tuning a
real pleasure. I made knobs for the bandspread and main tuning from
solid 3" aluminium round stock while learning to use an engine lathe in
our school shop. This is a worthwhile upgrade over the chintzy plastic
knobs that originally came with the RVCR.

sovtek dot com, tubesandmore dot com both carry Sprague Atoms, etc.

On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 08:11:03 -0400, William Mutch
wrote:

In article ,
says...
Really! As long as Marshall etc. continue to use 500 Volts + on their
guitar amps, HV electrolytics should continue to be available.

Thanks for the tip. I just hadv't seen many higher voltage
electrolytics at hamfests the last couple of years...I'm sure they are
around if you dig for them.

And even a simple tube rig is superior to 99% of the solid state rigs
for chasing DX. You cannot duplicate the effective sensitivity and
dynamic range of a tube front end with cheap silicon.

On Fri, 01 Aug 2003 20:43:03 GMT, Enoon wrote:

This is a worthwhile upgrade over the chintzy plastic knobs that originally
came with the RVCR.

One old trick is to fill the hollow knobs with a material that will harden,
with fishing line lead shot embedded in the material.

High voltage caps can be obtained at:

http://www.allelectronics.com/

Good prices and good service.

73,
Bill, K5BY

David wrote:

Really! As long as Marshall etc. continue to use 500 Volts + on their
guitar amps, HV electrolytics should continue to be available.

And even a simple tube rig is superior to 99% of the solid state rigs
for chasing DX. You cannot duplicate the effective sensitivity and
dynamic range of a tube front end with cheap silicon.

I used a Hallicrafters S40 for years-it was my first SW radio-and
although it was a nice radio to use it tended to break down with
increasing frequency over the years. I didn't have the skills to repair
it so finally I sold it to an elderly ham for $20. I would say that
unless you know how to tinker with tube gear to stay with the solid
state stuff. I use a Yaesu FRG8800 and am satisfied with it for the most
part.