In the office went the more vintage pieces, where they complement the old boatanchor Collins radio gear (Mom bought those for Dad for Christmas the year I was born). A while back I rearranged the office, consolidating all the ham gear on one side of the desk, and adding an Ikea cabinet (clearly the choice of discriminating, yet budget-conscious audio mavens the world around!). I shortened the Ikea piece by 1-1/2 "units" to leave room for hanging some guitars on the wall. The wife approves of the aesthetics, so here is how it will stay. Oh and yes, the rightmost KT88 on the amp is popped. I think the power supply caps have finally let go on the 275, and will be replaced soon.
Wow! Thanks all for the kind words! I'd forgotten about posting this picture. Latest update - I thought that something had gone south on the 275 but after disconnecting/unplugging/replugging I lucked out- one of the KT88s was loose in its socket was all. I had to crack open the 113 and restring its dial cord- truly an arcane art best practiced after prayer and fasting! Next adventure in audio is getting FM working on my 1700 receiver.
Collins is a timeless treasure. I was really surprised to see this picture among the hi-fi stuff. I bet most of the readers have no idea, how the distorted 300Hz - 3 kHz audio can sound better than the best vinyl played on the $150,000 turntable. To me, a weak signal from JT-land on 160 meters off my Icom is more pleasure than a loud 24/192 recording coming through my Amarra/Weiss/McIntosh/YG acoustic system. But it's just a hobby, anyway. Actually, both of them ;)
You and I are on the same wavelength I think. I've got McIntosh & Collins gear too (although I've sold off some of the Collins - the 30L1 and 62S1). I also have vintage Marantz components and would like to finish a comparable Audio Research system. You can't go wrong when you collect the best!
Wow. Except for the Mac amp this reminds me of sitting in the shack at W5AC, the student radio club at Texas A&M back in the 70's. We had a complete Collins rig. And isn't that a Heath linear amp peeking around the edge to the right? Reminds me of my younger days, and nights, sitting at my desk in my room, the glow of the tubes in my Heath SB102 xcvr lighting up a darkened room. I should have been in bed asleep but my parents couldn't hear a thing what with my headphones on and only the faint rattle of a "lightening bug" keyer to give me away.
Very nice HAM shack and Collins gear! And the Heathkit HF amp barely in the photo.
Brings back memories of my active HAM Radio days as a young teenager starting in 1971 as a Novice. Got the Advanced license in 1972 and operated mostly 40m and 15m CW with the Vibroplex, some SSB, and 2m packet.
Then life got busy and I let the license expire in the early 1990's. Just for grins took and passed the General test in 2008 and was issued a new call sign. Still barely have time to be on the air, just a little 2m FM these days from the car or handheld. Fun stuff, for when I retire. ;-)
I grew up sitting on a barstool behind Dad's ham desk, listening raptly to the donald-duck sideband voices and the steady tic-tic-tic of the typewriter as he copied the W1AW 35wpm practice transmissions, just to keep his speed up. I only regret now having waited until Dad became a Silent Key before finally getting my ticket. I hope, once I've got the now-malfunctioning 275 and 113 fixed up again, to get the S-Line gear back on the air. I made my first HF QSO on the Collins rig, but soon thereafter the transmitter started arcing; it's been shut down since then.
The little Lahtis I scarfed from my uncle when he moved out west years ago. The 113 and 275 showed up one Christmas when I was a kid, presents from Mr. Mc to replace the 112 and MC60 and vanishingly-rare F100 we'd been using (my brother still has the 112; I have the 60 and the F100, though getting it in the car for the trip to Florida was a chore!).
Wow! That certainly brings back some memories. I've been an (inactive) licensed ham for a few decades, and I certainly know Collins gear to have been the best of its era (and still highly treasured today). And of course there are reasons why the MC275 has been reissued!
