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Neat radio last of the skyriders .All there except for battery .Radio plays well I can receive broadcasts from all over the world seems quite sensitive .Normal wear for a 50 + year radio very presentable Comparison to the Transoceanics Like the Zenith Transoceanics, the Hallicrafters TW-2000 is quite sensitive for shortwave listening with just the built-in telescoping whip antenna if the radio is working well. The tube complement is the same as found in the typical Transoceanic and true clones with the expensive 1L6 converter, and the more common 3V4 audio output, 1U5 detector/AVC/ audio preamp, and two 1U4 for RF and IF amplifiers. Schematic, alignment and other information can be found in Sams Photofact 273-7. A manual and schematic are available from BAMA in djvu format. I found two obvious mistakes on the Sams schematic but none on the manual schematic. The TW-2000 with its brown leatherette case, its beautiful full-width slide rule dial, and its nice world map in the lid is a very handsome and desirable set. The metal slide rule dial scale is covered with a large glass window mounted in a brass-color metal escutcheon. This has stood the test of time better than the plastic molded window and speaker grill of the Zeniths. The TW-2000 has a larger 5X7 oval speaker. The TW-2000 chassis is easier to remove for servicing. The knobs don't even have to be removed because the entire front of the radio comes out with the chassis. The TW-2000 has the 180 to 400 KHz VLF band not found on the tube Transoceanics. In comparing schematics, I noticed that every tube filament in the TW-2000 has a resistor in parallel across it. That reduces the problem of a filament-supply capacitor charging to full B+ in the event of a open filament or loose tube (and discharging that cap into the filaments if a new tube with a good filament is then inserted.) The resistors provide a full bleeder path. I replaced the TW-2000's critical AC line capacitor with a proper unit rated for AC, something I routinely do in Zenith Transoceanics. At least the TW-2000 has the capacitor across the AC-line AFTER the power switch. In contrast, the Transoceanics, including the military models, have the cap always connected regardless of the switch setting. I have seen Transoceanics with that cap completely split open. I have always wondered about the wiring of that cap in the Transoceanics with a "what were they thinking" response and ALWAYS unplug a Transoceanic when it is not in use. The TW-2000 uses a turret tuner which is an improvement in quality and stability versus the Zenith push-buttons. However, the turret makes the TW-2000 more difficult to align and the wiring to the 1L6 and the 1U4 RF amp more difficult to access. The mechanical band-indicating marker for the Hallicrafters is a nice touch. The TW-2000 tuning seems to have a fair amount of backlash. This may be because of the large slide rule dial and the more complicated dial string arrangement. TWskyrdr.jpg (26k) The name "Skyrider" had a long history with Hallicrafters. Skyrider speaks of the magic of radio and shortwave, bringing in distant stations by skip through the sky. It was the name given to the first Hallicrafters set, the S1, as well as to several later superheterodyne "Super" Skyrider models. The last receiver with the name of "Super Skyrider" was the SX-28A. The last use of "Skyrider" was the separate loopstick antenna in the TW-2000. I am convinced that Hallicrafters used the "Skyrider" moniker to compete with Zenith's equally imaginative "Wavemagnet" name. TW-2000 logo (26k) (please look at our rules and privacy policy) |
s.bender@machine--tools.com (Sheryl Bender) for additional information. This email is used for forwarding to newsgroup user.
