Hallicrafters S-20R communications receiver
Steven Smith’s recent post on Edward R. Murrow inspired me to take pics of my favorite radio – my beloved, boyhood Hallicrafters S-20R “Sky Champion”. When this radio was brand new, anxious listeners would have been tuned in to Murrow’s broadcasts on short-wave from London awaiting the latest news about the great war in Europe. In Seattle, listeners would have heard newscasts from Fulton Lewis III, soap operas “The Guiding Light” “The Man I Married” & “The Johnson Family”, adventure from “Captain Midnight” & “Jack Armstrong” & evening dance music from Fred Waring’s Orchestra & Skitch Henderson’s band.
I’ve owned & used this radio since 1962. It’s been partially restored & if it had a full set of brand-new tubes would work as well as designed & built. The “Magic Tuning Eye” on the top lid works well!
I will shortly acquire use of a fully functioning similar vintage Hallicrafters S-77A (pictured below) on a long-term loan from a good friend, to add to my ‘fleet’ of radios.
retired broadcaster: on-air, MD, PD, asst PD, Prod Mgr, IT, station technician/engineer, pioneer Internet webcaster, station installation/maintenance; 12 years in commercial radio, 17 years volunteer in campus/community radio in B.C., Alberta & Wash. Amateur radio operator & “DXer” specializing in AM night-time DX, short-wave DX/listening & remote SDR DXing/listening
