Hallicrafters SX-42
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| Frequency | RX: 0.54–110 MHz (AM); FM 27–110 MHz |
| Bands | broadcast through VHF |
| Power | Receiver only |
| Modes | AM, FM, CW |
| Weight | 29.5 kg (65 lb) |
| Connector | binding-posts |
| Year | 1946 |
| antenna | binding-posts |
The most ambitious communications receiver of the immediate postwar era. Six bands covering 540 kHz to 110 MHz with AM, CW, and FM, everything from medium wave broadcast to the new FM service to 2-meter amateur in one receiver. Crystal filter for CW selectivity. The BFO can demodulate SSB signals with practice. Push-pull audio output delivers excellent sound quality. Raymond Loewy's cabinet design is iconic, a museum piece and a functional receiver. 15 tubes with extensive filtering.
65 pounds. The 'do everything' approach means nothing is optimized; FM reception is adequate but not competitive with dedicated FM tuners, and AM/CW performance on the highest bands suffers from the compromises needed to cover 540 kHz to 110 MHz in six bands. Alignment is complex (dual IF system). Capacitor recap is mandatory after 75+ years. External speaker required. The wide frequency coverage means image rejection varies significantly across bands.
A monument to postwar optimism. The SX-42 tried to be every receiver in one box (AM broadcast, shortwave, amateur HF, amateur VHF, FM broadcast) and came remarkably close. Not the best at any one thing, but the only receiver that could do all of them. The Raymond Loewy styling makes it one of the most visually striking receivers ever built. A showpiece for any collection.
The Hallicrafters SX-42 was the flagship of Hallicrafters' post-war line, announced in late 1946 (and in production from 1947) to replace the legendary SX-28, and it added a remarkable trick: continuous coverage all the way up to 110 MHz, including FM reception. Its 15-tube chassis provides AM and CW from 540 kHz to 110 MHz and high-fidelity FM from 27 to 110 MHz, an unusually broad span covering the shortwave, amateur, and the then-new FM broadcast and VHF bands in a single receiver. When the FCC relocated the FM band to 88–108 MHz, Hallicrafters simply added a sixth band to reach it.
It carried the full complement of serious receiver features: a crystal filter, a beat-frequency oscillator for CW (and, with care, SSB), a six-position selectivity switch, a noise limiter, and push-pull audio for the high-fidelity sound Hallicrafters touted, using a 455-kilohertz IF for AM/CW and a 10.7-megahertz IF for FM. It appealed to listeners who wanted one receiver to do everything.
Its real claim to fame is its appearance: the SX-42's cabinet (light grey with green lettering, replacing the old black crinkle finish) was designed by Raymond Loewy and became the first electronic device ever to win an international design award from New York's Museum of Modern Art. The antenna connects to terminal posts. It is a discontinued classic. See the earlier SX-28 and the general-coverage SX-62.