Hammarlund HQ-145
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| Frequency | RX: 0.54–30 MHz (4 ranges) |
| Power | Receiver only |
| Modes | AM, CW, SSB |
| Weight | 17.2 kg (37.9 lb) |
| Connector | antenna terminals (SO-239 provision) |
| Year | 1959 |
| antenna | antenna terminals (SO-239 provision) |
Hammarlund's refined mid-range receiver. A Lamb crystal filter and an IF T-notch for selectivity, a detector for SSB, and calibrated bandspread. The HQ-145 offered performance approaching the HQ-170 at a lower price.
Hammarlund went out of business in the late 1960s. Parts support ended. The crystal filter has a fixed bandwidth. General coverage means compromise on bandspread.
Hammarlund's best value. The HQ-145 gave operators crystal filter selectivity and SSB capability at a mid-range price. It represented the mature Hammarlund mid-range, refined over a decade of incremental improvement.
The Hammarlund HQ-145 is a capable general-coverage communications receiver from the late 1950s that brought double-conversion performance to the serious listener at a sensible price. It covers 540 kHz to 30 MHz in four ranges, using double conversion on the higher bands (single conversion below about 10 MHz) for good image rejection, and receives AM, CW, and single sideband with an S-meter, a beat-frequency oscillator, and a noise limiter to handle difficult conditions.
It struck a good balance between broad coverage and amateur-band usability, with the smooth tuning and solid build that marked Hammarlund's receivers. The HQ-145X variant added refinements for the amateur. Respected for its sensitivity and its pleasant operating feel, the HQ-145 was a popular mid-range choice when new and remains a well-regarded and very usable vintage receiver for shortwave and amateur listening alike.
It is a discontinued classic. Compare it with the HQ-150 and the classic HQ-129X.