Hammarlund HQ-180 / HQ-180A
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| Frequency | RX: 0.54–30 MHz |
| 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 flagship HF receiver. Triple conversion (above ~7.85 MHz; dual below) with crystal-controlled oscillators for excellent image rejection. A product detector for SSB, general coverage 540 kHz-30 MHz, an S-meter, and a notch. The HQ-180 was Hammarlund's best receiver and competed with the Collins 75A-4 at a lower price.
Complex alignment with three conversion stages. Heavy. Hammarlund went out of business. The triple-conversion design adds noise compared to dual-conversion receivers. Parts are difficult.
Hammarlund's finest. The HQ-180 was the receiver that Hammarlund should be remembered for. Triple conversion and crystal-controlled converters gave image rejection that simpler receivers could not match. A clean HQ-180A is a capable vintage receiver.
The Hammarlund HQ-180 is the top of Hammarlund's late communications receivers, an 18-tube, triple-conversion general-coverage set, made through the 1960s, that is regarded as one of the finest tube receivers the company ever produced. It covers 540 kHz to 30 MHz, with calibrated bandspread for the amateur bands, and receives AM, CW, and single sideband, using a low 60 kHz final IF to achieve the sharp, flexible selectivity that demanding listeners prized.
It was loaded with serious operating features: selectable sidebands, a passband-tuning-style system, a notch filter, and a range of bandwidths, all aimed at separating closely spaced signals on a crowded band, exactly what the SSB-era DXer and utility listener needed. Complex, heavy, and superbly engineered (the HQ-180A is the most sought variant), it sits at the pinnacle of the Hammarlund line and remains a coveted prize for collectors of premium tube receivers.
It is a discontinued classic. See the ham-band HQ-170 and the professional SP-600.