W1KEK National NC-101X Restoration at Amatuer Radio Station W1UJR

August 3, 2017
Fall Project - 1938 National NC-101X Shortwave Receiver
If you know me then you know that I’m a fan of vacuum tube shortwave and ham radio equipment from the 1930s. Not just operating as W1UJR but also restoring this gear, some of which is now almost 100 years old.
I left Maine last night for a small town in New Hampshire, right near the Vermont border. Purpose of the road trip was to pick up this shortwave set from the grandson of the original purchaser back in 1938.
For nearly 80 years this radio was with this family. The original owner Richard W1KEK passed away in 2010 and the radio sat in storage until today. It’s now, along with the original speaker, safely on my workbench. This will be my fall project, to disassemble, clean, test, and repair where needed, with the goal of getting the set on the air sometime this fall.
The photos are from Richard as a young man, and later in life. Richard’s son shares “My Dad (W1KEK) bought this Receiver in 1938. The photos of him are from 1954 and 2010. It was working perfectly when boxed in 2010. Condition is exceptional as he always kept it dry and covered.”
I’ll be sharing the details on my website, www.w1ujr.net. I’m not so much an owner as I am a caretaker of these wonderful icons of an age gone by.
Bruce W1UJR