When I got my start in Ham Radio mid 50s - it was a great time to be involved for many reasons.
First the bands were hot, the Sunspot peak was almost there before us, exciting DX-peditions suchas Navassa and Clipperton, then the really far out stuff that Gus was affording to the faithful. There
was the new Novice program that got one into the field with minimal expense CW and theory.
One of the items that was instilled in
my mind was the fact, many were
into homebrew and making theirown transmitters and fewer wereconstructing receivers. I thought,wow a receiver project has to be agreat sense of accomplishment.
In the day, Ted Crosby W6TC wasearning a substantial name forhimself with the HBR receiver! Anifty dual conversion receiverconstruction project covering 80 thru
10 meters.
QST had many pages devoted to Ted Crosby’s multi-tube receiver over time and its evolution. The
Journal featured the front page on the fine building project QST Cover June 1961.
I am very desirous to learn what I can about Ted’s life, but precious little has been found. We know
he was a Television engineer for ABC-TV in Los Angeles. He enjoyed communications receiver
design and known as “Cros” by those that knew him well. He was a chain smoker and the endlesshours spent in research and design of the HBR series was unbelievable. Ted not only was a engineer
and designer but he loved toplace those splendid HBR dual
conversion projects on the air for
rag chewing and working DX. He
simply loved both fields,
operating and engineering.
Ted had a good sense of humor,“A stamped envelope will bringfurther details, but please
fellows, not for free, as much asI might wish it were otherwise, I
am a Crosby in name only!”
Ted’s creation was everywhere,
Vince Zaffini of The Soo Ontario
built one! Check the QSL card.
Stations all over North America and Europe were building and represented by Ted’s creation.
I fast forward in time to the 80s through my Coast Guard and Public Service days, I becameacquainted with Garrett K8RBX who was a West Farmington Ohio ham. In doing some antenna
work for Garrett, there it was in his detached garage, a Ted Crosby HBR-16 complete with theBritish Edystone dial and all of the band coils! Continued on page two.

The chassis on Garrett’s HBR-16 was ajar from the Bud cabinet and full of Mud Daubers! Thewasps had found a great home! Wasp castles all over the place, nasty. It was going to take a goodamount of elbow grease to clean that one up!.
As far as personal information on Percy Ted Crosby, in 1957 Ted stated he had been in wireless andthe technical field for 45 years. That makes his entry around 1912. That’s a real wireless pioneer!
There was a rumor Ted expired in 1971, I checked QST Journal Silent Keys and could not find any
entry prior to and including up to January 1972, there were simply no notes on his passing.
I had neglected to obtain Ted’s actual name, Percy T. Crosby *1898-1970* W6TC - 5TA. The
doors were opened. Ted had beginnings in Oklahoma and was licensed in 1923 as 5TA in Oklahoma
City and had one submission to the QST Journal titled “Making the Filament behave.” He was age
25 at the time of submission and we are still looking in the files.
Ted said, “Over the years it seems there has developed arather deep-seated conviction that the average ham iscompletely incapable of constructing and aligning areceiver even remotely comparable to the best of thecommercially built units. I, too, had gradually became
accustomed to accepting this unmitigated myth as a fact.”
Then came his real understatement, “I managed toaccumulate some slight knowledge and understanding of
the inner workings of a good receiver.”Not so slight! Ted was a marvel and more than that he enjoyed teaching the things he had learned
about receiver design and was a mentor to many.
In recent years the boys have had a resurgence on the HBR thanks to K5BCQ etall and they havea fine Internet page on the subject. Full of data, specs and pictures.
Thanks Ted, we’ve notforgotten you OM! The
little old HBR-16 wehave was cleaned up
and resurrected in
Northeast Ohio.
The sounds that comefrom it are truly Ted’s
creation, long live thelittle HBR!
W6TC
QSL from Mr. Dilks
K2TQN collection.
W8SU 2009