Bring Back Hallicrafters Radios

There are many questions that I have about electronics brands. For instance, why doesn’t Motorola sell car radios? It was their original business, and some sort of radio/cellphone combo would be the perfect way for them to get back into the cellular game.

The other question. Why aren’t there Hallicrafters radios? Hallicrafters was a radio company started in 1932 by William J. Halligan; Hallicrafters was an amalgam of Halligan and crafted. Through World War II, it made some of the coolest two-way radios, and for decades was associated with two way and marine electronics. In 1966 Northrop bought Hallicrafters, and continued to make the products until 1974. At right, a consumer model sold to the marine market in the 1970s.

Come to think of it, there is a sort of brand that is associated with World War II cool. World War II brands include the Grumman brand, the Jeep brand, the USO brand and the Ray-Ban brand. War associations are potent. If I can buy a Jeep-licensed radio, why can’t I buy a Hallicrafters?

There are many collectors of Hallicrafters, and the company appears on the BrandlandUSA 100 Brands To Bring Back list.

Hallicrafters directional antenna. Photo by BrandlandUSA of original on Tradition II sailboat.

What are some options for the brand?

  • First, it could license its name to WiFi radios, providing the 40 plus generation a comfort level in home wireless technology.
  • Second, the name could be used for new digital HD radios.
  • Third, the name could be slapped on clock and desktop radios.
  • Fourth, it could just be licensed for T-shirts, hats and gear, though that is pretty lame.

At right, a direction finder. Even on the consumer models, they kept it cool.

Author

  • Garland Pollard

    J. Garland Pollard IV is editor/publisher of BrandlandUSA. Since 2006, the website BrandlandUSA.com has chronicled the history and business of America’s great brands.

    View all posts

5 Comments

  1. Sorry, meant to say Hallicrafters; forgot to put the “s” at the end.

  2. I’m 56 now (born 6-10-63) and my dad had a Hallicrafter radio when I was a kid.

    1. Author

      they were great radios…excellent design.


  3. If you can revive the Hallicrafter radios, do you think you can convince NBC to revive the NBC Radio Network and once again run the legendary Monitor program every weekend? I’d sure buy a Hallicrafter if something wothwhile like Monitor could be heard on it!

    See:

    http://www.monitorbeacon.net/

    Tom Frieling
    tfrielin@uga.edu

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *