TO PARC home Page
Blasts from the past                                                                                                          

 
 

 
 

 
   
Collins KWM-1    worlds first TRANSCEIVER.  
Introduction Date / Price: 1957 / $820       in 2010 dollars   $  7364     who says ham radio is expensive, today
The Collins KWM-1 is the first amateur band transceiver designed for mobile and fixed station applications. Final amplifier plate input power is 175 watts PEP on SSB or 160 watts on CW. A crystal plug-in unit allows for the selection of ten crystal positions, each covering a 100 kc segment in the frequency range of 14 to 30 Mc. NO 40 and 80 meters,    The Pi-L output network with roller-inductor provides for efficient and continuous tuning throughout the entire frequency range of operation.  This Radio was Rumored to be used in the U2 that Gary Powers was shot down in.

a little additional personal info,    here is kŘip using his KWM-1 in 1970 was HS6ADE , Thailand .  Your webmaster !!!!  in the store room at the Takhli  PMEL building. a note,  by the 1970's  these were considered almost junk,  an all tube relic from the 50's and 60's.   so it did pay much.  I sure wish I still had my radio. 


click me ,, to enlarge
   
Central Electronics  20 A  ,   First band switched SSB radio..  the predecessor was the 10B  it used plug in coils to change bands,     the was a Phasing SSB exciter  ,   20 watts out, ,   Webmasters note, this was my transmitter after I graduated from Novice to General,   A nice radio.   I worked lots of DX on the 20 watts and a hy-gain 14AVQ vertical  

 
this radio did not have a built in power supply it was extra,    $240 in 1966 is $1838 in 2018..    Who says Ham Radio is Expensive in the 2000's  ,  its cheap
   

The Mohican
 was Heath's first all transistor general coverage shortwave and broadcast receiver. Intended primarily for the short-wave listener and for portability.  covered the AM broadcast band to 32 mHz.
it includes calibrated bandspread for the ham bands and a BFO
for copying code and SSB

in 1965 this cost $90, and the  accessory 120VAC 
supply was another $10   
in 2018 dollars $800 !! 
and you think Ham Radio is expensive now.
 
For more info about his radio please visit KB8TAD
https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/hMohican.htm
Heathkit HR-10B  Receiver
 
  • Amateur band coverage only (80 through 10 meters) for high stability & tuning accuracy
  • Tunes SSB, AM, CW
  • Large, slide-rule tuning dial—over 6" of band spread
  • Tunable RF stage for extra sensitivity
  • Prebuilt, preset coil/bandswitch assembly
  • Lattice-type crystal filter for high selectivity
     
    Year: 1967–1975 ?  
    Tubes 7:
    Net weight 20 lb
    Price in first year of sale $75.00   in 2018 $ $$  556.54

This handsomely-styled amateur receiver is a perfect match for the DX-60 Transmitter, providing complete high-performance station receiver facilities at low cost! 
   

Click it !

Johnson Viking Valiant
Modes: AM/CW
Bands: 160 - 10 Meters
Input Power: 200W-AM, 275W-CW
Final Tubes: Three 6146b in parallel
There are 18-tubes 
New Price: $349.50 kit and $439.50 wired
Manufactured between 1956-1962
Size: 11.5"h x 21.0"w x 16.25"d
Approx. Weight: 73 lbs
 in 2018 dollars $3,718
now you just need a receiver !
and a Desk that didn't come from Ikea 		ARC-5 receiver, WW2,  used in most fighter aircraft like the corsair's, P51's  and almost every aircraft in the inventory.  These and the matching transmitters, they did the job, there had to be millions made,  because every HAM  in the 1950's had at least one, and several of the  transmitters,

The one pictured here,  was made for connection to a Direction Finding LOOP ,  
most receivers  only had one antenna jack..  The receivers used a flexible cable, like an old speedometer
cable for remote tuning from the cockpit,  the transmitters were set to frequency before a mission. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

below is the matching transmitter

 

A crystal controlled  50 Watt NOVICE CW only transmitter,   KnightKit T-50


The Knight Kit Co. was in business from around 1957 to 1966, advertising in the
Allied radio catalog, and in the pages of
QST and CQ magazines.


Allied Radio, which owned Knight, was in
business from the 1920s. Allied is still in business today selling electronic parts!

Knight Kit  customers were primarily young,
shortwave listeners, aspiring radio amateurs, and new novices anxious to get something on the air that they could afford.