[Boatanchors] Oddball SP-600 panel

[Philip Atchley]

Hi,

The front panel for the SP-600 that I'm "building" appears to have perhaps 
been a "Prototype" or something.  It "almost" looks like a JX-17 (diversity) 
panel, but with a couple minor differences.

1.  There is NO dial lock, not even a hole drilled for it (hence no place for 
the military IF gain mod).
2.  It is drilled and labeled for the IFO (Ext/Int) and BFO-AVC (4 position) 
switches but these holes are filled with "hole plugs" and don't appear to have 
ever had nuts/washers tightened down on them.
3.  The Megacycles window doesn't have "even" edges like my JX-14.  That is, 
it appears that holes were drilled for the corners, then it was cut out, but 
not quite filed to square edges as the corner holes are still a little 
evident.
4.  The panel lettering is very neatly engraved and filled and DOES look like 
a factory job, except that the Xtal Oscillator is labeled "HFO" instead of 
"Freq Control" like my JX-14 is.
5.  There are small holes drilled either above or below of the toggle 
switches, a mod that I understand was done to some of these sets for "safety 
wires".
6.  The paint is a "darker gray" than SP-600's usually have, yet the paint job 
looks to either be original or very well done many years ago.
7.  The Fonts are slightly different between the two panels.  The font for the 
"Hammarlund Model SP-600" logo is significantly larger then the JX-14 panel 
has.

Now, all the above would "sort of" point in the direction of a Homebrewed 
front panel, EXCEPT, that if it was, it was very professionally done with well 
engraved lettering etc.

AND, I find it unlikely that a person who went to all the trouble to homebrew 
such a panel for an SP-600 would bother to drill the "safety wire" holes.

Ideas?

73 de Phil,  KO6BB