[Boatanchors] Cardwell Receiver

[Richard Knoppow]

     Some of you are aware that the Allen D. Cardwell Co, 
well known manufacturer of variable capacitors, advertised a 
very elaborate receiver about 1946. The ads feature what 
looks like a drawing rather than a photo and I had come to 
the conclusion that no receivers were ever built.  I just 
discovered an ad in QST that suggests there may have been 
one.  The ad is in QST for August 1946, it features the same 
illustrations but opens with the following statement:

"The crowd was so dense around the Cardwell Fifty=Four at 
the Radio Parts Show in Chicago that we thought it would be 
only fair to give you another look at it.  Here it is..." 
Followed by a list of features.

     Now, the question is were any of these ever built?  The 
set at the show could well have been a mockup rather than a 
working receiver.  The illustrations could be either heavily 
retouched photos or more likely "an artists rendition". 
This receiver was announced at about the same time as the 
Pierson, which was actually built and sold in small 
quantity. I can't remember now when the first ad for the 
Hammarlund SP-600 appeared but I think at about the same 
time.  The SP-600 ad also showed what was clearly a drawing 
and a list of specs which is significantly different than 
the receiver that was eventually produced.
    So, I wonder if anyone has any actual knowledge of what 
happened to the Cardwell receiver.  I suspect it may have 
turned out to be too expensive to produce.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com