[Boatanchors] National SW-3 Coil Forms Wanted

[William Cromwell]

Hi Lee,

The SW-3 is a lot closer to 90 years old than to 50 years old. I was in 
the Viet Nam war more than 50 years ago and home again! For the age of 
the radio and era when it was designed it is an amazing radio. The SW-5 
is more or less an SW-3 with audio power amplifiers (and must be a 
larger box). I haven't taken a close look at the SW-5 so there probably 
are some other other differences. Most of the differences in the SW-3 
models are centered around the tubes used. It turns out from experiences 
of SW-3 users that we can change over to the other tube types (if the 
fit the tube sockets). Mine has the 2.5 volt tubes that draw and amazing 
amount of current! I have thought about swapping for the battery tubes 
that have filaments much easier to live with. Since the ones I have do 
the job I haven't motivated enough to do that. And then there is the 160 
meter coil set I have that *works*. Again - less motivation. My RAK from 
RCA is a late 30's design but mine is from about 1945.

It has been fun to have visitors in the shack and point at some of my 
radios and then at my PC, iPad, and cell phone. I ask them where they 
think all that newfangled digital stuff will be in 60 - 90 years :)

73,

Bill  KU8H

bark less - wag more

On 9/1/22 12:29, Leland Bahr wrote:
> Good for you, Bill, in not wanting to highly modify your radio 
> project.  I cannot for the life of me understand how a ham would want 
> to take a 60 year old radio and then add a toaster or bread slicer to 
> it.  Guys wanting to add a digital display or clock are examples.  
> They totally destroy the experience of using  these fine old radios.  
> Or the guys butchering a radio to add a vernier tuning unit or adding 
> giant out of place knobs to their radio. That's like buying a model T 
> car and wanting to install a digital dashboard to it.
>
> Lee, w0vt
>
>