[Collins] KWS-1

[Glen Zook]

As far as I can determine, there were never any advertisements for the KWS-1 or 32W-1 as kits.  Collins was not in the business of selling kits.  Art Collins was not going to put the Collins name on something over which he didn't have absolute control in the assembly.

However, several Collins employees were able to obtain, at the Collins Cedar Rapids surplus store, enough parts and assemblies to build a 75A-4 and, probably, a few persons obtained enough parts to build a KWS-1 or 32W-1.

Since the amateur radio equipment was built in the Cedar Rapids area (there were some 75A-4 receivers made at the Collins facilities in Toronto and some KWM-2- series made in Japan under license) I never saw any assemblies for the amateur radio line at the Collins surplus store next to Building 427 which was located about 2-miles south of the Richardson city limits actually within the City of Dallas.

Art had some quirky ideas with the amateur radio equipment.  He declared that no 75S-1 or 75S-2 receivers were to be shipped with the optional 500 Hz mechanical filter and the optional BFO crystal installed.  Instead, one had to purchase the receiver from a dealer and then return the receiver to the factory or approved service facility to have the items installed.  Or, the filter and crystal could be purchased and installed by the owner of the receiver.

I actually have what is probably the only 75S-1 that was shipped, from the factory, with the filter and crystal already installed.  However, that receiver cost a Collins employee his job!  The employee purchased the 75S-1 through the employee purchase program which made the equipment considerably lower in price than "retail".  The employee "knew" someone at the factory and made arrangements to have the CW filter and optional BFO crystal installed.  Within a few days of receiving the 75S-1, Art "found out" about the receiver and called the employee into his office.  When confronted with the fact that, by having the filter and crystal installed, and not wanting to experience of the wrath of Art, the employee immediately quit his job.

After quitting, the employee immediately sold the 75S-1 to another amateur radio operator who lived in the Dallas suburb of Garland, Texas.  That person already had a 75S-1 and put the receiver in his garage where it sat for over 40-years!  Then, the receiver was traded to another amateur radio operator, who lived east of Dallas in Terrell, Texas, for some closed circuit television equipment.  The new owner then traded me the 75S-1, and several other pieces of equipment, plus some cash, for an Aerotron 450 MHz FM repeater that I had retired from commercial two-way use.  I had no idea that the CW filter was installed until I put the receiver on the test bench to check it out.  I mentioned to the person from which I had obtained the receiver about the CW filter.  He then checked with the person who had traded the receiver for the television equipment.  That person related the story about the purchaser losing his job with Collins Radio Company.

The receiver has the quality assurance glyptol on the various connections where the filter is concerned and those marks are exactly the same as the original wiring in the receiver.

Basically, I obtained a new 75S-1 receiver over 40-years after it had been manufactured.

Then, with the 75S-3 and 75S-3A, Art insisted that EVERY receiver was shipped with the 200 Hz CW filter installed.  When the 75S-3B and 75S-3C receivers came out, Art changed his mind again and those receivers did not come with the CW filter installed.  Instead, the CW filter was an expensive accessory.

Glen, K9STH


On Sunday, July 6, 2014 2:53 PM, David Thompson <thompson at mindspring.com> wrote:
 


Mac W2NSA (Long SK) had the KWS-1 and 75A4 in 1959 when I visited ny Grand 
parents in New Jersey.  His KWS-1 had the 32W exciter that came with his rig 
that he bought from Bil Harrison W2AVA.  Soon after my visit Art Collins 
called Mac directly as a long time Collins user and offered him the newer 
KWS-1.  The deal was handled through Bil Harrison.

By 1961 Mac also had the Collins S line including the 30S1.

Another ham I worked often on 20 was Walter W3RIS.  Walter was a Senior VP 
of Westinghouse
and the first Picture he sent me in late 1959 showed his station included a 
75A4 and KW-1.  In the picture with Walter was Fred KH6OR and Bill W7PHO. 
In 1961 or 2 Walter sent me another picture with his newer Collins gear 
including the S line and 30S1.  Listening to Fred and Bill showed they both 
ran Collins gear.

AS I recall the original KWS-1 and 32W were offered as kits.  Wonder if any 
were sold by Collins.

73 Dave K4JRB 


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