Swan electronics
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Swan Electronics was a manufacturer of amateur radio gear located in Oceanside, California, USA.
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[edit] History
Swan Electronics, then Swan Engineering, began as a one man operation with Herbert G. Johnson, W6QKI, building the first ten single sideband (SSB) transceivers in a garage in Benson, Arizona during the winter of 1960-1961. At that time, the only other SSB transceiver on the market was the well known Collins KWM-2, selling for considerably more money. Production continued into the 1970s with thousands of units being produced in Oceanside California. At its peak Swan produced as many as 400 radios per month.[1]
The first ten transceivers were serial numbered from 101-1 to 110-1, with the first nine being SW-120's operating on 20 meters, and the tenth, 110-1, being the first SW-140, operating on 40 meters.
Needing more capital and engineering resources for Swan's rapid expansion, the company merged with Cubic Corporation in 1967 and Johnson continued managing the Swan subsidiary until 1973. Johnson founded his second company, Atlas Radio, in 1974. Atlas produced a line of compact, rugged radios that became popular for mobile communications from cars and boats. The Swan line of equipment was mostly vacuum tube type design, and through the years more than 80,000 transceivers were sold. [2]
Many Swan radios remain in service today, restored and operated by vintage amateur radio enthusiasts.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.pcs.mb.ca/~standard/ Swan Virtual Museum
- ^ http://www.qsl.net/on6ab/History.html Swan History
