SW-5 Thrill Box (SW5 AC, AC SW5) 35/27 tubes

National Company; Cambridge & Malden (MA)

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  • Year
  • 1931/1932
  • Category
  • Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner
  • Radiomuseum.org ID
  • 49621
    • alternative name: National Toy Co.
    • Brand: Thrillbox

 Technical Specifications

  • Number of Tubes
  • 5
  • Main principle
  • TRF with regeneration; Screengrid 1926-1935
  • Wave bands
  • Wave Bands given in the notes.
  • Power type and voltage
  • Powered by external power supply or a main unit.
  • Loudspeaker
  • - This model requires external speaker(s).
  • Material
  • Metal case
  • from Radiomuseum.org
  • Model: SW-5 Thrill Box [35/27 tubes] - National Company; Cambridge &
  • Shape
  • Tablemodel, Box - most often with Lid (NOT slant panel).
  • Notes
  • The National SW-5 here is probably the new version because of the newer type 35 tubes with "gradual cut-off" (vari-mu, gradual cut-off). We keep this version with the name "Thrill Box" until we have cleared everything - but it might be the same model as the one without.
    There is quite a mess about the names of this National receiver SW-5, written also as SW5 or SW5AC or ACSW5 (with or without spaces and hyphens), also with or without the term "Thrill Box", depending on the Seller, like Lafayette, Allied etc. There is also a DC version and there are versions for different tubes, mainly the push-pull output tubes. We try to keep the different names in the name field and hope that there will not be created new versions by members, which are included here.

    The SW-5 can basically be run with four different shortwave plug-in coils and three optional medium wave plug-in coils: Type A = 15,5-26,6 m, B = 23,5-41 m, C = 37,5-65 m and D = for 64-115 m, covering from 2609 kc to 19355 kc. The optional plug-in coils 110-175 m, 170-300 m and 290-570 m (the 3 covering 2727 - 526 kHz).

    There is an external SW-5 power supply with additional 80 tube rectifier. You will find many different prices depending on time, on the completness and on the seller. Prices begin with just a complete set of parts for the SW-5 only up to the complete "Thrill Box" with type 45 tubes for the output with power supply and all sets of RF coil pairs (transformers).

    What we gathered from the Lafayette Anniversary Catalog 1932: Sometimes (or always?) the version with type 45 tubes is called SW-45 or ACSW45. The SW5 and SW45, AC and DC models seeme to have been renewed in 1931. We believe that in that year both versions were on the market.
  • External source of data
  • Ernst Erb

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