7
2016 PDF edition Old Familiar Strains A newsletter for Collectors of Radio Strain Insulators and related items Volume 1No.5 December 1994 Approximate Sizes

Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    3

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

2016 PDF editionOld Familiar StrainsA newsletter for Collectors of Radio Strain Insulators and related itemsVolume 1No.5 December 1994

Approximate Sizes

Page 2: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

Editorialby Dan Howard

Several of you have written requesting copiesof the first issue. Although Keith no longer hadone in his file, he said that Jim Overstreetprobably had one. Since I had been meaning tocall Jim anyway about the horde of insulatorsthat he has for sale, I took the opportunity tocombine pleasure with pleasure and called himup. Jim still has lots of duplicates (measured interms of pounds) for sale or trade. Since ourconversation, Jim has sent me s~veral copies ofhis 1st issue and I have passed them along tothose who have asked for them. Thank YouJim!

If you have information on Pyrex insulatorsJim Singleton would like to hear from you. ' Jimhas provided a partial copy of a Corningcatalog from 1930 and we intend to distribute itin conjunction with an article in a future issue.Jim Overstreet also would be interested inhearing from someone who can help himidentify an odd Pyrex piece that he recentlyacquired.

Both Jim Singleton and Dick Mackiewicz haveglass insulators made by "B.G. Co., Brilliant0." From the pictures that they sent me, eachis different and each is gorgeous. We wouldlike to do a feature article on this company in afuture issue. Again, anyone with information toshare, please get ahold of the Jim or Dick (andcarbon me if you like).

Bob Puttre, a new participant that I metthrough Antique Radio Classified magazine,sent me a nicely detailed list of his lightningarrestor collection. He has offered to compilean inventory of radio Lightning Arrestors forpublication in OFS. Please drop Bob a line ifyou can help.

I appreciate the letters, photos, and otherinformation that has been sent in so far. I am

already planning out the 1995 issues and intendto use as much of the information as I can.Due to space limitations, it may be a while?efore your information is printed. However, itIS all saved and filed. Please keep sending it in.

Several donations that were received in the lastmonth provided sufficient funds to pay for thisissue without dipping into the 1995 donations.I appreciate your willingness to help in thisway.

~ith. the fifth issue, we conclude our first yearIII pnnt and I look forward to starting Volume2 with a late January /early February issue.Keith Roloson inquired about the frequency ofthe newsletter. I have to find free time toassemble each issue so I don't want to committo specific deadlines. However, if our readerscontinue to support the project, I believe thatwe will have sufficient resources to provide atleast 5 more issues in 1995.

Finally, I want to tell you about one of myfavorite ads. I have been going through a lot ofold magazines recently, in hopes of findinginsulator ads. On the back cover is anadvertisement for an antenna cleaner that I hadcopied for my files. During the 1920's therewas great concern that dirty old antennaswould not receive as well as clean new ones.So, viola! A wind-powered, rotary antennacleaner! While it is true that dirty insulatorscan create problems, I believe that the debateover dirty antenna wire was concluded yearsago.

Page 3: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

Budwig Manufacturing Coby Dan Howard

Budwig Manufacturing Company is locatedin Ramona CA, a small town in the foothillsnortheast of San Diego. The company iscurrently owned by Gary and Lee Cochranwho bought it from its founder, "Bud"Budwig, in February 1978.

Budwig specializes in making injection-molded plastic parts. At the time of myvisit to their factory/ office/ shop, they weremaking rubber "feet" for equipmentcabinets.

Among other products, the companycurrently manufactures two antennainsulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a centerinsulator. The HQ-2, is an end insulator.(See figure 1) Both products are moldedfrom ABSplastic with 20%glass filler.

Gary Cochran believes that Bud Budwigdesigned the HQ-1 and HQ-2 insulatorshimself and was an active amateur radiooperator.

Both insulators were originally molded intan brown plastic. In 1980,due to customerrequest, the color of the insulators waschanged from tan brown to olive drab, thecurrent color. Although we were unable toconfirm it, Mr Cochran believes that theinsulators may have been tried in othercolors during early production.

The HQ-1 center insulator (antennaconnector) is 31/2" long and 11/4" wide.Unlike most center insulators, the HQ-1 has"built-in" wiring. A 50-239 coaxial cablefitting is molded into the insulator andcopper wires run from the connector,through the body of the insulator and outthe ends. The amateur passes the end of his

antenna wire through the hole in the end ofthe HQ-1, wraps it around the insulatorlead, and solders it. By doing so, a simplebut effective,weather-resistant connection ismade. The 50-239 fitting mates with thePL-259 plug that is commonly used withamateur feedlines.

TheHQ-2end insulator is 2 1/32" long, andhas three 1 1/2" dia. ribs. Although theHQ-2 is compact, its deeply-cut ribs providea much longer electrical path than might beachieved with other insulators ofcomparable size.

The HQ insulators are still made and areavailablethrough ham radio and electronicsstores. You may also find Budwiginsulators in some ready-made wireantenna kits.

Although their unique design makes themeasily recognizable, both insulators areclearlymarked "BudwigMfg""RamonaCA"and carry model numbers.

"HQ"stands for Hye-Que (High-Q)which isa technical reference to the superiorelectrical properties of the insulators.

Sources:Amateur Radio Relay League, The ARRLAntenna Book 15th edition, Hartford CT,1988.

Cochran, Gary:5/26/94.

Personal interview

Cochran, Lee:5/22/94.

Telephone interview

Page 4: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

BudwigAntenna

Connectors

For use by ham radio operators andothers in fabricating an inexpensive andefficient dipole antenna, Designed fordurability and light weight, this connector'provides a coax SO-239 socket tor ac-cepting a PL-259 feedline pluq. The onepiece molded body offers weather tightconstruction and provides a drip shield toprotect the coax fittings, Full legal powercapacity,

MATERIAL ASS Copolymer, 35% GlassfilledSTOCK COLOR Green (Olive Drab)

I1-1/4

~

I

\1-21132

I'w4:1;iSiii

1/8

BudwigAntenna

Insulators

Designed for use with the Sudwig HQ-1connector .when 'constructing a dipole 1-1/2

,antenna assembly, "Deep ribbed con- Istruction provides increased surface pathto reduce power leakage, Light weight _and durable, -'--------

MATERIAL ASS Copolymer, 35% GlassfilledSTOCK COLOR Green (Olive Drab)

Page 5: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

A Shattering Experienceby Jack Foote

A few weeks ago, I received a note from agentleman in North Dakota with insulatorsfor sale. He also mentioned that he had alightening arrestor in his collection. $5.00was his asking price for everything pluswhatever postage was involved. Thissounded too good to be true! A mysterybox for $5.00 plus postage! I wrote backand said, "Let's go for it!"

Well, about a week later, the mail carriercame to our house complaining about howheavy the package she had for us was. Andit was! I knew that something was wrongwhen the weight in the box shifted as Ibrought it into the house. Needless to say,there was something VERYheavy in the boxand it was moving!

When I opened the package, the first thingnoted was a large amount of brokenporcelain and glass. In the center of the boxwas a very large object wrapped in a singlelayer of newspaper. I unwrapped the objectand found the biggest lightning arrestor Ihave ever seen! It is a brown porcelainobjectthat weighs at least 10pounds. Fromits design, it appears to be for power poleuse to prevent lightning strikes fromdamaging the pole.

During its journey from North Dakota, itcreamed every other insulator in the box!Fortunately, none of the glass or porcelainpieces were of much value. I did gain,however, a major appreciation for lightningarrestors from the experience!

How I Got StartedBy Glenn Ross

My first strain was acquired in 1978. Ifound a pair of lemon-colored pieces>ofglass with a copper wire suspendedbetween them in an attic. I didn't knowwhat they were called or what they wereused for.

A few days later in another attic I found aclear one hanging from a nail. I just threwthese in my tool box.

Buzzing through some yard sales a fewweeks later, I spotted another one of these"things." Curious if this one was differentthan the three I had in my tool box, Ipurchased it for 10¢.

When home I compared it to the others andit was indeed different. I decided to justsave these little guys to see how manydifferent ones I could accumulate. After all,they were easy to find and cheap. Iremember telling my wife, "Who knows,maybe there is a dozen different ones outthere." How little I knew.

Though I have not been a very aggressivecollector, I have nevertheless beenenthusiastic with my collection.

At the 18th Annual Show & Sale of theHuron Valley Antique Bottle & InsulatorClub, Ann Arbor, Mich., I picked up threemore pieces for my collection.

This brings my total number of pieces toabout 121. I have 71glass,47 porcelain, and3 composition. These are divided under 21manufacturer names/embossings. I have 14colors in glass and 6 colors in porcelain.

Page 6: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

Classified Ads

For Sale:

L.5. Brach Type 300Non-Air gap Lightning Arrestor Brown Bakelite. New old stock. Fiveavailable, four with OK (not mint) boxes. Best boxes going to earliest orders. $6.00 each postpaid. Dan Howard

Lots of antenna insulators. Jim Overstreet

Antenna Insulators, sell or trade for other strains or advertising and patent information onstrains. Glenn Ross

Wanted:

Early Composition or hard rubber insulators. Catalogs or ads for insulators and lightningarrestors (clear copies OK). Dan Howard

Information on Corning Glass (Pyrex) insulators. Jim Overstreet

Scarcecolored glass radio pieces to add to my collection. Please write soon or call collect. KeithRoloson

Why not write us a letter and include your ads? Please see page two for advertising policy.

Page 7: Old Familiar Strains - Insulator 1994_12 vol 1 no 5.pdf · insulators. Budwig's HQ-1, is a center insulator. TheHQ-2,is an end insulator. (Seefigure 1) Bothproducts are molded fromABSplasticwith20%glassfiller

.\ ANTENNA. CLEANER~

Operates by wind. . ~~.-.Travels from end to end in

rotary motion.Mfd. and sold bv inventor. .

~ Prie. S1.00 Post Paid.G. P. McINTIRE. 17 N. Crawford Ave., Chicas(o

Old Familiar Strains2016 PDF edition

scanned from originalsin the OFS archives.