In 1956, the radio room of station W4AWM had a receiver and transmitter combination that was not very common, especially if you were a young ham in your teens. 

The receiver was a Collins 75A4 and the transmitter was the Collins KW-1.  Only 150 KW-1's were made by Collins Radio, and the cost brand new was almost $4,000.  Back in those days you could buy a house for that price. 

The KW-1 was operated at one kilowatt input on 80 meters through 10 meters, and 500 watts on 160 meters.  It used a pair of 4-250's in the final, modulating with a pair of 810's.  The microphone seen in the photo is a Shure model 51 dynamic.


W4AWM circa 1956