Looking for B&W 6100 serial number information

[W3GMS]

I am helping a friend do some research on a B&W 6100 transmitter.  We are trying to validate approximately how many of these were made.  Jack Williamson, W3GC (SK) of B&W gave me mine some years ago.  The number on mine is 187. The serial number is stamped on the rear of the rig and easily seen.  If their are any 6100 owners, I would appreciate knowing the serial number and any other info you may know about this transmitter.  Either post it here or send it to:
josephfell@verizon.net
Many Thanks,
Joe, W3GMS   

[Sam KS2AM]

I am helping a friend do some research on a B&W 6100 transmitter.  We are trying to validate approximately how many of these were made.  Joe, W3GMS   

LA5KI says that there were less than 300 made:

http://www.qsl.net/la5ki/org/bw/bw.htm

Barker and Williamson Model 6100..less than 300. Production year 1962.
The first and only frequency sythesized Ham Transmitter. The model came out in 1962, and I believe it was the last product of the Barker and Williamson Company. 80-10 Meters, with direct frequency control...no VFO needed! AM, CW, and SSB..180 Watts. Extra Wide Coverage 3.5 - 4.1 MHz 7.0 - 8.0 MHz 14.0 - 15.0 MHz 21.0 - 22.0 MHz 28.0 - 29.0 MHz 29.0 - 30.0 MHz Nice coverage for MARS and more. Dial up the exact frequency and no zero beat. It was a unique Ham transmitter with none like it before or since. No other Ham manufacturer made anything like it! It has no other competitor at all. Collectable Ham Transmitter #1. It was and is the tops!

[W3GMS]

Many thanks for the link.  Every little bit of information helps!  Hopefully we can find some owners and verify that the SN's are below 300.
Thanks,
Joe-W3GMS 

[w4bfs]

suggest you contact Herman Cone N4CH ... a valuable source of info for old gear ...73 ...John

[W3GMS]

Thanks John that is another good idea.  I certainly have a lot of radio calenders around here with his gear on them!  He may indeed be some help with 6100 serial numbers.
Regards,
Joe, W3GMS

[WBear2GCR]

how about a jpeg of the innards??

             _-_-

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Ray Moore's book on Transmitters says only 200 were made.

[w3bv]

Joe,

You may want to contact Jack Brown, W3SHY, the former chief engineer of B&W, and if not mistaken, the designer of the 6100.  Jack is still alive and well and living in Washington Crossing, PA. 

Here's his address:

Jack N. Brown
101 Walker Rd
Washington Crossing, PA 18977

73,

Alan, W3BV

[W3GMS]

Many thanks for all the feedback.  It all helps quite a bit.

Bear,
I will take some pictures when I pull mine apart. 

Pete,
That is probably pretty close, but we have documented SN's just above 200 but have not seen any SN's in 300's yet. 

Alan,
Good to hear from you!  That is very helpful information and I will certainly contact him.  Even better, he may have some more information on the rig.  It was one of those "one off's" that deserves to be documented.  I know Jack Williamson, W3GC (SK) was certainly very proud of the transmitter mainly due to the frequency control scheme they used. 

Again all, many thanks for the information.

Joe, W3GMS       

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Pete,
That is probably pretty close, but we have documented SN's just above 200 but have not seen any SN's in 300's yet. 

Joe, W3GMS       

Assumption  that they were all sequential serial numbers and all hit the streets.

[W3GMS]

Yep, Pete I know what your saying.  Maybe Alan's suggestion will sked some light on the actual numbers.  But its for certain, that not many were produced. 
Joe

[AB3HT]

 My 6100 has serial number 266.
 It has been in storage for close to 30 years.
 I may put this on the bench over the July 4 holiday, see if it will come back to life.
 Ed, AB3HT

[KD7LZN]

Mine is looks like rubber stamped (serial # 230) and I know nothing about it, I have never even turned it on.

[W3GMS]

Hi Darrell,
Many thanks for providing the serial number for your B&W 6100 transmitter. If you subscribe to Electric Radio Magazine you may be interested in reading Jim Hanlon's excellent article on the 6100 in the May 2009 issue.   Its a great vintage piece of gear and hopefully you will put it on the air one of these days! 
I forwarded your rig's SN to Jim since he is maintaining the SN list.  The way your SN was marked is typically of how B&W marked them. 
Regards,
Joe, W3GMS     

[N2ZD]

 Picked up a very nice one yesterday and had it on the dummy load today. Only problem I found was a loose plate insulator causing some intermittent output issues, the thing is rock solid and on the money on every band so far. Serial number 280 for the record.. Foil and face is near perfect, chassis is dusty but a very clean specimen.. Plus it works! Regards, Richy N2ZD

[W3GMS]

Hi Richy,
Thanks very much for the information concerning your 6100.  I have passed that along to Jim Hanlon who is maintaining the SN list for the 6100's.  As you have mentioned, the rig is built very solid and is quite the performer.  Jack, W3GC the co-founder of B&W was quite proud of their accomplisment on that rig.  Its just a shame it was a few years late hitting the market. 
Enjoy...
Regards,
Joe, W3GMS

[ke7trp]

I need to get mine going!  Maybe sometime this winter I will have time!


C

[N2ZD]

  I will post some pics tomorrow.. I also picked up a Hallicrafters Hurricane, so far so good on that as well, chasing down some intermittent issues with it. Going to give it the "thrice over" tomorrow starting with a good cleaning and cleaning the controls. Initially it would not load up, got it to load today and then it went back to a no load condition. Seems like something is loose or dirty.  Regards, Richy N2ZD

[N8ETQ]

Yo'

Sorry about posting to the old thread, Just trying to finish it off.
Got one in the shop. serial num 176. (already PM'ed W3GMS)
looks like nobody got around to posting PIX's of the Innards.
Again sorry,

73

/Dan

how about a jpeg of the innards??

             _-_-

[W3GMS]

Thanks Dan for posting the pictures of the innards of the 6100.  The glossy front paper on the one your working on looks intact.  Much of the time the glue dries out and it needs to be reattached. 
Joe, W3GMS

[Carl WA1KPD]

I remeber a local ham having one ion the late 60's. He had more money then I will ever see and I was very impresed. His shack, full of exotic gear was a colonial design separate building, next to the tennis court full of cool stuff. You get the picture.

Anyway what did they sell for?

[W3GMS]

Carl,

The 6100 sold for $875.00 in September 1963.  QST did a nice review on the 6100 transmitter in the September 1963 issue.  Unfortunately it was late in hitting the market and according to Jack Williamson, they missed the market window.  The development effort took quite some time.  Even so, Jack was very proud of that transmitter.   

Joe, W3GMS

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Dan's is the first one I've seen that didn't have issues with the foil backing. Every other one has had lifting/lumps/puckers or wrinkles.

Definitely a cool transmitter. Got a chance to see one close up some years back at the Milton VT hamfest. A seller had the 6100 along with that equally scarce Hammarlund HX-500 for sale. $500 each. A lot of money in the late 90s and not really in my area of interest, so I let them pass. Good to see more of them surfacing and getting brought back to the airwaves.

[John K5PRO]

Friend has one with s/n 301 on it i believe, and it was not wired totally per the BAMA schematic. It was/is a pain in the neck to restore too.

[W3GMS]

Hi John,
Been trying to keep track of the various SN's.  If its been given to me before, thanks, but if not I would appreciate getting the confirmed SN along with the owners name and call.  You can e mail it to me if you prefer.
Thanks,
Joe, GMS