Sixty years ago, the first transistorized shortwave converter showed up on the market, and it is shown here on the cover of Popular Electronics, September 1956.

The converter, Regency model ATC-1, used an SB-100 surface barrier transistor. It also included a 2N172 which did double duty, serving as a BFO for tuning SSB and CW signals. When the converter was switched to AM phone reception, that transistor served as a Q-multiplier.  It tuned the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter ham bands, and could be used with any AM radio.

While the converter was styled for mobile use, and included a mounting bracket for use in a vehicle, its small size and weight allowed it to be used with any AM radio tuned between 1200 and 1300 kHz.

The article noted that the power requirements were “almost unbelievably small,” and were provided for by three penlight batteries mounted on the back. According to the article, these would provide enough power to run the set for at least six months. They were mounted on the back, and could be replaced without opening the case.

In this cover photo, the converter is being held by Diane Pattou, a photographer and secretary with Popular Photography, a Ziff-Davis sister publication.

Some good pictures of the converter can be found at W8ZR’s site,  You can see the converter in operation at the video below.  The complete receiver shown here was assembled by a Regency employee, and used the converter along with a Regency transistor radio, and had an additional antenna tuner in the lower right corner.

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