Anchor 101-50
This is the first Anchor Electronics booster, dating from around 1947-48, though it was still available in 1950. Its low-band dial shows channel 1, which was deleted by the FCC in 1948. Styling and construction is typical of all the Anchor products -- "automotive dashboard" styling on heavy metal cabinets. Indeed, the rear panel is of unusually thick steel, giving this unit a considerable heft. The cabinet is covered with a thin imitation leather cloth, and the whole bottom is covered with a thick felt pad.
This booster has the typical low/high band switch (below the tuning knob), with separate windows for the two channel ranges. A light illuminated the selected high- or low-band dial. The two dials' metal pointers are ganged together with the horizontally-moving coil slugs to indicate tuning. A friction drive from the tuning knob (rubber grommet on the tuning shaft) moves the assembly back and forth. There's a lot of metal in this box! A single 6AK5 provides the amplification, with permeability tuning on both input and output circuits. A transformer and selenium rectifier provide necessary operating voltages.
Anchor was one of the few booster makers who published gain and bandwidth figures for their units and made public statements on the realities of booster use. It makes me think it was run by engineers.
Updated November 25, 2003