World War II Bandswitch Modification

WWII Era Disabled Band Switch - Sparton 1068 Console

During World War II, the U. S. government decided that it would be prudent to restrict activities of its foreign-born residents which could be construed as spying. Many of these recent immigrants owned radios capable of receiving short-wave broadcasts from countries with which we were at war. It was decided that we couldn't risk spying to be allowed on our homeland, so it was suggested or otherwise decreed (I'm not sure.) that such radios should have the short-wave bands disabled. Any person of suspicious intentions could have their radio confiscated and possibly be imprisoned if caught with any short-wave band operational.

The pictures below are of two Sparton 1068 consoles. One has the band switch intact, the other has had the shaft of the band switch removed, thus disabling the short-wave bands. It still was capable of receiving the Broadcast Band (AM). When I purchased the modified radio, the band switch knob was missing, as well as the metal plate under it that indicated which band was selected, as well as the long shaft of the switch.

Tucked under the edge of the chassis in the cabinet was a repair tag from a radio shop in Detroit. Michigan dated 1942. Written on the tag was: "Remove band switch".

NOTE: I now have the band switch knob available for this model and similar models. See the "Parts" page on this site.