Rich, a couple of hams in my town back then had ARC-5 transmitters. Just slightly ahead of spark gap transmitters.....
I started with an EICO 720 and a Hammarlund HQ-170.
Great days back then, being one of only two Amateur Radio nerds in my high school. But it set me on a career in computers - Way better than getting fried with Strontium-90, for sure.