Heathkit shack

 This was spotted earlier. Heathkit are a shadow of their former self.

Heathkits

In my youth these were a way of getting on the air for less by making your own gear.  

They were famous for their step-be-step assembly instructions. These days it is less expensive to buy Japanese or Chinese made gear either new or second hand.

I thought Heathkit had died, then I saw a website which had a few products. Compared with Heathkits of old, these were very limited and very expensive. I thought this "rebirth" was doomed to failure. It would appear it still exists, much to my surprise.

Unless they increase their range and drop their prices I just can't see them surviving for long. They must have a very loyal group of supporters.

See https://shop.heathkit.com/ .

Heathkits

My whole career and amateur radio hobby really started with a Heathkit Electronics Workshop that my late dad bought for Christmas in 1961. Little did I know then what it would lead to. 

These days kits are often too expensive whereas in the 1950s and 1960s kits were often far less expensive and you had the satisfaction of saying, "I made that". Kits often made the hobby affordable.

You may be interested in this video about the company and its origins.

Heathkit

Many old timers have fond memories of Heathkits.  Their kits were excellent with building manuals that step-by-step showed you how to build the item. 

Someone restarted the company some years ago, and I think this is still going. I won't say "strongly" as the last time I looked they had a very limited range at very high prices!  Sadly, it has a very limited range. I suspect they must have a very loyal customer base. By my judgment they would have closed several years ago. I wish them well, but they need far more kits at reasonable prices. The competition from the Far East must be crippling.

My introduction to radio was a Heathkit Electronics Workshop for Christmas 1961 bought for me by my dad. Little did he know it was the start of a career and hobby. Even now this hobby still gives me loads of fun.

I still like the form factor of the "Benton Harbour Lunchboxes".  These were a series of AM transceivers for 11m CB, 10m, 6m and 2m. At the time these were ideal, although their wide super-regen receivers would struggle today.

See https://shop.heathkit.com/ .

Changing times

Back in the 1960s, 2m was almost exclusively AM and 70cm was the frontier. These days many (probably most)  prefer digital modes like FT8. When first active in the late 1960s people used to come on just to chat. 

These days there are many other ways to do this not involving amateur radio or licences. Radio is no longer magic for most: video chats across the world for free on the internet are easy. My wife talks to a friend in Australia on video as if she is in the next room.

Back in the late 1960s I really wanted a Heathkit Twoer HW30 kit. This was a 5W AM transceiver with a super-regen RX. In those days of very low activity, this was probably all you needed. Selectivity was poor, not that it really mattered most of the time.

Heathkit HW family

An early Heathkit advert

As a teenager I always wanted a 2m HW30 kit. Goodness knows why, as by modern standards they were poor! 

Heathkit made a family of what became known as the Benton Harbor Lunchboxes. In many places they were the mainstay of VHF activity, way before FM, SSB and FT8.

They were valved and had a 5W AM TX and a super-regen RX. Most of the time this was fine for VHF at the time.

I cannot remember when they stopped being available, but I would guess mid 1970s.

At one time I had the manual, but never the rig.

The style I still like and in later years (before my stroke) fancied doing a modern equivalent for 10m with transistors and far smaller on a single PCB.

See http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/Surplus_Radioamateur/Heathkit_HW-30_review_QST_2013.pdf

How it all started

Way back in 1961, my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workshop for Christmas. Little did I know then that this would later become my career and lifetime hobby.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/heathkit-electronics-workshop

Heathkits

When I was young (OK a long time ago!) Heathkits were popular. They sold some very good kits that made some classy pieces of equipment including VHF and HF transceivers.

In recent years, they tried to make a comeback, but their range was poor and overpriced.  Their website still exists,  although goodness knows how! They must have some very dedicated followers.   With low cost kits from China, making kits for radio amateurs must be very hard these days unless the kits are good and the price is very competitive.

As mentioned yesterday, I coveted the valved HW30 2m AM transceiver. I realised that my website did not have a page on this, so I have added one.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhfuhf-commercial-rigs/hw30 .

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit for the whole Heathkit story.

My whole professional career and hobby of 60 years owes a lot to Heathkit since my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workhop for Christmas 1961.

Heathkit HW30 2m rig

When I was young I coveted a Benton Harbour Lunchbox. 

This was a 5W 2m AM transceiver. At the time, 2m was very quiet and a super-regen RX was fine. These receivers were sensitive, but lacked sharp selectivity.

Looking back these rigs were quite poor, although I always liked the ergonomics. Versions were made for 11m CB, 10m and 6m too. In their day, they served a purpose, but these would struggle these days. 

I once owned the manual, but never the rig.  These days all the functionality and far, far, more may be obtained in a tiny dual band VHF FM handheld.

Se

Heathkit HW8 QRP CW transceiver

 

A few days ago I posted that Heathkit is trying to make a comeback. So far, the kits are a poor imitation of the kits of old. These (to me) seem overpriced and poor. It is rumoured that some amateur band kits are planned.

Many years ago I owned an HW8 which was an HF QRP transceiver. I had great fun with mine. 

These days there is less CW activity, with FT8 better suited to QRP modes. However, FT8 needs a PC. With CW some very simple rigs can be made.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hw8 .

Heathkits

Way back in 1961 I was bought a Heathkit electronics workshop for Christmas. Little did I know then that this was to be the start of an absorbing hobby and career. Heathkit is trying to make a comeback although the offerings I have seen have definitely not been impressive. These kits are overpriced and I am surprised they are still around. They must have some very loyal customers!

See https;//shop.heathkit.com/shop

See also https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/ew on my very old (not maintained) website. The links of the left cannot be relied upon.

Heathkits

Back in my early teenage years I was given a Heathkit electronics workshop for Christmas 1961. This was earth shattering and started me in the radio hobby and radio career in later life. The online Heathkit Virtual Museum seems to have closed, but the pages were archived and can still be seen.

Heathkits were famous for their excellent building instructions and quality. They tried to make a comeback in recent years, but what was on offer was not that impressive.

See https://web.archive.org/web/20190206173903/http://www.heathkit-museum.com/hvmhstory.shtml

2m progress

When I was first interested in amateur radio AM was king on 2m. Working 10km with a Heathkit HW30 "Twoer" seemed good. Nowadays working 200km with 10W of SSB is commonplace with a big-wheel omni antenna. With FT8 distances of 500km seem possible at any time. We have come a long way.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/lunchbox

Heathkit Lunchboxes

Back in the 1960s I coveted the HW30 Twoer transceiver. These days, they look very dated with their simple super-regen RX and 5W AM TX.

Ranges of 15km would be considered good, whereas on 2m FT8 I regularly get copied well over 400km irrespective of conditions with less power!  These Heathkit Lunchboxes can still be found on eBay, but they are really collector's items these days.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/lunchbox

Heathkit HW8

Many years ago I owned an HW8 transceiver from Heathkit. This had a direct conversion receiver and a QRP HF CW transmitter. With simple wire dipoles it worked some remarkable DX.

I think it was sold back to its original owner when I bought an FT7 in 1979. In its day it was a fine rig.

Mine was totally unmodified, but there are plenty of "improvements" on the net. In my experience, this was a great transceiver as it is. I am not sure how easy they are to find nowadays.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hw8

Heathkit

It was Heathkit that got me into radio way back in the early 1960s.

In recent years, they have been trying to make a comeback, although judging by their product range, I suspect they must be struggling. Basically, I can see a very few loyal people buying these, but not many. Anyone know what has happened to them?

See https://shop.heathkit.com/shop/category/products-am-fm-shortwave-tv-explorer-tm-series-receivers-8

Heathkits

Like many of my generation, I loved Heathkits. The very first thing that got me into the hobby back in 1961 was an Electronics Workshop. In the late 1960s, I wanted a 2m HW30 Twoer AM transceiver.

According to their website Heathkit was making a comeback. Their website exists, but their product range is very limited and very overpriced. If it still survives, it must depend on a very loyal customer base. Certainly, I would not buy these. If the comeback was successful, I'd be surprised.

See https://shop.heathkit.com/shop .

Heathkit Twoer and similar

The older generations may remember the "Benton Harbour Lunch boxes" that were popular rigs back in the 1960s. These were 5W AM rigs with super-regen RXs. In many areas these were mainstays of VHF activity.

Compared with FT8 today we would be amazed. DX was 10 miles! On FT8 every day Germany is copied. With a super-regen and its broad selectivity even 50 miles would be considered amazing!

I always wanted the 2m version, but the nearest I got was the manual. Several similar designs were made by yours truly, but the styling never was quite as good.  To this day, I like the styling. As a QRP rig on any band I think this style is classic. Maybe one day I shall finish the Tenbox in a similar styling, although I would be very happy if someone else did this as my building skills are nothing like they were.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/lunchbox

How it all started

Back in 1961, my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workshop one Christmas. That was the start of a hobby and a career in telecommunications design.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/elwk .

Heathkit HW8

One of my favourite transceivers was the Heathkit HW8 QRP CW rig.  I bought this ready built from a local who later bought it back!

This rig covered the main HF bands and produced about 1.5W. It had a direct conversion RX. For a while it was my only rig.

You occasionally see these for sale and lots were modified, although mine was fine just as it was.  I liked it and worked some good stuff with mine using just low wire dipoles.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hw8