Radios from kits

[Radio]

Did you ever build a radio or other ham shack accessory from a kit? (Multiple choice)

[Andy N1ORK]

Let's see...........HW202 & pwr supp., HW101 & pwr supp, 2 color tv's, RF sig gen, Tube tester, digital multimeter, analog multimeter, 2wer & 6er, may be others, but don't remember.

[Radio]

Oh I built so many Heathkits, and I loved the old tube stuff with the point to point wiring and all the component leads that had to be bent and cut just right. That taught me a level of craftsmanship that I still possess today.

I regret selling and giving most all of it away. How foolish of me.

But my HW-101 goes to my yet to be grandkids. I will never part with it...and yes it still works.

[KC1BUD]

I must admit, for me it was as an assistant to my father back in 1965 A Heathkit shortwave radio. That is where I got the bug to be a ham.

As for missing Heathkit, they still exist but instead of kits they teach electronics. See: Heathkit

[Andy N1ORK]

Wade,
Wish I still had my old HW101. Sold it after I became inactive for a while in the 80's. Now I keep an eye open at the hamfests, who knows..........
73
Andy - n1ork

[W9WLS]

Think I still have a "TWOER" or two out in the shop, the first Real Heath kit project I ever did was a DX-100b , Sold it a few years ago to a collector .
Love to "Home Brew" but parts are getting harder to find now a days, DAMN SHAME we still don't have places like Bernstine-Applebees" (sp?), and Lafayette Electronics and the real Radio Shack's , where you could go to get parts (NO, I do not want a cell-phone with that).
Even what used to be "Parts Houses" have dried up and gone away, and what's left don't have anything but SMT stuff (my eyes are too far gone for that stuff).
If you can find anything now-a-days it's mail order from East Buggtussel, Botsalvina or somewhere just as distant.

[Dizzy-Dick]

I build both the HW-202 and the HW-101. I got the HW-101 kit delivered on a Friday and had it on the air the next Monday. I loved working on it that I couldn't quit. It still works today even though someone broke into my house and started off with it. When they got to the end of the power cord, the power supply (boat anchor) stopped them and they just threw it down. It only took some minor repairs, I backed my truck up to a window (the truck had a Hustler Tri-band on it) plugged it in and talked to 6-land.

They supplied a greate product and hours of FUN.

[rtompkins3]

HW-101, HW-2036, HW-5400, All the power supplies to match, the 2 M HT that heathkit had (Can't remember the number), a Heathkit color TV for home when we were first married (lasted 15 years), and a Black and White portable TV for my Van. Homebrewed a 50 W mobile CW amp from scratch, used with the TenTec PM-2 CW transciever. Miss the days of heathkit and the radio shack "wall"

[WD8QBQ]

I built several Heathkit products, Vacuum tube volt meter, Oscilloscope, crystal set, Q multiplier. Still have them all, but don't know if they work any longer as I haven't used them in years.
It was fun, challenging and a learning experience to build the kits. I enjoyed it very much.

JIM

[wa8yxm]

Both From Kits and from Scratch.. YES.. I have

Kit: Heathkit "Lunchbox" 2 meter am rig, Kinght Kit "Star Roamer" (My first receiver) Several other items

From Scratch, Several power supplies,, My Digital radio interface. And a few other items, When I say "Scratch" I mean paper and pencil level scratch (I designed them, THEN broke out the soldering iron) also antennas.

There are those who say you are not a REAL ham if you have not used a soldering gun to good effect.. I am not convinced of that.. But it's a theory and another thread somewhere. I just know I feel better knowing SOMETHING in my shack was "Home brew"

Oh,,, I buillt my own code key too.. It is made out of wood (A few screws but mostly wood)

[KF5BET]

I got a heathkit novice course when I was a kid. Built the code practice oscillator. Wonder where that thing went. Still got the coffee cup though.

Never got my novice license...

[Radio]

Originally Posted by KF5BET

I got a heathkit novice course when I was a kid. Built the code practice oscillator. Wonder where that thing went. Still got the coffee cup though.

Never got my novice license...

That cup is a collectors item!

I never had a Novice either. Fact is I had a 1st Class FCC Radiotelephone commercial ticket before I ever became a ham. Code was hard for me. So I went from nothing to Tech, a few months later to Advanced, where I stayed for years until code went away. Then I got the Extra.

Kept the 2x2 advanced call because they don't give them anymore, it marks me as being of a certain era. (So I'm an old fart)