I will second that. As a novice in 1973, I had a Viking Challenger and a VF-1. That combo gave me a "QSL" card from an Official Observer. I then built a stand alone power supply for the VF-1 and things settled down. The following year I got QRP fever, so I built an HW-7 (what a problem child that rig was). Then I got a factory built Ten-Tec Argonaut, and the world improved. I built a number of Heathkits through the years - some worked very well and a few not so much. My Novice receiver was an HR-10B that I built; and that was OK, but not great. Memories ...
73, Phil NS7P -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Jack Smith Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 4:05 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Heathkit Returns! The VF-1 could be considerably improved if operated from a separate power supply and left on long enough to thermally stabilize. Not saying it could be confused with a crystal controlled oscillator, but a lot of its problems were related to voltage changes from the associated transmitter. Jack K8ZOA On 9/8/2011 6:46 PM, [email protected] wrote: > In the 1950s, the Heathkit AT-1 and AR-3 were pure junk. Yes, the prices > were low, but the design quality was awful. The DX-20, DX-35 and DX-40 > were just okay but the VF-1 was trash. The DX-100 and DX-100B were okay if > you were "rock bound," but if you used the VFO - it was a VF-1 - and it > was terrible on CW and drifty on AM. > > By the 1960s, Heathkit had decided to be the poor man's alternative to > Collins KWM-2. And, to their credit, the SB- and HW- series transceivers > were a good value for the money. > > But, once the Japanese came in with FT-101B and TS-520, Heathkit's > response was inferior and could not compete on price. That was the > beginning of the end of its ham-radio kit line. > > In terms of design quality and value, Elecraft blows Heathkit, Collins, > and Drake away and is certainly giving Yaesu and ICOM a run for their > money. > > So, who cares if Heathkit may make ham-radio kits, again? They've lost > several decades of experience which they'll never regain. > > Rob K6RB > > > > >> Elecraft List, >> >> FYI: >> >> http://www.eetimes.com/discussion/break-points/4219631/Heathkit-returns-?cid =NL_Embedded&Ecosystem=embedded >> >> 73's, >> John C. Westmoreland, P.E. >> AJ6BC >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mail¹ > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
