[Heathkit] Re: Heathkit HX-10 "Marauder"

[Larry Knapp]

I have to step in here and add to the fine comments Greg has said about the
Marauder, HX-10.  I agree with him almost 100%.  This was the last in the line
of big, heavy, "beautiful' old vintage transmitters that Heath made (kits
actually).  It followed as big brother to the fine lineage of the DX-100 and 
TX-1.

Stable, very excellent SSB quality and an excellent CW signal.  Heavy, yes. 
Beautiful, yes....regardless of what Greg says.  Have not ever tried mine on
RTTY, so not sure how that mode is.  AM is OK...but certainly not the
'broadcast' type sound one can hear from a very good plate modulated
transmitter.  IMHO, this is a little known gem of a transmitter...just a very
nice piece of history and well worth the time I have been the owner of it,
seven years.  I use it often and it is just a great radio.  I would have loved
to have built it. 

One other thing about the HX-10 Marauder.  I know how much fun some have in
modifying their radios...and I'm sure we have all seen some
wierd/strange/different additions to Heathkits.  Also, I know that many look
for all the possible modifications one can find to change their radios.  This
is one of the only Heathkit transmitters I know of that has no published Heath
service or engineering modifcations.  No one locally associated with Heath
knows of any either.  That is very unusual.

73, Larry St. Joseph, Mi

--- Greg Mijal <bluebirdtele@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Heathkit Guys!!!
> 
> If you havn't tried a Marauder you are in for a treat!!  They are wonderful
> transmitters.For me it's a SSB transmitter built like a AM rig. It's the
> only transmitter I have that has a lifetime pass to my shack.

> I have run one here in sunny Feenix for the last four years and offer this:
> The VFO is stable.  If you take the extra time with the dial drive assembly
> you can make the pointer fly accross the ruler with a flick of a finger.
> Transmit better than average low level AM SSB and CW. They will also go RTTY
> nearly continuously as long as the cage fan is on.
> All controls are accessable from the front panel. No stooping or long
> reaching to set a control. Full metering. No weird tubes or too many machined

> specialty parts. VFO heater pre-heat (this can be a plus or a minus depending

> on your point of view). They do not have the "aged transformer" syndrome" 
> associated with some of the Hallicrafters transmitters i.e. HT 32/37.
> They are easy to repair in that there is plently of open real estate
> underneath. It is repairman friendly.

> Down side:
> At 90 pounds it's a real pain in the A-- to move around. If you drop it, it 
> goes thru the floor and chips the bedrock. You will need a stout work
surface.
> Kinda funny looking really.  Chrome, green and beige? huh? Speaking of
> chrome, it's the real stuff and polishes up beautifully.

> 73's Greg WA7LYO in sunny Feenix


=====
May your days be full of sunshine and good thoughts fill your head.
From: Larry Knapp, KC8JX, St. Joseph, Mi  49085
  Best 73's

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