[Heathkit] SB 220 on AM

[Peter Markavage]

The nice thing about SB-220's is that there are tons of them around. You
could always find one and just dedicate it for AM operation. 

I've been using a SB-200 on AM with the original 572's (put in 1969)
since about 1985 and I still use it on SSB. I've driven the SB-200 with
Rangers, Icom's, Kenwood's, Central Electronics, and even a Lafayette rig
all on AM. Still has original caps, diodes, and noisy fan. These rigs are
hard to kill.

Pete, wa2cwa

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 00:02:21 -0400 Jim Brannigan <jbrannig at optonline.net>
writes:
> Duane,
> I was not the original builder of my SB-220.  I bought it over 20 
> years ago 
> from a fellow who bought an Alpha and needed the money. (and 
> regretted the 
> purchase)
> A few years after I purchased it the transformer blew (in the middle 
> of a DX 
> contest), fortunately, Heath was still in business and I was able to 
> get a 
> new replacement.
> It has Harbach capacitors, fan and soft start, "Silicon Alley" 
> rectifiers, 
> Rich Measures parasitic suppressors and a timed relay start-up.
> In the early 90's The SB-220 and an S-line won the NLI section in 
> the ARRL 
> CW DX contest two years running.
> These days it works great with a TT OMNI-VI+ trying to keep me on 
> the Honor 
> Roll.
> For the money it is the best amplifier, bar none. I've tried for 
> years to 
> talk myself into a "better" amplifier, but it doesn't add up.
> 
> With all this history I am very reluctant to over-stress my old 
> friend on 
> AM.
> 
> 73,
> Jim
> PS: it has the original finals, but they are getting a bit soft
> 
> 
> 
> > Suck it up James! The Heathkit SB-220 is a decent HF amplifier, a 
> real 
> > work horse in fact. So unless the former owner/owners assembled 
> her 
> > incorrectly you should be as happy doing eons worth of DX bank 
> shots off 
> > the D layer of the ionosphere as Ben Franklin was after that solid 
> Brass 
> > key he was holding between his wet lips evolved into the dance 
> step of the 
> > century that historic electron Cha Cha, Proton puddle piddle and 
> neurotic 
> > Neutron necromancy when that inspired bolt of wisdom from the 
> great blue 
> > beyond ignighted his mustache, abundance of 12 gauge nose hairs 
> and bushy 
> > eyebrows transforming his bifocal parking place into what put one 
> in mind 
> > of a seriously char burned super sized marshmellow! So Jim should 
> a 
> > 'Headless Horseman' pull up in a horseless carriage and deliver 
> into your 
> > trembling hands an envelope bearing your Colonial family monogram. 
> Easily 
> > verified as an authentic manual, bold sprawling script listing 
> slightly to 
> > starboard from Peter The Scholar of Schematics, the Master of 
> manuals and 
> > Lord Laffayette the only guy in Benton Harbor, Michigan who could 
> 
> > seamlessly solder up a sword shank withouta cold shoulder joint!
> >
> > James, this final tidbit that I trust will help you distinguish 
> the 
> > properly assembled Heathkit from one that really should be used to 
> anchor 
> > a boat! If when you remove the bottom plate that covered the 
> inside of the 
> > chassis, turn it back rightside up and observe what gifts befall 
> you. The 
> > General class rule of thumb is, assuming you still have said 
> digit, having 
> > niether burned it off due to poor soldering iron habits or slipped 
> with a 
> > razor blade knife and whittled flesh and bone into a living 
> toothpick, if 
> > you can fill the Anthrancite Coal car of a 1952 Tom Thumb 1/50 
> scale model 
> > with loose solder, don't buy it! Because some kit clutz kid, or 
> Bozo The 
> > Clown drop out, lived in a joint with no heat and a lot of cold 
> solder!
> >
> > If you should need them Jim, I still retain copies of the original 
> 
> > assembly and service information manuals. A great amp, 'provided' 
> you DO 
> > NOT overdrive it. If you let her run about 800 watts keydown and 
> watch the 
> > grid current, the 3-500Z's can last twenty years. According to a 
> note from 
> > Jim H., he was still using the original finals he put in his 
> SB-220 in the 
> > early seventies.
> >
> > If you need "good" quality original, or reproduction, manuals then 
> utilize 
> > WA2CWA, Pete or NI4Q, Al Bernard. Excellent detail, sharp 
> contrast, well 
> > bound, reasonable prices and prompt shipping. Two gentlemen! There 
> are 
> > others who also do nice work, but Pete and Al get the old blind 
> dude's 
> > "thumb and a third" up! (LOL!)
> >
> > Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> 
> _______________________________________________
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