[Heathkit] Hw-16 neon bulb

[Donald Sanders]

I didn't see a reply to your question. It is a NE-2 bulb and they are
available from several parts dealers. I replaced the bulb in mine after the
wire broke. The NE-2 is part of the side tone system. There is a mod to
bypass that and copy your signal in the receiver.

Here is a simple and effective mod for the Heathkit HW-16 that fixes the
funky sidetone and improves spotting when crystal controlled...
Remove the neon bulb, capacitor and resistor associated with the relaxation
oscillator and set aside...
Replace the 10K resistor at the collector of Q1 with a 220 ohm, ½ watt
resistor...
Replace the .1uf capacitor at the base of Q1 with a .33 or .47uf equivalent
to reduce key clicks (optional)...

 The relaxation oscillator is eliminated and the receiver is lightly unmuted
in transmit...This allows your actual signal to be monitored in the receiver
with pleasant sidetone and easy spotting...
The mod works great and is totally reversible...I run my HW-16 at the QRP
level...You may have to adjust the value of the muting resistor for QRO...
73's...Jim WB2LHP (wb2lhp at arrl.net)

I hope this helps.
Healthfully yours,
                          Rev. Don W4BWS
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "TJRachwal" <tjrachwal at comcast.net>
To: <heathkit at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 5:06 PM
Subject: [Heathkit] Hw-16 neon bulb


> Hi all,
> I'm fixing up an old HW-16 and I see the lead is broken right off on
> the neon bulb that is on the top side of the chases.  Anyone got one
> of those around I can buy/trade?  Any data on what it is, maybe
> "Radio Scrap" carries them? Thanks for all the fine help in the past
> 73...Ted