[Heathkit] Heathkit SB Essay

[Dan Pividal]

I have an SB-303 and SB-401 combo.
I use it daily and love them.
I also have a Collins KWM-2 and a Drake TR/4CW.
I like the SB's better.
The SB's have more coverage on 10 meters.
The Collins only provides 3 segments of 600 MHz on 10 meters.
It is also a bear to align and to replace the finales.
The Drake rig is a fine rig but those sweep tube finales are the pits.
I guess what I am saying is that if I were going to a place that had limited 
parts for repairs and I wanted to keep a rig going for a long time and it 
had to be simple to align,with little to no service equipment needed I would 
take the SB's with me and leave the Collin's and Drakes behind.
Heath made radios for HAMS when HAMS did not mind working on radios and in 
fact enjoyed taking an hour to line up a pointer on the dial of a rig.
Those days are gone but the fine Heathkits like the old Army jeep are still 
with us to enjoy.
I am sorry to hear that someone finds it so awful to tinker for hours doing 
what they think they like like.
It's a hobby.
Dan/N4VET