[Heathkit] SB-240 on the Bay.

[kiyoinc at attglobal.net]

There's an SB-240 on the Bay.

I never knew such a thing existed.  It looks like an SB-220 married an 
SB-230 and had mutant children.

It's attractive and repulsive, at least to my eyes.

Here's the chat from the listing:

================  Start Q&A ==

Item number: 130086185923
Questions from other members : Heathkit SB-240 two-kw linear 80-10 meter 
(proto-type)
	
Question & Answer 	Answered On


Q:  	I work with a guy who was on the team that wrote the final manual 
for this rig, and he also has one of them. I showed him this listing, 
and I'll pass along a few of his comments. It was very near going into 
production, but was trumped by the SS-9000, the 10m band changes, and 
the fact that using a metal screwdriver to do the SWR null will kill 
you. He says his unit worked exceptionally well, and had no idle 
current. (?) He thinks there were just six or seven units out for 
proofbuild, a number that will, apparently, remain unconfirmable. Good 
luck! 	Mar-09-07

A:  	Another thank you for more background info. Cheers, Bob.



Q:  	Can I infer this is a SB220 with the std updates and modified meter 
switching? Trying to figure out if there is a more substantial 
distinction. Also would appriciate knowing if/why you haven't tested it. 
thanks, Don K1VSK 	Mar-08-07

A:  	This is a proto-type (as explained in the description) model SB-240 
linear which never went into production. From the feedback I received it 
appears that about 15 may have been released by the Heath company to 
selected engineers for what is now commonally called Beta testing. I 
have only used a linear twice in 45+ years of hamming (from KA1DX, 
Marcus Island, and KA1CQ, Iwo Jima, in the 1972-73 time frame. I belive 
this one is wired for 220-volts and I don't have a 220 outlet in the 
shack even if I wanted to test it. Hope this helps. Thanks for the 
query. Bob



Q:  	I'm not in the bidding for the amplifier, but just wanted to thank 
you for posting such an interesting piece of ham radio history. My 
contact with Heathkit started with an AR-3 kit my father built with me 
in the mid-late 1950's (?) up through an HW-5400 that I assembled in the 
80's - it sat for many years, but I put it back on the air for a while 
last summer, and it did a decent job for a 20-year old rig. Anyway, 
thanks again for the photo's and information. 73, Neil KX2Y 	Mar-04-07

A:  	Thanks for the kind words. I'm actually listing the amplifier for 
the world's largest R.L. Drake collector--Sindre, LA6OP, who purchased 
it from M. Elliot's estate after Dayton last year. But he didn't want to 
try shipping this one back to Norway.



Q:  	According to Chuck Brainerd, KA1PM, there were about 15 SB-240s 
made. Most went to Heath engineers. I had one built by him (KA1PM, 
(founder of Tennadyne antenna company) when he worked for Heath. He sold 
it to KE0TT and I traded an Alpha 76 for it and allowed him $500 for the 
'240. I later sold it for $500. Ha, sure wish I had it back now. 
Incidentally both KA1PM and KE0TT used it regularly. 73, Larry, K0RS 
Mar-04-07

A:  	Thanks for the additional history behind the SB-240. I rather 
suspected there were others released by the Heath company. Additional 
references to Mike Elliot may be found in A Familty Affair, the Drake 
book. He was probably working for Heath at the time this one was built. 
He designed the SB-104 and also worked for Collins. Again, thanks for 
the background on the amp. Cheers to all who are tracking the listing.


=============== SB-240 ==

This is a part of Heath-history.

de ah6gi/4