[Heathkit] Dumb speaker question

[Don Cunningham]

Wayne,
There should be an RCA jack on the back of the rig for the external speaker, 
and that output would be a much better match for your speaker.  I don't know 
the circuit of the SB-301, but the headphone jack probably doesn't go 
through the audio amp, hence the low output and when you get the volume up 
any, the distortion.  Look on the rear for "audio out", "speaker", etc.
73,
Don, WB5HAK