Heathkit HW-8

Yesterday I bought a Heathkit HW-8 at the QRP Pacificon auction from Mike, WA6MER. This is the first time I'm powering it on, just testing it in receive mode (I need to make some new cables to hook it to my tuner before I try transmitting). The HW-8 is a solid state direct conversion receiver, not the most sophisticated thing, but it covers four bands, and is actually really nice. The previous owner modified this one to have backlighted dials, which actually is a bit annoying (the switch on the front looks out of place) but which actually makes the radio glow in a nice way. A great deal, and a great bit of fun.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• MVI
• 2875

[mnpd007]

The HW-8 was the first Heathkit i built back in 1978. Small, but not especialy easy to build... on of Heath's advanced kits. I used it almost daily for about two years before moving up. I found one of those bootleg CB linear amps which despite being made for 11-meters would work on all the ham bands. The output wasn't so free of spurious emissions, so I got one of those huge, gray, salami shaped EF Johnson low-pass filters, stuck that on the transmission line and never had a complaint.

[pembsastronomer]

I would love one of these...thanks for posting ...73 de mw0mjb

[protelboy]

Hi, I have one of these, bought it in 1982 and was my first rig. One of my first contacts was in Alaska using an inverted V antenna. Not bad for 2 watts from Kelowna B.C. Have fun!

[Wa3ypx]

Can't beat those Heath CW rigs DX-60 HW-16 etc. I have the same rig built it in high school. Have fun 73

[andyjs2378]

I just recently picked up a Heathkit HW7, can't wait to try it out and see if it works, also it has the reciever modifications done to it:)

[helraiser666painkil]

nice little radio you've got there mate I've just seen the heathkit HW 9 video too there very nice little radios I've only ever seen the heathkit SB 101 and 103 never ever seen these radios before just want to ask can you use phone transmitions with this radio or is it just morse code transmitions? they seam very compact and small radios I really do want to collect one of those heathkit models or collins radios there old but as many people say you cannot beat it can you 73's 51's stephen M3SNV.

[GlobalAntennaWorks]

You'll have a great time with that radio. I had one for about a year and logged roughly ~36 countries at the bottom of the cycle using just a wire and PVC 1/4 wave groundplane vertical. QRP can be very challenging, but lots of fun!

73 de WE5I

[ArkAngelz]

Just picked one of these up myself. Neat little rigs.