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So, I went to the Somerset County (K3SMT) Hamfest this morning. One of the flea market folks had an HW-16 on his table, from a SK estate. Front panel has seen better days, but there’s a brand new (looking) replacement with it.
Always wanted one, like I need another project. So I asked. $20. Then he said “tell you what... $15.
Yes, it came home with me!
Any suggestions on the next course of action, after replacing the front?
One cool thing about owning a boat is that when I say “boat anchor,” I really mean “a thing with which one may anchor a boat.”
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I've gotten a few suggestions from W7UUU on what to look into. Already gotten a pair of spare 2N1274 PNP transistors, and I'll be ordering the replacement capacitor kit from Hayseed Hamfest.
Just need to decide what to do about a VFO. Definitely going to order a few crystals to get started (Yes, I still have my old Novice FT-243 crystals for 80 & 40, but the Novice bands from 1972 are a far, far cry from where I'd be operating CW today!). I'll be keeping my eyes open at the next few hamfests for an actual HG-10B... but it can't be THAT hard to come up with a solid state VFO that can generate 3500 - 3600 & 7000 - 7100 kc.
Dave also mentioned that there's an old mod to move the 15 meter segment to 20. I think if I were going to do that, I'd rather do 30 meters. But one thing at a time.
Oh, there was one more thing about the hamfest I don't think I mentioned...
Had a surprising phone call on our way home...
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Yeah.
KC3GMM was kind enough to offer to bring it home for me, but didn't feel comfortable with it, after he strapped it to the back of his bike. So they ended up shipping it. Just not sure what I'm going to do with it yet...
Get an HG-10B VFO and an HR-10B receiver to run with the transceiver. Then you'll have recreated my HS Electronics class Novice station. Which, BTW, was given to us broken - we had to restore it in order to use the equipment.
Hundreds of contacts were made on that setup.
ETA:
I've carried quite a few pieces of ham gear (some fairly large) on motorcycles over the years. The trick is to use the OEM shipping box w/ Styrofoam inserts, or use foam-in-place packing. Anything packed in packing peanuts alone is an absolute no-go for me, regardless of the type of carriage used to transport it.
Since we're doing Heathkits:
I'm building a new shack and antenna farm. The operating desk will be J shaped: The small side will have all of my contemporary HF stuff, the bottom will have VHF/UHF and 11M gear and the long side will have an assortment of vintage equipment. Drake's 7 and 5 lines each get a spot. Same with Cubic. There's a "twins" area where things like an HR-1680/HX-1681, NRD/NSD-515, IC-751A/R-71A, etc will be cycled in and out.
Then we get to the rig I always wanted way back when: An SB-104A. I have a few of them in various stages of restoration. One will be kept stock, the other two are going to be modified a bit. Also in the lineup will be a PS-1144A, SB-604, SB-614, SB-634. A builder's proof SB-230 (which needs the HV caps replaced). The pieces de resistance: A prototype synthesized VFO and an SB-670...prototype 2KW antenna tuner. There weren't many of either made.
A ham had a DX60B and HR10B pair at the Uniontown Hamfest this morning. They got snapped up before I could inquire. But, that seller has two HG10Bs he didn’t bring. Hopefully he will bring one to Skyview...
Another vendor selling off his dad’s estate (SK, obviously) had an SB401 cheap, condition unknown, and no PS. After it sold, they found the PS in the back of a speaker cabinet (Drake style); it got snapped up almost immediately.
BUT, that same seller had a BUNCH of tubes (someone bought four 4-400’s for about $20... Yes, he knew what they are worth, he just wanted to sell off the estate). I snagged a whole bunch of spares for the HW-16.
And more. Anyone want a Heathkit phone patch? Or some 1625’s?
So...
Things got busy at work (PIT is just about back to the traffic that they had pre-pandemic... and I have more to do now, managing the FIDS & GIDS displays) the last few months, and some other things happened...
Then the other day, saw an add on swap.qth.com for a working HG-10B, either spare parts and original manual, for $75 plus shipping.
it should be here Thursday.
Guess it’s about time to get to work!
Now I just need to clear out space amongst Little Miss Field Days’ piles of stuff (it’s nice having her home, between apartments, but I want my basement workbench back!)