I Must Miss Heathkit

[palani]

cause I ordered one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Frog-Sounds-HAM-Radio-QRP-Kit-Telegraph-CW-Transceiver-Receiver-Radio-Station-V3-/181347196883?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a39229fd3

A 2 - 3 watt 40 M CW transceiver in kit form for $17 .... will have at least that much fun putting it together even if all it does is croak.

[Dogman]

It was a very sad day when those kits were stopped, many got their feet wet, fingers burnt along with other body parts and brains stretched building them!

[palani]

It was a very sad day when those kits were stopped, many got their feet wet, fingers burnt along with other body parts and brains stretched building them!
Yup. I even had a commercial thought run through my brain a couple months back. Collect old non-working Heathkits from hamfests and on-line, dismantle them, replace used for new and remarket them as 'rebuilt kits'. Could even use the same manuals to build them.

Could be some bux in such an enterprise. Probably would have to be done in Korea or China though to cashflow.

[Dogman]

Yup. I even had a commercial thought run through my brain a couple months back. Collect old non-working Heathkits from hamfests and on-line, dismantle them, replace used for new and remarket them as 'rebuilt kits'. Could even use the same manuals to build them.

Could be some bux in such an enterprise. Probably would have to be done in Korea or China though to cashflow.IIRC correctly have met some in the past with similar thoughts, but did not pan out, think they also were thinking of offering brand new kits using the heath template, Think there is a lively market for unused kits back in 90's but more as collectors items and not for build. Been a while since attending any swap/hamfests so have not a clue today.

Also, I get a feeling the interest of the young today is not like it was in our days, as in learning electronics, my blessing is starting out in the late 50's early 60's learning tube stuff with my grandfather teaching me, and then the wonders of transistors and such. The tech ride from then to now has been amazing, what was scifi then is real today.

Not sure if there is any market for kits today in this world.

Nice to dream tho.

[palani]

Not sure if there is any market for kits today in this world.

Do a search for 'unbuilt heathkit' on ebay and you will find lots of them. Mostly not ham stuff though. I did see one guy with about 8-9 ham heathkits unbuilt and the offering price was in the tens of thousands.

If there was a market for kits I doubt if the one I ordered would be going for $16. I couldn't order the resistors for that much less ICs, jacks, torroids, etc

[Glass]

I bought a packet modem in a kit a while back. Could have/should have bought it pre-assembled. Still in box. Eyes are not up to the task these days.

[Ponce]

Ands that's why "Radio Shack" went KAPUT........they did better with tubes than with modern electronics.

V

[palani]

I bought a packet modem in a kit a while back. Could have/should have bought it pre-assembled. Still in box. Eyes are not up to the task these days.

You can buy a USB microscope in practically any power that works great. They go for around $20 from China.

[palani]

Ands that's why "Radio Shack" went KAPUT........they did better with tubes than with modern electronics.

V
Radio Shack ... a division of the Tandy Toy Co.

[Dogman]

Allied radio/electronics back in the day was good! Then Tandy got them. Nearest store was in Garland/Dallas, candy shop for some.

[palani]

Allied radio/electronics back in the day was good! Then Tandy got them. Nearest store was in Garland/Dallas, candy shop for some.
I bought a component tracer one time. It worked by having a good board to compare a bad board with. Sort of a curve tracer that showed resistance by a slope or inductance/capacitance by an oval. A spare part they offered was a board constructed with good components and bad components.

So I asked the salesman where they went to get bad components. After all, most manufacturing processes rely upon known good components. His response ... RADIO SHACK.

[brosil]

Any time you folks want to see the world's largest Heathkit collection, I'll set you up with an ex-boss in Toledo, Ohio. Need tube, he's got them. Need manuals, he's probably got them. Seriously, it's damned impressive.

[Glass]

You can buy a USB microscope in practically any power that works great. They go for around $20 from China.

thanks. I'll take a look. I was looking for one of those illuminated magnifying lenses to bolt to the work bench. Wasn't confident I was going to get enough magnification for the fine details.

I don't suppose you or anyone has a model/brand they could recommend?

I'm reading the Microscope Detective blogs/reviews ATM
http://www.microscope-detective.com/usb-microscope.html

Also has anyone bought rechargeable batteries from an ebayer they could recommend? I'm looking for Sub C's NiCd around 2400 - 2800mAh with Tabs. After a couple dozen to rebuild some tool battery packs. I'm looking at 2 different sellers but wondering if someone else worth looking at.

[palani]

I was looking for one of those illuminated magnifying lenses to bolt to the work bench. Wasn't confident I was going to get enough magnification for the fine details.
Just do a search for USB microscope or endoscope camera. Mine is 20 - 800x ... I think I would rather have something in the 5-200 range to be more useful.

I see they have inspection cameras for usb as well ... on 15 foot cables for checking pipes or small holes ... around $15 ... pretty cheap for something so useful.

[Glass]

Aussie guy reviewing 2 different USB microscopes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2P1_JZYnVc

Looks like one of them is a winner.

[palani]

Looks like one of them is a winner.
The loser is the one I have. Actually pretty good video quality once you get it set up and it is a good value for the money. I wedge the base under my scanner and focus on the pullout keyboard drawer. Once it is set up it maintains its focus pretty good. I wouldn't mess with the zoom or snapshot buttons. If I want a snapshot I do a printscreen and copy the image to PCPaint.

Here is an example of the lowest resolution I can get of a Spanish milled dollar coin

http://i62.tinypic.com/14jyeep.jpg

[gunDriller]

Do a search for 'unbuilt heathkit' on ebay and you will find lots of them. Mostly not ham stuff though. I did see one guy with about 8-9 ham heathkits unbuilt and the offering price was in the tens of thousands.

If there was a market for kits I doubt if the one I ordered would be going for $16. I couldn't order the resistors for that much less ICs, jacks, torroids, etc


just have to not pay retail.

Foothill College used to have a SuperGeek flea market first or second Saturday of every month.

bag of 100 LED's for $8. functional LED's.


There's also good surplus shops like 'Halted' in Silicon Valley. They used to have a HUGE assortment of all values & wattages of resistor, and all the other components. A basic one stop shop for electronic components.

[Cebu_4_2]

Also has anyone bought rechargeable batteries from an ebayer they could recommend? I'm looking for Sub C's NiCd around 2400 - 2800mAh with Tabs. After a couple dozen to rebuild some tool battery packs. I'm looking at 2 different sellers but wondering if someone else worth looking at.

My son just got some 3.7 volt 2500 for flashlights. Were from china but certified non counterfeit and he is impressed. Says the user name was genuine sells, not sure how it's spelled. Can get a link if you want.

[Cebu_4_2]

I can't find the same seller but this is what he bought. It has a little certification sticker on the box and batteries. Says at the rate I use my flashlight it will take months till I need to charge them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Purple-EFEST-IMR-18650-HIGH-DRAIN-35A-RECHARGEABLE-Li-MN-Battery-2500mAh-F-T-/331424998677?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2a782515

[palani]

The kit building craze continues. I just picked up a Tentec regen shortwave receiver kit (unbuilt) at auction for fifteen bux. New this was around seventy bux. I think I could have paid less as nobody there seemed to recognize any value in it but I am happy.

[Dogman]

The kit building craze continues. I just picked up a Tentec regen shortwave receiver kit (unbuilt) at auction for fifteen bux. New this was around seventy bux. I think I could have paid less as nobody there seemed to recognize any value in it but I am happy.
Tentec made some good stuff! May still have some of their stuff buried in my shack or attic? Some boxes I have not looked at in over 20 years at least!

[palani]

Never owned any Tentec products but I see them at hamfests and generally they seem to be well received (no pun).

[Dogman]

Never owned any Tentec products but I see them at hamfests and generally they seem to be well received (no pun).
Most all tentec was quality in parts and in general back in the day. Reliable! And the company stood behind their products, something goes bad they replaced free or you could send back and they fixed at low cost, usually just the shipping depending on what was wrong! Iirc