Chitika: HW-101

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Steve, VK2SJA, is doing to a Realistic DX-100 what I have been thinking about doing to a Heathkit HW-101. With this kind of encouragement, who could blame me for making a Minima-101? I've been planning on keeping the 6146s and all the final (and perhaps driver) circuitry.

Here is Steve's very nice description of his project thus far:

http://www.hfsignals.org/index.php/UnRealistic_Minima

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

SolderSmoke Podcast 154 is available for download!

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke154.mp3

August 11, 2013

-- Alligators! Real Alligators! (see picture below -- look closely)

-- Ten meter beacon project (with Arduino and Reverse Beacon Network)

-- Telescope repair: Chap Stick as lubricant, and the perils of macular pucker!

-- HW-101 saved from cannibalism!

-- The Wonders of WSPR and our need for instant feedback and gratification.

-- QST Review of SolderSmoke, The Book.

-- MAILBAG

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Most of our correspondents did not like the idea of me trying to convert my Heath HW-101 into a BITX-101. But, thinking that I still might to this, I decided to take the old rig off the shelf and see what it looked like. I liked the looks of it -- lots of space, simple circuitry, nice belts and gears for turning the many variable capacitors, no black box ICs. I could see traces of my earlier repair adventures -- electrolytic caps that had been replaced, the plastic dial clutch that I'd "fabricated" myself. Then I decided to try to fire it up. Hey, the receiver sounded very good. Next thing you know, I was getting the transmitter going. Then I was working DX on 20. By the end of the afternoon, I knew there was no way I would be tearing this old rig apart. There is simply too much soul in this old machine.

More on this in SolderSmoke 154....

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

OK, so I've been wanting to build a BITX-20 for a long time. Then Steve "Snort Rosin" Smith sent me a nice 9 MHz filter, and I started to think about using it to build a BITX 75/20. But I don't really like 75 meters too much... And I have this Heathkit HW-101. I like it very much, but these rigs do not age well: Too much heat, too many cheap components, tubes on PC boards... yuck. I got tired of fixing it. I've occasionally fantasized about scrapping most of the HW-101 circuitry and turning this rig into a 100 watt linear amplifier. But I didn't have the heart to do this. Then, on the way to work yesterday it hit me: Why not take the beautiful bi-directional circuitry of Farhan's BITX design and use that to solid state most of the HW-101? Obviously I'd retain the finals and maybe the driver, and the CW and SSB filters. The VFO could be transistorized. Maybe I'd retain the tube AF amp. I'd like to add 17 meter capability. Pete Juliano took an HW-101 and added a digital dial (that's his rig in the picture).

What do you guys think? Am I nuts? Or would this be a worthwhile project?

Chitika

VK2SJA's Minima in a Realistic DX-100 Case

SolderSmoke Podcast #154

Soul in the Old Machine: HW-101 Saved From Workshop Cannabilism

HB-101 ? BITX-101?

AHMED HASSAN MOHAMMED

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