Heath Zenith Security Lighting

[Sandy W5TVW]

At 05:17 PM 7/2/98 -0700, you wrote:

>As I remember it, Zenith wanted into the computer market SO BAD and none of
>their people had a clue.  So, the easy way was to buy Heath and market their
>designs in a built form.  It didn't take long for Zenith to get into the
>laptop market (probably from Japan) and they didn't have much need for this
>kit company any longer, so they turned them over to build these lights.  I
>bought one 10 years ago...so they have been doing it for a long time.  Of
>course, it still works just fine...good quality as expected, but such
>potential lost.
>
>I'd still pay more for a kit than assembled if they were around today.


        Zenith really wrecked Heathkit!  They not only wrecked them, but
they wrecked themselves too.  I remember working on some "pre-NAFTA"
TV sets that they assembled in Mexico.  The assembly was OK, but the
design was horrible.  Really "rat's nest" assembly techniques.  IMHO
horrific mechanical design.  Their service information was worse than "Sams"
to boot.  (Usually "Sams" was worse than the factory info when you could get
it!)
        Heath deserves kudos for the books they wrote up.  Some were
so-so, but gave you enough to work with, and their parts weren't three arms
and a leg each.
        I miss Heathkit *VERY MUCH*!  Wish I had stocked up on kits so I
could build a few today!  I still possess my very first V-6 VTVM I bought from
them for $19.50 when that model first came out!
        Wish I'd kept some of the other stuff, although I still have a raft
of Heath
test gear and The DX-60B/HR-10B/HG-10B combo.  Also one of those
rare CR-1 crystal sets.
73,
Sandy W5TVW

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