What is a Heathkit??

[Richard Schumann]

-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck K3FT <k3ft at EROLS.COM>
To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Date: Thursday, July 23, 1998 7:04 PM
Subject: What is a Heathkit??


>What is a Heathkit?
>
>It's a mysterious collection of parts, metal, and paper wrapped in a box.
>It's the trepidation that fills the newly minted constructor as he pores
over the manual
>comparing pictures and words with that LARGE and COMPLEX pile of parts,
metal, and
>paper... thinking "I'm GONNA BUILD THIS and IT WILL WORK??"
>It's the manual telling you "WE WON'T LET YOU FAIL!"
>It's the learning what those colored bands on those little cylinders mean
>(and recalling the military mnemonic for the resistor color code.. which
taught us
>about someone named Violet and what bad boys do to girls!),
>It's the checking off of boxes, being careful not to 'S' when it clearly
says 'NS'!
>It's the missed sleep, missed school, missed work, while the hours pass as
we solder,
>clip, check, and wire.
>It's the final box checked, the resistances checked, the pots and switches
preseet, the
>AC plug inserted, and the momentary panic that preceeds the FLIPPING OF THE
SWITCH!
>
>It's the flush of "HOLY SH--!! NO SMOKE! IT WORKS!, as the rush of white
noise pours
>from the speaker, the meters flicker and the pilot lights light up. (AND
STILL NO
>SMOKE!)
>
>It's the sitting there for a while just staring at the assembled collection
of 'stuff'
>and THEN.. aligning it and hearing it receive signals.. SSB, CW, AM, RTTY..
>
>It's that INDESCRIBALY DELICIOUS FEELING that sweeps over you as you
realize YOU BUILT
>IT! IT WORKS! and YOU DID IT!
>
>That is what a Heathkit is.
>
>73
>
>Chuck k3ft
>
>C'mon you guys.. admit it. No one can see you. I see you all shaking your
head and going
>UH HUH! You ALL feel the same thing!
>
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**************************************************************



KUDOs Chuck.....VERY well said and right on target!!!!

Richard N7HH  (sure miss that feeling....sniff, sniff)

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