Kit Building

[talen]

I guess I was fortunate because I built a lot of Heathkits and Knight Kits
(DX-35, VF-1, VTVMs, tube testers, signal generators, AR-3s, transistor
radios, QF-1, GD meters, etc, etc). We were not rich and for funds I had
a paper route...good enough for me. For knowledge I read and soaked up
a lot of info from the hams at the local Pasadena (Tx) Amateur Radio Club.
When I didn't have enough for kits, I bought and converted surplus gear or
built from articles in QST, CQ, or the ARRL Handbook from the library. In
fact, those were more fun than the kits because you had to make or
scrounge up everything. My first CW transmitter used lots of parts from
junk TVs and radios.

You can still do similiar things TODAY. One fellow suggested that if you want
the kit building experience with one of the kids, "unbuild" one and rebuild it
with them. You can also find a non working, poorly built, or partially built unit
and build it up right and really diagnose the problems. You can still get an
old surplus receiver like a BC-348 or other command set and bring it back to life.
You can find old tube equipment and restore it......by the time you replace all
the defective caps and out of tolerance resistors you will think it was a kit.
Or you can build something from QST, CQ, or the ARRL Handbook and I'm
not necessarily saying last month's issue. Recently I decided to see if I could
find enough parts to build one of the Ted Crosby HBR receivers from the early
60s. Now there is a challenging but fun built-it-yourself project and when you
get done it's a really good double conversion receiver.

Build something from the ARRL Handbook, make your own printed circuit board,
bend your own sheetmetal. Heathkits are great units but the kit situation with
Heathkits is what it is, and there is still PLENTY to build out there. Now we have
the internet to help us scrounge .......worldwide.

73s  Kees K5BCQ

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