Heathkit

[Glen Zook]

Since I have both the Collins S-1 and S-3 line
equipment and the Heath SB-301/SB-401 equipment I have
been called upon numerous times to comment on the
Heath being the "poor man's S-Line".

The SB-300 / SB-400 combination are not quite as good
as the Collins 75S-1 / 32S-1 combination.  The SB-301
/ SB-401 are better performers than the Collins 75S-1
/ 32S-1 but are not quite up to the 75S-3 / 32S-3.

When I had my first SB-301 / SB-401 combination I
bought a 75S-3A receiver.  I ran the 75S-3A in
parallel with my SB-301 for several months before
making a final decision.  Nine times out of ten the
SB-301 would do anything that the 75S-3A would do.
But, it was that tenth time that made me go looking
for a 32S-3 to go along with my 75S-3A.  I found both
a 32S-3 and a 75S-3 for what I was willing to pay for
a 32S-3 alone.  I traded off my SB-301 / SB-401 a
while later.

Then I acquired a 75S-1 / 32S-1 combination for a VERY
small price (like $70 for the both - this was in
1975).  I did install the Waters Rejection Tuning
("Q-Multiplier") in the 75S-1.

About a year ago I acquired another SB-301 / SB-401 to
"re-create" my 3rd primary station.  I have used the
combination on 80 through 10 meters but right now have
it paired with a Hallicrafters HA-2 2 meter
transverter.

The 500 KHz per bandswitch position on the Heath is
much easier to use than the 200 KHz per bandswitch
position on the Collins.  This is one reason that I
use the Heath on 2 meters.  Also, the 400 Hz CW filter
on the Heath is easier to use for long lengths of time
than the 200 Hz crystal filter that came standard in
the 75S-3A.  However, when you have to really "dig" a
CW signal out from under a pileup, you can't beat the
Collins filter.

The Collins 2.1 KHz mechanical filter is sharper than
the Heath SSB filter.

The stability on the Collins PTO is better than the
Heath LMO.  But, in general use the difference is
extremely slight.

Now, the SB-303 is a different matter!  The SB-303 has
a very high background noise level, overloads fairly
easily, the LMO is not as stable, and generally is not
the quality (in my opinion) of the SB-300 and SB-301.
I had one for a while and traded it off a few months
ago.  When I did have it, I used it mainly as a
tunable i.f. for VHF converters.

By the way, I traded off the 75S-3 a couple of years
ago for a 75A4, still have the 75S-3A.

Glen, K9STH


--- Thomas Beltran <tbeltran at EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:

the SB-303/401, again, some people called it the
> "poor man's Collins."  Whether the observation is
correct or not, the reference demonstrates that at the
time, cost was a factor.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Find a job, post your resume.
http://careers.yahoo.com

-----------------------------------------------------------
This list is a public service of the City of Tempe, Arizona
-----------------------------------------------------------

Subscription control - http://www.tempe.gov/lists/control.asp?list=HEATH
To post - HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Archives - http://interactive.tempe.gov/archives/HEATH.html