HEATHKIT

[Kechkaylo Dave (ATLINKS)]

John (et al):

I think Heath Company would have slumped overall, particularly in the
amateur radio product line, anyway, as newer, better, products were offered
by Japanese companies. Zenith wanted only the computer and manufacturing
lines, and didn't give a darn for the kit business (year after year it was
making less money in the late 1970s and early 1980s kit business). The
management of Zenith was one one of the worst in the industry (the pits to
say the least), and in conjunction with the Steelworker's union trying to
muscle their way in control of Heath's factory in 1979 didn't help.

I remember, as an employee, seeing the quality slowly creep downward in the
ham product lines, and the high-priced SS-9000 and HW-5400 could never have
made a dent compared with the Kenwoods and Icoms, and these were some good
radios...and so it goes. I remember seeing many Icoms sitting in engineering
being evaluated by Heath engineering. How could Heath compete? The HW-5400
was really a kitted, Heath engineered, version of the Kenwood TS-120S, but
look what a nightmare it became to assemble. Orders for any remaining
Heathkit ham offerings (of what was left) dropped significantly. Even the
number of amateur kits being returned for factory service dropped off
significantly.

With Zenith management totally uninterested in any new ham-related kit
development, layoffs resulted. What a shame. Soooo, I blame both the foreign
competition and Zenith. Without the latter, I think Heath, with the right
direction and product lines, could have lasted longer....Zenith supplied the
coffin nails and pounded in the last one.

Dave Kechkaylo, W8DLK/9

-----Original Message-----
From: john van laar [mailto:van at STARBAND.NET]
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 11:13 PM
To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Subject: HEATHKIT


After i left heathkit on long island and moved upstate new york i got a
shock to see zenith bought them and a catalog with wood working heathkits.I
blame zenith for the demise of heath. When schlumberger bought daystrom
heath came along with the deal and they let heath do it's own thing.Zenith
did not know anything about heath customers. Anyone agree or disagree with
me on this? I would like to hear from somone that was there at the end 73
john

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