Heathkit cult

[Mark Sykes]

Mike,

Good post, let me throw back a few responses/ideas:

> heathkit's time has come and gone...

Yes, you're probably right; on the other hand, the nostalgia (and related
eBay proceeds) are at a level now that is higher than at any point in living
memory.  Perhaps the market for a very small number of encore products is
now here.

> I just wonder how many two meter transceiver kits Ten Tec sells each month
> at $265 a pop in kit form? ($200 for the five watt basic radio +$65 for
the
> 10 watt internal amp) that's bare bone, 10 watt output radio
> you can get a Icom with 75+watts output, zillions of memories and computer
> control for $170... <snip>

I completely agree.  Modern digital electronics, pre-assembled onto a
surface-mount board with a gazillion features beats anything you can
economically assemble at home.  What I'm suggesting are products that are
essentially the same technology and meterials now as they were then - tube
linear amps, the cantenna, antenna tuners.

> <snip>  Can you imagine the price one would have to have to duplicate the
HW-8?

I agree with that, too.  I think it would be pointless to try to duplicate a
previous product.  Move forward; use the SB-200 or SB-220 circuit if that's
a good, solid design; color the cabinet green but update the design.

<snip>
> for not only do you have to pay to kit up the pieces parts, you must also
> maintain a repair shop to fix the stuff some goof messed up. talk to
anyone
> whom worked in the heathkit repair department the time and energy it took
to
> maintain that part of the company.
> It's a hassle when selling kits of any sort. I know. Been there. Done
that.
> there's nothing like getting a call at 7pm on a sunday evening and having
to
> tell the guy on the other end  that diodes must be place with the banded
end
> of the diode matching the banded end on the silk screen on the pcb.

That's why I suggest they contract with an existing kitter.   Alternatively,
certify a few folks as 'assemblers' a la Elecraft and let them deal with
stranded kit builders.


Mark
KD8RG

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