Heathkit HW 101 From eBay to the Airwaves
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- This is a start to finish video documenting restoration of an HW-101 transceiver (SN 19650). This is geared for folks like me who aren't specialists but want to enjoy troubleshooting and restoring these fine old rigs.
This particular rig revealed the following highlights:
- What happens when switchboards are incorrectly installed
- Wire-wound resistors-here today, gone tomorrow.
- Don't short the relay
I don't often review comments here, but you can always reach out to me via QRZ.
** Yes, I do repairs on certain Heathkit rigs. Reach out to me directly (email address on QRZ). Check out my website N5OLA.com for touch-up paint and other helpful stuff for the Heathkit restorer.
Links:
HW-101 full manual (searchable): nebula.wsimg.c...
HW-101 service bulletins (searchable): nebula.wsimg.c...
HW-101 Resistor Charts: nebula.wsimg.c...
I don't know crap about ham radio, but this is one of the nicest repair videos I've watched. Can't say I've ever seen anybody wash equipment like this. No risk of water getting into any of the tuners?
My retirement biz is DSM Labs and I restore mostly R390 series receivers but also some Hammarlund, Drake and Collins as well as some Ten Tec for fun. This after years as a systems engineer in the computer industry. I got my Novice ticket back in 1971, age 15. So, ~ 53 years as a Ham op.
I am pretty sure I have not seen a worse case for a transceiver. I'd probably come close to trashing it since the effort you put in these repairs had to be a labor of love, understanding you'll not recoup your time on a sale.
I am very impressed how you took your time and methodically solved problem after problem and ended up with a fairly decent HW 101.
I have always liked the 101 for it's performance to dollar ratio. I used one for several years many years ago and used it just on CW. Noisy relay notwithstanding it was a decent transceiver, not a contest rig, but for casual QSO's it has always been hard to beat for the modest price.
Not sure you got the sensitivity better but typically I see it at ~/3uv sig+noise spec and ~.15 MDS.
It was a pleasure to watch you go through that rough unit while I'm thinking, trash time...LOL
EXCELLENT project Sir !!
I really like these HW-101 videos. Thank you.
Amazing restoration. Really enjoyed the video. I was a little nervous when you washed it with soap and water, I never saw that done before. Thank you so much. N2MRV
A superb video, thanks so much. I've restored a number of old radios like the one in the video. The worst were the smokers as cigarette smoke gets in every nook and cranny, especially inside. Once I even found a mud wasp nest on a large tuning capacitor. However I never thought you could wash them with soap and water, dry 'em in an oven like you did. Thanks for that.
HW101 feature # 824, fully submersible. Kind of...
This reminded me of a small electronics company I worked at in the summer during college in the late 80s where they had a dishwasher that was dedicated for cleaning circuit boards. They didn't have an ultrasonic cleaner so they would put them in a dishwasher with some kind of special wash powder. Just as long as the boards were perfectly dry afterwards they worked fine for production.
Will - Great restoration video! I just traded a National NC-109 shortwave receiver that I restored to a friend of mine. He gave me a Heathkit SB-634 Station Console to play with. None of the digits on the 10-minute timer light up. The timer is working because the aural/visual still works. I just ordered the Q214 transistor (MPS-U5) off of eBay. It's listed as a possible cause in the troubleshooting part of the manual. I'm not a tech, but I do enjoy restoring the older tube stuff, like you do. I learn as I go along.
BTW, you wouldn't happen to have a #49 2-volt miniature bulb for sale, would you? Not available locally, and I would have to buy a pack of 10 off of eBay.
73 Paul AA1SU
Awesome video, great old radio, keep it up brother, kb0uzz
I got the SB-102, cleaned it, checked the resistance, and turned it on. Various problems occurred, some common to the ones you encountered. It was a problem with the vacuum tube that the relay was working even though it was supposed to be receiving, but the problem of no sound coming out at all remains unresolved and is bothering me.
I'll try to find out if your solution applies to me as well. Thank you for the wonderful video.
When I sold my HW-101 i took out the cw filter because the SB-102 i just bought didn't have one
Excellent video. Although I think you would have been better to use an 80w soldering iron to solder to that variable capacitor frame!
I need help with my SB-101 from eBay. They told me it worked. It doesn’t. Tubes are all hot so they may be ok. But zero sound other than CW tones. Help.
that radio looks like it lived on a ship or close to the ocean. the packing job was poor you got lucky it made it
Thanks for posting. I just picked up another 101 and per supply this past weekend. Great pointers.
My elmer had a hw100..the top cover was never on...
None of both Heath trx I own have so great level of corrosion that yours, only isopropilic Alcohol and a soft tooth brush can solve !
Certainly not the first time a Heathkit has been assembled incorrectly.
Проще выбросить, чем чистить окисленные контакты и ржавчину. Защитное покрытие контактов разъёмов уже не восстановить.
Well done!
Get a Dremel with a wire wheel..for the metal pieces.
Always get excited when i see you've got a new hw101 video. A few more of these and ill get enough confidence to restore the 2 that i have.
You did a fantastic job. And thanks for all the camera work which is a work altogether separate from your radio restore. Educational too.
I have one i want to listen only but i have the single bander. Great video. Watched till the end
3:57 oh no 😵💫
I want one…
Oven baked ham!
Man, what a battle. That thing definitely saw challenging storage conditions for a LOT of years. Are you familiar with the product "Tarn-X" for cleaning tarnished and fouled switch contacts? It's been a life-changer for me.
I've heard of Tarn-X but never used it. Better than regular contact cleaner? I'll give it a shot.
Yessir, far better than regular contact cleaner. Particularly with the dark silver oxide you see on silver-plated rotary switch contacts. You can literally see the oxidation melting before your eyes. Good stuff. @@N5OLA
I use Tarn-X for wafer switch contacts with a Q-tip. Works really good. Read the instructions on 5he container carefully. I also use Brasso but not on contacts. Thanks for the video!
How can you measue the resistance of the resistor while it's still in the circuit?
I have the same question.
Unsolder one lead and measure with an ohm meter.
@@Larry-AK0Z That would work but he's not doing it.
I just noticed at time 8:51 there looks to be a date code on the transformer of 7632. These HW-101 were produced from 1970 to 1983 so this radio kit may have been produced some time after week 32 of 1976.
Hello
You have made a serious mistake.
You have tried cleaning the device with water. You don't do something like that!! Second error: the device was uneconomical in this condition. it was one piece of rust too much
Water is probably not a problem as long as the water is removed expeditiously and thoroughly. Nice project.
Washing with soapy water, and using a brush is just fine. Thoroughly dry and you are good to go. Check out other 101 restore videos that have done this with great success.
If you have the means, you can 'prep' the air to suck moisture off stuff when drying after a deep clean. You need dry warm air, heat increases the moisture air can carry. AC units dry air due to the temperature dropping below the dew point thus the water crashes out of it. Thats why your AC unit has a drain with a small trickle of water, also why the front defroster turns the AC pump on in your car. Add heat back with the heater, and hot dry air will suck the moisture right off (the muck on) your windshield!
I imagine this crowd is aware of this stuff, but for the odd newcomer that is probably just recovering from the heart attack of seeing you use a kitchen sink sprayer to clean the boards.... 🤣🤣🤣
Picked up 2 101's, and a 100 for dirt. Looking forward to getting them operational
I own a SB 102 and a SB 104 Heath radios in order to get a major hauling soon and a Heath HF Sig Gen to recalibrate them as necessary.
I wanted to add my compliments to those you’ve already received from so many people, and especially Glenn Scott WA4AOS.
Not only is your troubleshooting technique 37superb, but your explanation to the viewers is extraordinarily clear, which helps us understand what you’re doing and why.
Also, you have edited your video so well that I never lost interest and could follow each step as you progressed in your restoration.
I also noticed with admiration, how you never seem to get frustrated when something doesn’t work the way it should after you have worked on it. Undaunted you go back and address the problem from fresh point of view and with renewed energy. And by golly you find out what the problem is and solve it.
I must further say, and compliment that you’re editing of the video is stellar.
Vy entertaining video and nice restoration. 73s @ DL3SDJ
Good grief, that thing must have been be stinking like a moldy old rag. As a certified allergic, it would literally have taken my breath away and I couldn't have spent more than 5 minutes in the same room. Great job of yours. 👍
What a great video! Thanks for sharing. 73
Best Regards from Germany
What type of diodes did you replace with the germanium diodes?
Or germanium equivalent ones or perhaps schottky diodes...
🧠👌💯👍👍👍❤❤❤
GriefKit!