HW-7

[KE7WAV]

Okay---I inherited an old HW-7 after a little work I managed to get it up on the air. This question is specifically aimed at CW ops who have experience with this radio. My first two attempts at QSO's I fell flat onface face and lost the contacts by answering on the wrong sideband. (dumb mistake easy to fix) Then it seemed now one could hear me reply to their CQ's. Well I am only putting out 3 Watts so maybe...?
Then after doing a little more research I learned that the rig only has an offset of about 30hz instead of the usual 600-800hz used in most rigs! (the HW-8 has an 750hz offset) So I tuned way down low on a station calling CQ and got him at about 300hz and finally I got an answer! (got a 569 bk with 3W fed into a 40M dipole up 11 feet at about 1200 miles!)

For those of you who have used these rigs what do you normally do to get and maintain a decent workable QSO with an HW-7? (They fixed the problem in the other heathkit rigs.)

How can you put a better offset into the rig?

Thanks sorry for the long explanation

[G4GOY]

Hi

I used to have an HW-7 a few years ago and remember that I had to tune from the top of the band downwards to correctly tune to the incoming signal.  Otherwise, going the other way, you will be offset by too much, as due to the direct-conversion nature of the receiver, any incoming signal will produce a beat note above and below the carrier....it's the one above that the other op will be tuned to.

Hope that make sense )

Best 73, John G4GOY

[KE7WAV]

Thank you John

[K8JD]

I had a borrowed HW7 and later a T-T Century to play with. Boy is the double beat note tuning a pain in the butt to remember wich one is the "real" one.
Recently I built a couple of MFJ Cubs and they have real good single signal recievers with crystal filter and cost much less $$ than that old HW-7 & 8 did.
The HW-9 also had a better receiver with good selectivity.

[N2EY]

According to the QST Product Review of the HW-7, there is a built-in "offset" of about 1 kHz. Perhaps that circuit is not functioning in the one you have.

There are also published mods to add RIT to the HW-7, which is very useful.

73 de Jim, N2EY

[K8QLW]

Howdy.

I have been using a Ten Tec Century 21 since the 1980's.  I have never used the "spot" button as many do, but with the RIT set to zero (12 O'Clock) I find a station and tune the PTO (Main tuning) to the center or the "null" of the signal.  That's the valley between the sidebands.  Then, I use the RIT and choose which ever side band I want to receive.  If one has some QRM, then I just tune the RIT to the other.

With the PTO zero beat (centered in the null) you will be right on the other station's freqiency every time, assuming no drift in frequency.

Hope that helps,
Kent