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write your own review of the Heathkit HA-14.
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KG7D
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 29, 2008 21:55
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Like a John Deere Tractor, just keeps working, its green too.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have two of these, bought one for a backup in case the other one failed, but it has never failed. I use it mobile with a TS-50S and a Webster bandspanner antenna, Small package, easy one knob tuning, doesn't build up too much heat even though there is no fan, could use a fan for long QSO's, no fan means quiet, 500 watts all bands,80 40 20 15, 400 watts on 10, input tuning good for solid state transcievers, Heath Engineers of the 60's were ahead of there game on this one.
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W7MY
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 18, 2006 18:31
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I modified one for 6 meters
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Thanks to EBay I bought a second HA-14 about a year ago. Just for fun I thought I'd try to modify it to 6 meters. It took a bit of work but its worth it. My modification works great; I get 500 watts out with 60 watts of drive. I really like having an amp that is instant warmup; one flick of the power switch and I get my 500 watts in seconds.
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N6MYA
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Rating: 5/5
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May 21, 2006 17:17
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Great little amp!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought this amplifier used, over one year ago complete with used tubes and it has never let me down! Puts out 500 watts and does it quietly. The only modifications i have made to it so far is to replace the on off switch, replace the RCA input jack with a chassis mount BNC, mount two Pentium style 12 VDC fans to the back with nylon stand-offs, and mount a bail type stand to the bottom to tilt it up. I made a "soft key" interface to connect it to my Ten Tec Jupiter and i have the soft start module from Harbach that i have not yet installed. After a lengthy telephone conversation, it was determined that the soft-key module from Harbach will not directly interface with the power supply, hence the roll-your-own type of interface. I forgot to mention that the amplifier had the parasitic kit installed before i purchased it. I am completely pleased with the performance of this unit.
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K1FPV
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 6, 2005 17:37
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Compact Amp - Great Price
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The HA-14 wasn't made to be a high end amp. It was made primarily to satisfy the need for mobile power with the option of using it in a fixed shack. I've owned 2 of these amps and think for the price, they are great. I don't know why people chop up something because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles. If you want all the bells and whistles, then buy something with them. Don't buy a lower priced item and then complain that it doesn't have the additional features of the more expensive items. I've seen it all after over 42 years as a ham.
I just retired a little early due to medical reasons. I began my career in 1968 as a broadcast engineer and retired from the local ABC affiliate TV station. In my years, I've worked on a lot of transmitters and high power amplifiers. The HA-14 is sweet and I intend on using my HA-14 a lot in retirement.
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W7MY
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 6, 2005 16:31
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Works Great!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had mine for about six years and have had no problems at all. I have an AL-1200 as well but like the HA14 because I can band change in just seconds, have a zero time warmup, and totally quiet power. I refer to it as my quick 6 (DB) amplifier. Its only on rare occations I really need the additional 6 DB of my other amp. I also have a Radioshack small muffan fan on top of the amp. I put a voltage doubler on the 6.3 vac internally and added a phono jack for the fan.
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WIRELESS
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Rating: 2/5
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Oct 24, 2004 09:03
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Crude
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I don't know how others came up with 5's for this amp. It has no load control (fixed loading), it has a power supply that puts out only 2000 volts allowing only 450 - 500 watts out, no forced air cooling, typical Heath low duty cycle (cheap)components, poor metering, ugly green color, poor fit and finish. If I was in the market for a small 600 watt amp I would buy a solid state unit before messing with this Heath Junk design.
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K0VH
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 24, 2004 08:04
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Heath "mobile" KW a good deal
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just picked up a used Heath HA-14 mobile KW with AC supply from a friend who had got it at an estate sale. While I have been playing with QRP the past few months (recently getting an ICOM 703), going QRO seems a bit illogical ... but is it during declining sunspots and for cold weather wintertime operating when the QRP rig is retired to indoor CW/PSK use? Anyway, I had almost purchased a used Ameritron AL80B earlier in the summer but buying both that and a QRP rig exceeded the yearly HR budget. I had used both SB200s and 220s in the past so I was somewhat familiar with the old Heath gear; when I got my ticket in the mid 60s my first novice setup was all Heath too.
The HA-14 was only made for a few years in the late 60s and is simply a two part SB200 using the twin 572-B tube combination. My particular unit is pretty much "stock" other than a former owner added a 2A and 3KW DC plate metering on the AC power supply, which feeds a separate high voltage line to the small RF deck. I had to rig up a TR switching relay as it uses -120VDC and my ICOM 746 and most modern solid state transcievers can only switch 12-20 VDC (note Harbach electronics makes a solid state switching kit for the SB220 which I assume would work here and I may adapt to that in the future). I won't do a thorough technical review here other than to say this KW support the 5 bands 80-10 meters and a simplified tuning proceedure to just do a peak MAX output vs standard dip/load of other KWs. A big negative for some would be it's only speced for SSB *NOT* CW like the SB200 or 220. There is no cooling fan and after one short 20m QSO without running a fan, I am running temporarily a muffin fan on the unit (so another possible mod: looking for a smaller fan to add to rear that can be powered by voltages in the unit).
Using a temporary key down, I can get 450-550 watts out of the unit and I suspect with new tubes it would provide 600+. A pair of 572-B tubes are $90 at Taylor tubes and I hear buy the US version, not imports for horizontal mounts like this.
NET: so why a 5 vs a 4 rating? It does what I need - - a SSB medium power KW that did not cost an arm & a leg and fits compact on the desktop. Heath did not make many of these so finding one is rare, but if you can get one for $200-400 depending on tube condition go for it! It will suffice until I maybe find my "dream" unit: a stealer price on one of the Icom solid state KWs (IC2K etc).
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K6DXX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 3, 2004 22:20
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Great Little Amp
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I picked the amp up second hand at a flea market. I have used it on several Dx'peditions to the Pacific and it "just keeps ticking". It's gone thru 2 CQ World Wide DX Contests without missing a beat. I'm currently using it in my home station whilr i repair my SB-220. If you can find an HA-14 gobble it up!
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Anonymous
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 28, 2002 10:52
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Love it.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This little amp is essentially a sb200 separated into 2 cabinets. The rf section is so small it matches the new xcvrs with its tiny size. The tubes are dirt cheap and it is a quiet amp...it has no fan. For ssb, no fan has never been a problem but for cw an external fan is a good idea. I can't see why someone couldn't manufacture one of these amps for a decent price today. In the 60's these amps cost $99. I wish I bought 10 of these then. Get one in good shape and it should last forever. It doesn't really use any parts you can't scrounge up if something dies. You can get just the rf deck for as little as $150, and use your own ps.
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W6THW
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 19, 2002 23:36
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Great tube Mobile Amplifier
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Heathkit HA-14 SSB Linear Amplifier
The amplifier is 12-13/16" wide x 3-3/16" high x 10" deep.
Band Coverage is 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.
Power input SSB: 1000 watts P.E.P.
Driving power up 100 watts for full output.
Output Impedance 50 ohms unbalanced, SWR not to exceed 2:1.
Input Impedance 52 ohms unbalanced; broad-band pretuned input (circuit requires no tuning)
Meter Functions Relative power and 1:1 to 3:1 SWR.
Front Panel Controls Tune: 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.
Band 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.
Relative Power Sensitivity control.
Meter switch: FWD And SWR.
Power switch: OFF, ON.
Tube Complement Two 572-B (or two T160-L) in parallel.
Power Requirements 2000 volts DC at 500 ma and -120 volts DC at 60 ma, an 12.6 Volts Dc at 4 amperes.
Net Weight 7 Lbs.
Now lets get to how well it operates, In the real world, it will run 500 watts output useing a Bird model 43 watt meter. I have only checked it on
80, 40, and 20 meters, but i am sure it will be a little less on 15, and 10 meters. There is no standby position so you can not use your exciter
barefoot unless you turn it off. Also i would use a small 12 volt muffin fan above the 572-b tubes to keep them cool. (There is no internal fan).
As you can see with no fan it is very quite. I am useing brand new Taylor matched 572-b tubes.
The original tubes Heathkit used in this model was Cetron 572-B/T160L.
To operate the HA-14 mobile amplifier you set the band switch to the disired band, do not turn it on. Load the exciter in a normal manner at the
desired frequency. The FWD and SWR functions of the Amplifier meter can be used in loading the exciter. Reduce the drive level of the exciter to a
minimum. Turn on the HA-14 Amplifier and apply a small amount of RF from the exciter. Peak the tune control for maximum REL PWR on the HA-14 Amplifier meter.
The reason i went through the tune up is to show that you only use two knobs, band switch and tune control. The matching AC supply is the HP-24
and the matching DC supply is the HP-14.
I have used it mobile and except for replaceing the tubes (30 years old original tubes) i have had no troubles with the HA-14 amplifier or the DC and AC power supplies. If you
can find one it is still one of the best tube amps for mobile going. I am also useing the HA-14 with my Ten Tec Corsair II at home. (not for sale)
Mike (W6THW)
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