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| Reviews Summary for Heathkit SB-303 |
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Reviews: 11
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Average rating: 4.2/5
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MSRP: $389
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Description: Solid state ham band receiver, integrates with the rest of Heathkit SB-line
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write your own review of the Heathkit SB-303.
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WA7VTD
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Rating: 2/5
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Sep 28, 2009 14:13
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Bad Dial Design Eclipses Fine Receiver
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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PREFATORY NOTE: That negativity which I do have about this receiver is the same I harbor for all Heathkits of that vintage: the main dial tuning mechanism SUCKS! Getting it working properly again is quite a pain. I truly loathe that SB tuning mechanism. Why Heathkit kept right on going with that design rather than something new, different and reliable after a few years of undoubtedly receiving a steady stream of complaints, is beyond me.
RECENT OBSERVATIONS:
I have been burned three out of four times procuring SB-303s on e-Bay. The most recent acquisition was described by a prolific e-Bay seller (the one usually claiming to be THE Resident Collins man) as being "Collector quality!" It arrived with scuffed cabinet, paint flaking off, and 100% slippage of the tuning mechanism.
I managed to cannibalize one along with taking parts from a partial unit (I had bought a 303 chassis without the cabinet but with all the boards for $5 in another auction) and assemble a very cosmetically nice piece with what should have been very good electrical properties.
Unfortunately, the AM filter I pulled from another unit, was defective. The rig worked very well otherwise for about a month, and then died. Thus far I haven't been successful isolating the trouble but haven't put my mind to it yet, having burned myself out on the Heathkit station project after all of the mechanical work on the rig this morning, all because of that &^%$!! tuning dial mechanism!
NEGATIVES:
As with the tuning mechanism, the 303 suffers from the same problem as other SB-series rigs, with regard to the frequency calibration correction indicator. In time, the relatively soft plastic of the movable clear plastic panel inscribed with the vertical calibration correction line simply gets worn down ever so slightly along its edge and ceases to make good and regular contact with the correction control.
POSITIVES:
When working as per specs and with the *&^%$ tuning dial mechanism working smoothly, the 303 is a really fun ham band receiver that works great with the SB-400 or 401 for separate/slaved operation. Personally, I prefer running them separate (i.e., non-slave but otherwise interconnected for transceive) in order to use the SB-650 digital frequency readout on the 303. You can't use the SB-650 and run the two radios in slave, you must choose one configuration or the other. Also, the 303 as wired per standard instructions, won't support the SB-650 (it will produce a readout, just not one accurate to within several MHz and oddball kHz). Note: you must do a very simple mod on the 303 in order for it to support the SB-650. Plenty of extra RCA jacks are thoughtfully provided on the rear of the 303's chassis for that purpose, and the easy mod (involving generally the mere soldering of some capacitors) is well-described and illustrated in the SB-500 construction manual.
It's a hot receiver! The blocking dynamic range leaves something to be desired but what do you expect given the vintage? It's actually pretty good for its vintage. Set it next to a 75S-1 and you'll see why the Heathkits of this era were known to some as the "poor man's Collins S-line).The SSB audio is crisp. If it had a notch filter it would really rock. The 1-kHz frequency resolution is, in my experience typically accurate to within 1.5 kHz across the entirety of a particular ham band after a single calibration on that band's lower edge using the 100 kHz/25 kHz crystal calibrator.
The provision of 15 MHz for WWV reception -- useful in calibration, etc. -- is great.
Another thing on the plus side of the ledger: the 303 is super-light. You can tuck it under an arm and take it anywhere that its size isn't a problem.
As of this morning, I now have no working SB-303s. I spent hours getting the main tuning mechanism working well on two of them, and the one with a perfect tuning mechanism stopped working after re-attachment of the cover.
I concur about the extender boards; if you see them, buy them. Otherwise, troubleshooting the various boards is quite difficult.
On the other hand, the various boards -- removed from other 303s -- are not infrequently available cheap. It's pretty easy to isolate most problems to a particular board and then to replace the entire defective board in literally less than a minute.
Also, this is one kit in which the assembler had few opportunities to screw it up. There is little point-to-point wiring.
I would give the 303 a 3 or 4 (taking into account its price class and design in its era of production) but I simply can't do that in view of the unremedied tuning mechanism problems.
So, it's with mixed feelings and regret that I ultimately urge a "2" on this rig solely due to the ubiquitous and notorious dial tuning mechanism
problem (which you might not encounter, though odds are you eventually will)that should have been remedied by Heath. Otherwise, I'd venture a 3 or 4 (it's no SX-115, so not a 5).
If you get your hands on a good one, keep it!
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VO1MDS
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 19, 2006 17:00
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Simply the best !!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Well folks,what can i say that wasnt said already??
well for one,this is a great old radio,lots of sensitivity,rock solid frequency stibility,for an analog receiver,this it the most stable analog radio that i have owned to date! now thats saying something,i have owned many,and i mean MANY analog recievers,and nothing that i have owned yet even compeats to the heathkit sb-303. what a great radio,what a great design,what a company.
WAY TO GO HEATHKIT...A JOB WELL DONE.
considering i bought the sb-303 AND the sb-401 for $50.00 i think i got a pretty wild bargin.
all the best folks,have super fun with your sb-303,the best stable analog radio on da go.
PERIOD!!
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KG6UEQ
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Rating: 2/5
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Jun 11, 2005 07:53
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Beware of this one
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This radio's tuning assembly is prone to slippage. A small drive wheel, if not properly aligned, will slip off the larger wheel connected to the tuning mechanism. If you can be sure the radio you're buying does NOT have this problem, then you may be able to enjoy this vintage set.
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W1FP
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 1, 2005 21:26
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advanced for its age
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My wife bought me this rx on our first xmas together. What better gift could you hope for. After 35 years, it still works fine. Yes, the dynamic range is quite poor, and in line with the devices available at the time. But stability of the LMO is excellent, and sensitivity is great. Yes, there is filter blow-by, but matched up with an SB-400 or SB-401, makes for an attractive vintage solid state pair.
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N7EKX
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 11, 2005 21:56
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Best Heathkit Receiver Out There
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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As a Heathkit fanatic, despite repeated warnings from friends, I bought an SB-303 from an eBay auction recently (for $172.00, plus shipping). The specs on its sensitivity were the reason I was ready to "take the plunge" (and the risk it would arrive DOA). Anyway, the seller was totally honest, and I couldn't be happier. Both the receiver sensitivity and the "LMO" stability are far better than the SB-104A that I built, and everything about the radio is high quality. Most old radios drift pretty badly after startup, but not this one... it's rock steady. No tubes, just transistors, FET's and other solid-state circuitry that works as well today as in 1976. There is no backlash in the dial, either. Maybe I just got lucky, but this SB-303 is as sensitive and stable as any analog radio out there, in my opinion!
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ON4QJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 25, 2004 14:21
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Golden classic
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought 6 years back an SB-303 receiver,
It looked ok on the outside,When i opened it
it was like a "warzone",Someone has done a great
job in messing up this radio.
After some months of "patching up" i had a great receiver,On 40 and 80 the RX is better than with my TS 570DG.
Later i found an SB 401 Transmitter to connect it.
And the SB 610 Station monitor.
It is realy a great Rig to use and is for shure my number one radio!!
Only shame is that we don't find much Heath stuff
in Europe,...
ON4QJ,Erwin
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NO9E
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Rating: 4/5
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May 8, 2004 18:35
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Pretty good after minor mods
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I got one used. Bad intermod on 40m and poor sensititivity on 15-10m but very good AGC and not bad SSB and CW filters. Needed alignment, attenuator for 40m, and post-crystal_filter amplifier for sensitivity. After that, I liked it very much. Sensitivity as good as any on all bands, and a real DX digger on 80m.
Ignacy, NO9E
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WA2DYA
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Rating: 3/5
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May 8, 2004 13:35
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It's OK BUT--
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Very frequently described on EBay as 'Heath's Crown Jewel', 'Heath's finest receiver', etc. Well, it's not!
My receiver doesn't perform well when the bands are crowded and signals are strong. It has poor dynamic range. It sure is sensitive enough; maybe too sensitive. The front panel RF attenuator helps but is not a good answer to the problem. I have seen some actual measurements that confirm my observations.
I don't like the 'tub' style chassis layout. It is difficult to reach in there to service the unit from the top. If you don't have the extender cards, trouble shooting the circuit cards from the bottom is a nightmare. Even with these, it's still not easy because you must extract the switch shafts.
On that subject, the wafer switches are easily broken during servicing. Their mechanical alighment is poor and extreme care is required to get everything right.
Why do EBay bidders go 'Bonkers' over these things?
--- CHAS WA2DYA
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W4SPF
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 1, 2004 19:04
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My First Station
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I built my first Heathkit in 1977, an SB-303 and then matched it up with an SB-401. The LMO's provided flexibility of split operation. Then I built the SB200, the autopatch, and the Station Monitor scope. I found a Heathkit Spectrum analyzer at a swap and hooked that up too. I built the electronic keyer, the SWR/Watt Meter and then devised my own Ultimate Transmatch and made it look like a Heathkit product. Great station for the time and I made contacts all over the world for years with that station. Then Heathkit's sunset departure left us with no more kits to build. That was a sad day for me and I imagine others too. Long live Heathkit. Gone but not forgotten. Great rigs and lots of hams sure cut our teeth on building these beauties. We learned construction, reading schematics and most of all we maintained our own rigs. Their selectivity and power were amoung the best of the day and I really enjoyed using that station.
Don W4SPF
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K8WV
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 9, 2003 20:38
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If built correctly - GREAT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I built one of these about 1972. It worked very well for me. I later added an SB-102 transceiver to the station and could use the 303 LMO to control the 102 as a second "VFO." I could not receive on the 303 and transmit on the 102 using the 303 LMO because the frequency shifted a bit, but there was no problem (obviously) using the 303 and 102 separately. All-in-all a great receiver.
Look inside before you buy!
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