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write your own review of the Heathkit HW-8.
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W4UDX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 23, 2009 08:56
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A joy to use and modify
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I'm on my third HW-8. I always look for another when money is tight and my other gear has to go to pay for unexpected expenses. Where else are you going to get a four-band, true VFO controlled transeiver for around $150? You could buy a bunch of MFJ cubs or other DC receiver kits but you will spend more and have less.
I am not a Heathkit purist. I do not consider modified HW-8's to be "molested" if the mods are well done and useful - especially when used portable. I have modified every HW-8 I have owned, and none of the mods were irreversible. I prefer to have dial lamps and S-meters, keyers and calibrators. As long as the mods don't require a bunch of external boxes sitting on top of the rig. I have mixed feelings about adding an internal speaker because that usaully does require serious cabinet cutting and drilling, which almost never looks good. Just use an old self-powered amplified PC speaker, like the old Labtec's I use. I consider a well modified HW-8 to be like a HW-8-Pro :-) and it sure is fun using one while camping running off of the car battery or even lantern batteries!
I plan to create yet another HW-8 website or maybe a user group where pics and mods can be shared.
If a QRP kit company were to recreate an HW-8 clone kit (with a few more modern parts) and price it reasonably they would sell a ton of them!
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VK5GI
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 11, 2009 01:34
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THE Benchmark Rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought my HW-8 off QRZ, took a little while to get to Oz, but boy, was it worth it. This is now the most used rig in the shack, although I have an IC-707, an SW-40+ and a RockMite. These HW-8s are the most modified rigs in radio history, and mine had the audio amp and the SWR metre modifications. The HW-8 is built like a tank, is virtually indestructible and cannot be even remotely compared with the disastrous HW-7 of blessed memory (which I also have, though sitting in the cupboard!). If you are in the market for a simple no-frills rig, then this is the one to buy. They come up frequently on EBay and flea markets so if one comes your way, buy it.
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NP4ZB
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 21, 2008 18:34
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QRP FUN
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Well I bought mine from ebay. The radio is in great shape for it's age. I was lucky to buy one without any mods. A real holly grail. I retune the the caps and coils, power out put is about 2.5 watts on all bands. I have had made some great qrp contacts with it no problem at all. Thwe cw tone sounds great I was told. Rate it a 5 because it soild as a rock no drifting. This radio is a keeper. If you are able buy one you can't go wrong with this one. It makes a great radio for base or camping with four bands to choose from. Long live QRP and CW forever.
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N2OLP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 16, 2006 08:04
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Great little rig.
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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It was my first rig as well, getting it around 1979-1980 also while waiting for my Novice license to arrive. I literally used thin magnet wire taped to the ceiling of my second floor apartment, bent every which way to get a low SWR and then began to work whoever would answer me. My next radio was a Century 21 and was certainly better by far, but still, for being a rig that you can build, the HW-8 is tops.
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KA4DQJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 6, 2005 16:45
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Memories
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The HW-8 was my first ham radio. I built it in the summer of '78 while waiting for my Novice license to arrive.
By the time the license finally arrived in September, I was already set up with the HW-8 feeding a single band dipole up at 30 feet. The first ham contact of my life was on the little HW-8 with KA6APE that day.
That was 27 years ago. I eventually went on to bigger and better things, but wish that all things in life brought as much excitement as that little rig.
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N7EKX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 25, 2005 01:42
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23 Years of Fun
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased and built this kit in 1982, shortly before it was replaced by the more modern HW-9. The direct conversion receiver certainly won't please everybody (with double-sideband reception, a pretty obsolete design), but this rig was never meant to be state-of-the-art, even in 1978. It was designed to be a quick, cheap way for hams to enjoy the thrill of QRP, and for that mission, it was (and still is) enormously successful. The only tricky part of construction for me was the push-button bandswitch, which seemed overly crammed with wiring, but even that worked OK the first time. Over the past 23 years the rig has never missed a beat, and it's hard to describe the thrill of working DXCC with 2 watts output, something most hams can't relate to. Of course the design is dated, the audio filter is a joke, and those funky green headphones make you scream, but who cares? When you work rare DX with this thing, all is forgiven!!
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KC8AAG
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Rating: 4/5
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May 23, 2004 21:15
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My first love
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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of a radio of course. I agree that I wouldn't make this your only radio... true qrp finatics will want something more and the rest will want a full featured rig as well. However this radio has always proved true and fun for me ever since my grandfather gave it to me for passing my novice code test.
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K4IJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 19, 2003 02:42
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Great lil' rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought an HW8 from a friend of mine who had discovered the thrill of QRP. I had always wanted one so when I got it I was excited. Mine was stock except for a different antenna connector. I have used to make contacts all over the world running about 2-3 watts. I added the S-meter mod and a couple of lamps which can be switched off to conserve power. It's a classic and a radio I am proud to have in mt collection.
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KU4QW
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 10, 2002 10:52
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WoW!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The first time I used my HW-8 I was going WoW, I came up from an HW-7, this radio is hot, the receiver is 1st class for this designe, and the transmitter is super clean. If you want a tough package that can go anywhere and work the world, this is for you
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K0KL
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 19, 2002 19:18
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A good radio after mods
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned this little gem for about 8 years now. Given to me by a pal. Needed modification to make much better; replaced output transistor to get 4 watts out. Replaced RX RF transistor, very hot, less hum from common mode. Add output xfmr for small headfone, BNC RF output, piston trimmer for xmit offset to zero with audio filter. Add Curtis keyer into radio, diode protect DC input, etc. It is now a great fun radio. Used it in last SS for about 5 hours, had a ball. Too bad Heathkit closed up. Thank God for Elecraft, they go the Old Heathkit 2 steps better at least, but don't knock the HW-8 it's a fun rig!
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