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write your own review of the Heathkit HW-9.
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K1FPV
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 31, 2006 07:41
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Great QRP rig for the $$ if you can find one!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought my HW-9 new some 20+ years ago with the WARC kit giving it solid coverage from 80 through 10 meters. Over the years, I get nice reports and have added a couple modifications. I've added a 25 kHz. calibrator and added a rear panel control for calibrating on each band. The finals were replaced along with a driver to cure an instability problem on 12 and 10 meters. Output is about 4 1/2 watts on 80 and drops to about 2 3/4 watts on 10 meters. For the price, you can't go wrong!
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W8BBM
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Rating: 5/5
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May 19, 2006 11:08
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Nice all the way around
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned the HW-9 with WARC bands, matching power supply, antenna tuner and SWR/Watt meter for about 10 years now and have enjoyed the time that I use the little system. I own several other QRP rigs that are newer and boast even more features yet this one will never find its way out of my shack. Yes, it performs as good as all the rest of the reviewers have stated but there is just something special about the analog look, the feel and size of this radio that makes it so enjoyable to operate. Owners of it will know EXACTLY what I am talking out.
God Bless All,
Peter W8BBM
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F5NZY
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Rating: 4/5
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Aug 30, 2003 03:31
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Fun...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I paid mine €170, a second hand, to a very good technician who built the transceiver, very properly. I've got the WARC pack and the BF filter. Just a regret, 160m is missing on this transceiver.
Otherwise, what an excellent transceiver, it is!
Operate with the Heathkit HW9 is a great fun!
73's de Steph, F5NZY
http://www.qsl.net/f5nzy
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WB8YJF
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 11, 2003 16:56
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Nice lil' rig!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I picked my HW-9 up on a swap board for $100 including shipping. It had the WARC pack installed, but was in pieces when I got it. I got the manual & had it up & running in 2 days. It is by far the best of the Heathkit QRP rigs! I worked DXCC with it in 3 months! This is a great, FUN lil' rig! If you have a chance to get one, GRAB it FAST! You won't be sorry!
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K1DX
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 4, 2003 09:35
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Best bang for the buck
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Over the years, I've had three of these, plus several other QRP radios (TT 505, 509, Arg II; Heath, 38sp, several Dave Benson, etc.). Clearly, at about $200 used, the HW-9 is the solid winner for a CW radio. It is reasonably stable, sensitive, full output, all band (80-10, incl. WARC (optional kit))... If you're looking for a great value in QRP CW radios, this is it.
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WB4TJH
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 26, 2003 22:01
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nice little rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought a mint Hw-9 matching power supply and watt meter from a friend handling a silent key's estate for an amount that borders on theft...I did not know at the time if it worked. Well, it did, and with a little realignment, it has turned out to be a marvelous little rig. I have worked the world with it, especially on 17 mtrs. (sure glad it has the WARC pack).I am thinking about a k-1 or k2, but the Hw-9 is all you really need for cw qrp. I missed getting one when Heath was in business. Now I have one at last.I have been shocked to see what some hams are paying on ebay for THE hw-9, and it only underscores my good fortune in getting one myself. Iuse a DSP-9 outboard with it and it makes for a fine little qrp rig. If you can get your hands on a good one, GRAB It!
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AA1BW
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 23, 2003 05:25
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A must
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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A own this radio for 11 years now. It has the WARC band module installed. I also put in the 8044 Curtis keyer panel from FAR circuits.
This radio is just fantastic. A very quiet receiver. Have not heard a quiet receiver like this. Sensitivity is great, selectivitiy is good. Even during contests I could operate fairly well.
Output power is around 4 Watts average (5.5-3.7 Watts, decreasing towards upper freqs.)
The only thing I miss is 1.8 Mhz, to have all SW bands in one radio.
If you can find one, and like QRP, and not concerned too much about the size, get it. You will love this rig.
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KA3POY
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 6, 2002 20:27
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great rig
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Compared to other older rigs in its price range, the HW-9 has the features, bands and overall effectiveness to be more than a curio.
I've been using mine as my main station rig, and routinely working domestic and dx traffic with it. Get great signal reports (much stronger, on same antenna, than HW-8) and the filter and RIT make it possible to work traffic in crowded bands. The WARC bands also are a huge plus since they are ideal hunting grounds for qrp operations.
I love mine - may loan it to my brother but will never sell it. Can't think of any other way to spend @ $200 + dollars and get 8 bands, the same range and ability.
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N4QA
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 23, 2000 10:20
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corrected review
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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In my previous review, I erroneously stated that the stock HW-9 employs lower transmit frequency offset. Truth is, it has HIGHER transmit frequency offset ( of about 700 Hz, by the way ).
This fact actually made it EASIER to transmit "up" for working DX.
I still hold that, for "normal" operations, transmit frequency offset is not "necessary" since the rig has decent RIT capability for tuning in those stations which are transmitting within +/- 1 kHz or so of the HW-9's transmit frequency. I realized my error while thumbing through the manual and reading my notes of several years ago... sorry.
By the way, I used the HW-9 ( at 2 watts output )in the mobile parked in the driveway this past weekend and worked from Europe to Alaska and Hawaii on ten meters. It truly is a fun rig.
73-1,
Bill, N4QA
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N4QA
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 12, 2000 07:31
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Cool rig for its time
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I also bought the HW-9 ( two of them, in fact, including "bandpacks" ) in 1991, just before new Heathkit amateur radio products disappeared from the market. One for me and one for my Dad, W4MAI. Incidentally, without the "bandpack", you do NOT have 10 meter capability either... a really nutty marketing decision made by Heath... from a customer's point of view, that is. Several years ago, the panel meter coil, on my HW-9 went open... anybody out there have one for sale? Anyway, I still enjoy using the HW-9, and, for its "time", it's a solid little performer. I added "diode and fuse" reverse voltage / overcurrent protection and got rid of that stupid (IMHO) downward xmit freq offset "feature" 'cuz with RIT, it's not needed and, in fact, made transmitting "up" for working DX that much more difficult. Even though it's an eight-band rig, it's my second-favorite qrp rig behind the Small Wonder Labs DSW series single-bander rigs.
But, if you have the chance to pick up an HW-9 which is in decent shape... go for it!
73-1,
Bill, N4QA
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