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Reviews For: Heil Ergonomic Hand Switch HS2

Category: Audio Accessories for Transmitter & Receiver

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Review Summary For : Heil Ergonomic Hand Switch HS2
Reviews: 47MSRP: $29.00
Description:
Pistol grip type PTT switch compatible with many/most/all Heil microphones
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.heilsound.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00474
KJ4TQ Rating: 2013-11-06
Works great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got this to supplement the Heil Travler boom headset for mobiling in my truck. VOX is dodgy at best in a noisy environment so push to talk had to be added. This did the trick and after a couple of years works like it did out of the box.
W6QT Rating: 2013-05-06
Follow-up Review Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I am upgrading a previous review of this product because it deserves a top rating.

The build quality is superb and Bob Heil stands behind all his products.

Customer service is quite excellent.

I have used this switch for hours on end and it feels very comfortable in my hand.

W5JLF Rating: 2013-01-05
Worked great for 5 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have almost 1200 contact using the HS2 across a 5 year period and it still works a good as the day I took it out of the box. If and when it dies I will order another.

Joe, W5JLF
TF3JB Rating: 2012-07-22
Works great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my first Heil HS-2 in 2007 and have been very pleased with it. Just to be sure, I bought a new one for back-up last year, but it is still new in the box. For me it is an "easy" grip and comfortable for my size of hand (rather large). It is also light (in weight) and needs only light pressure to key the transmitter, which means that I do not get tired using it. It comes with a special socket for the Heil PR 40 microphone (and supposedly for other Heil microphones as well). I have no issues with this product and recommend it without hesitation.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by TF3JB on 2008-04-13

I am very pleased with my Heil HS-2 hand switch. It is well made, easy to use and the grip is comfortable for the size of my hand. It is also rather light (in weight) and the switch needs only light pressure to key the transmitter, which means that I do not get tired using it. It comes with good quality cable and a special socket for the Heil PR 40 microphone (and supposedly for other Heil microphones as well). I can strongly recommend the hand switch to all hams.

73 de TF2JB.
WA4FOM Rating: 2012-07-21
Mine works. Feels nice in the hand Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The summary (as it should) sums it up. Holding
it was not tiring, although in all fairnesss I
listen a lot more than I talk (except during
product reviews).
VK3IDX Rating: 2012-04-11
No issues here Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Works perfectly for me, no issues at all.
W7WX Rating: 2012-04-11
Poor Quality Switch Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Although I liked the concept and the switch was easy to hold, the switch failed in less than 6 months. What's worse is you have to break the housing on them to replace the horrible quality switch they use. Of course the idea is to sell you a new switch...which I find quite annoying. Although I drilled mine out and fixed it with a much better quality switch, I hated being held hostage to having to buy a new one just to have it look nice. No more Heil for me. While they make decent microphones and cables, I dislike their choice in going cheap on the switch. Especially their pot metal foot switches!

I switched to the DigiPro PTT switch for less money. I'm thrilled with it and it's worked flawlessly! If this product had of held up reasonably well and even been repairable (without trashing the housing), I would have given it a decent rating. But I cannot do that knowing there is something better out there.
N5YCN Rating: 2012-02-10
Just Okay Time Owned: more than 12 months.
For the price, the HS-2 is okay. The switch is very comfortable to use but I have had my share of trouble with it. After 6 months of use, I had to resolder the black wire to the switch contact. Looked like a cold solder joint. Resoldered the red connection also for good measure. Last night, the switch became very intermittent and would not key the radio unless I squeezed it extremely hard. Took the hand grip apart and something has broken inside the actual switch. Solder joints are still good at least! Poor quality parts used in this switch. The Heil mic and boom are terrific, no complaints there. I would gladly pay more for a rugged version of the same switch, ie, commercial quality parts.
N4KC Rating: 2012-01-13
I must be a lucky son of a gun Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just as I seem to be with all my MFJ accessories, I must be one lucky Heil customer to not have had a moment's trouble with this guy! Despite those who claim this switch is junk...and I'm not doubting them...I've had the HS-2 for five years, used it a heck of a lot, have big hands and tend to be rough with stuff like this (I'm a former disk jockey, the ultimate test for any switch, pot, or headset) and the thing just keeps making and un-making. I don't like to use VOX so all SSB ops, including ragchewing, pile-up haunting, and contest yapping, are done with the HS-2. It does have a strong spring which can cause a little discomfort during a long-winded discourse, but I can unkey, flex my hand, and go right back to talking if it cramps up.

Yes, you can make one. Or buy something else, though I'm not aware of anything like it. Or use the little push-button on the microphone. But I love my HS-2.

It just works.

Don N4KC
www.n4kc.com
www.donkeith.com
http://n4kc.blogspot.com



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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4KC on 2007-07-11

Can't imagine you would want anything to work any better. Sure, you could do the same with any other simple switch and cable, but this device seems sturdy, has just the right amount of tension, and slides nicely beneath the radio when I'm just listening or working CW.

I rarely use VOX anymore.
KG4RUL Rating: 2012-01-13
No Problems AT ALL!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Much better than any of the home brew switches I have used in the past. It fits the hand comfortably and the switch action is positive.

I can't figure out how others are managing to break theirs.