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Reviews For: Heathkit SB-220/SB-221

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - HF & HF+6M

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Review Summary For : Heathkit SB-220/SB-221
Reviews: 76MSRP: 350.00 - 550.00
Description:
a 2kw pep input amp uses 2 3-500Zs
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.vcnet.com/measures/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15765
W8GP Rating: 2012-02-18
A true timeless classic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Even though I have been a casual Heathkit collector for many years,I had never owned a SB-220 until about 3 years ago.Part of the reason was that I operate 160m and I already had several amps anyway.Well, I finally decided that I needed a '220 for my collection so I started looking for one with the intent of adding 160.After several months of looking for the right one, there was a listing on E-bay for one that already had the 160 conversion.It was a beautiful job, and if you had never seen the internals of a '220, you would think it was designed that way. It still has the original tubes and puts out a maximum of 1100W, with a solid 900 on 160.It tunes easily with no pops or spits and puts up with all my abuse.What more can you say about a product that is still high demand after 40 years?
W4WEA Rating: 2011-09-20
Built like a tank Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I picked mine up on ebay. As I have done with every amp ive bought on ebay, as I was going over it with the schematic, I come to realize the input and tank circuitry had been cut out and it was now a monoband 11M amp. I did rewind the output 80/20 coil and rewound the 15 and 40 meter input coils, but found replacement input and tank circuitry and did nearly all of the recommended mods including directly grounding the grids its now doing a smooth 1400+ on 80M and 1K+ on 10M with the original tubes on ssb and around 1K on CW mode. Its heavy and built like a tank but it seems its going to be in my shack a long time. Cant beat the price in money spent per watt.
N6WIN Rating: 2011-03-15
Excellent value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought a SB-220 and SB-221 used. Both built in the early 1980's. Who knows what happened with them before I got them. I know I put them through the test of full time contesting. 1300w on 80m down to 800w on 10m (17m/12m use also).

These get hot, noisy, and things arc. They continue to work for me with minimal repair cost/labor.

Gave one as a present to my dad who enjoys rag chewing. He loves having 500-800 watts (can do 1000w) on 120v without a special or second power circuit in his shack. We use it to tune his 40m dipole for 15m operation, same for 75m to 80m.

I am keeping one as a backup to my Acom 2000A. I don't expect to need it, but it may come in handy for portable ops or SO2R.
WB8YQJ Rating: 2011-02-11
STILL VIABLE in 2011 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The SB221 is the later model SB220 offered only without 10 meters due to FCC restrictions. However there was a conversion kit for 10m available from HEATH. If you dont have an SB221, here are the bullet points. The filter capacitors by now are ready to be replaced with Harbach's offering. On a weak 100V AC line (like mine) voltage drops can limit your output to 500 watts even with good tubes. The stock amp keying circuit can ruin your modern solid state radio, get the Harbach "soft key". The amp itself is a gem, but is built very very lightly. This makes it easy to service on a tabletop, it's compact, etc. but it is mostly a thin aluminum cabinet and chassis bolted to a big honking heavy transformer in the middle. Even if the transformer is removed (as mine was) to UPS ship, the main unit can be damaged - the bandswitch is ceramic and that will crack in a heartbeat if the (band select) knob is not removed before packing. New front panels and knobs are available for SB221, the panels are black or original. I never considered for an instant buying a new "mighty fine" amp even though their service would seem beneficial and the price is in the ballpark of what you would pay for a 30 year old SB221. Having this classic amp inspires confidence, it's fun to use, and with all the third party products available for it, I've never looked back.
W4MCX Rating: 2011-01-28
the one and only Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had it 3 years. puts out 600w with unknown date of tubes and 120v hookup...runs 2400v w/600ma, so I guess my efficiency is down..it was demolished when I found it and had a blast rebuilding it to original specs...always wish I had more and new tubes, so don't heave em'....contact me...only other amp to consider is AL-811a for the cheaper tubes it uses...
W3NA Rating: 2010-07-19
An Icon Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned my 1977 vintage SB-220 for 12 or 15 years. With my modest antennas, my SB-220 has been my secret weapon for earning 5BDXCC and DXCC Honor Roll. I bought it used at the old Hosstraders NH Hamfest, discovered a cracked band switch and super glued it back together. Eventually I replaced the noisy fan with Harbach's replacement. I bought a new Capacitor Pack, but never got around to replacing the original. I have cleaned the antenna rely contacts a couple times. Still puts out about 900 W CW with tubes that may even be the originals. I have mis-tuned, over-driven, fed into wrong antennas, into no antenna, driven on the wrong bands, many times over the years, and made practically every other mistake possible using an amplifier at least once. The ham I bought it from used it for contesting. Even with all that history, my SB-220 has never let me down. I purchased a younger "Legal Limit" amplifier, thinking I would sell my SB-220, but so far I have not been able to let it go. The folks at Heath hit a home run with the SB-220 line of amplifiers. They were a bargain in the day, and an even better bargain now.
K5DBX Rating: 2010-03-17
Timeless Amp Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I picked one up off of eBay, and since it was this amps 30th anniversary, I stripped it down and did a ground up rebuild. These are timeless for their purpose, and continue to be one of those classics that can be redone to support almost any need.

Come by and see this one @ www.k5dbx.com
N4RSS Rating: 2010-02-20
Works great and is cheap Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Paid $675 for refurbished with all the mods except soft key, painted black, looks great. First tube amp-easy to tune. Running on dedicated 220v.

Output on carrier through the antenna:

Band Input Output Antenna SWR
80m 94w 1310 1.9
40 106 1432 1.6
20 98 1220 1.4
17 95 1270 1.3
15 90 1234 2.9
10 86 820 1.4

Using IC-7600 tuner to tune the input. Input tune on the amp needs work on 10m. Powermaster readings in NET. Array Solutions 80m OCF @ 45 ft.
IZ1OSP Rating: 2010-01-31
Very strong ampli Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's a very strong ampli, 1000w out no problem. In the next month 2 ham friend change to my 220 any component (30 year of attivity) and it's as new! Very easy to use and no problem with regulations. For the price of this objet buy it!
K4FX Rating: 2009-09-15
FB Amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got this SB-220 from the original builder for about 500 bucks, it had the original Eimacs from 1974 and was still making good power! I have since re-capped it, re-tubed it, added a glitch resistor to the B+ line, replaced the rectifier diodes, added step-start and replaced the fan. It has been in daily use since 2005 without a hiccup, contesting for entire weekends, running rtty contests at 400-500 watts, phone and cw contests at over 1KW no problems. It is a very dependable piece of gear, and regardless of any future amp purchases, this one ain't for sale! For what I have invested, it's probably the best bargain in the shack!!