Callsign	Required
Password

If you've forgotten and/or need to reset your password, please enter your Callsign and use the button below.

You *must* have a verified email address on the account.

If you are not a member of the eHam community

Please consider registering to e-Ham.

Manager

Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Heathkit HW-8

Category: QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.

Review Summary For : Heathkit HW-8
	Reviews: 36	MSRP: 150. used
	Description: 1970s portable 2-watt direct conversion txcvr for 80/40/20/15m
	Product is in production
More Info: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/lapthorn/hw8.htm
# last 180 days	Avg. Rating last 180 days	Total reviews	Avg. overall rating
0	0	36	4.6

WD0EGC	Rating:	2019-09-27
Still works!!!			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I put together my HW-8 around 1978 or 1979. I had a General license, and this was the only rig I could afford, as a college student. Still, I worked 40 states, with only a #28 wire as an antenna. Time came and went, had a family and kids, and the HW-8 went in a box in a garage. I revived my station, late in 2017, and after more than 30 North Dakota summers (100 F) and 30 North Dakota winters (minus 30 F) in a box in the garage....and wouldn't you know it...the old HW-8 still works great.

N2MDV	Rating:	2017-02-13
Great gateway transceiver! And repairable!			Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Great no thrills CW transceiver that I got to try out in the mid-1990's when I repaired one for a friend of mine. And I was able to do it without a schematic. The model that I repaired put out exactly 5W on 10M, and a little less on the lower FREQ's, like 4.8W. Still, pretty consistent. Decent receiver too, with what I could receive on the Windom at that time, and seemed to have better IMD rejection than most SW portables I've used. You still see these at hamfests for under $100.00, and worth getting if you have a new HAM wanting to check out HF, and learn CW, for the first time. Fun rig for sure.

N2DTS	Rating:	2016-09-09
lots of fun			Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I give it a 4, mostly because its old. I got mine off ebay, its clean and works like it should. I had one I built as a kit when they were new and remember having loads of fun on 15 meters back in the late 70's or early 80's. The rig is still good enough to use. My power output seems to be a little down, 3 watts into the dummy load. The RX sounds quite good, not a lot of chip hash like some modern rigs have, but it overloads on really strong signals somewhat. Good for casual operation in less crowded conditions.

K4JPN	Rating:	2016-02-17
Great Rig			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought mine 2nd hand way back in 1990, and discovered the joy of QRP. Incorporated several mods into it from the HW-8 Handbook. Also changed the toroids out to get the power back up to spec. Later made an output to drive a OHR digital readout, which made it really sweet. Used a QF-1A audio filter and had a ball with it as the audio filter left a lot to be desired. With the QF-1A the receiver is hot. ---------------------- Earlier 5-star review posted by K4JPN on 2014-03-16 Picked up a HW-8 back in 1990, did many mods to it including replacing the output toroids on 80 and 40 (they change inductance over the years and reduce the output power). I used a Oak Hill Research DD-1 for a digital readout and installed a simple interface http://www.thewinstonator.com/images/PDF%20Files/hw8counter.pdf I found the audio filter left a lot to be desired, but using my Autek QF-1A filter I had a great receiver. I worked a lot of DX and almost made WAS with the HW-8. Fun rig to use.

G4JQT	Rating:	2016-02-17
Basic but fun!			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Considering its age now, it still holds up fairly well, although it can't be compared to Elecraft kit! I've had five (long story) and they all had the motorboating in phones during transmit to some extent, but the 470 ohm resistor in series with RFC1 fixed that. A 47uF cap across ZD1 reduces rx noise on some bands, silicon diode across the relay and a few other mods all made a noticeable improvement. But adding the audio-derived S-meter mod (only gives slightly vaguer readings than your average S-meter) and four white 3mm LEDs across the top inside front panel really bring this little rig to life. The receiver has the shortcomings of any direct conversion type, but it's as good as a DC receiver gets. Like all Heathkit gear, an extra couple of weeks at the design and development stage would have removed the need for most of the other required mods too. Nevertheless, it's a fun rig and well worth preserving!

WB0FDJ	Rating:	2015-06-09
A great radio			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Five years ago I wrote a review describing the solid attributes of this little radio. It draws little power, is frequency stable and built like a tank. I would get the radio off the back shelf, run a few Q's and then put it back. I've had a number of fun and memorable contacts. If you operate QRP or have an interest, this is a good solid rig. So it has a few warts, we all know that. Recently I visited www.3rdplanetsolar.com to purchase two of his several kits: an LM386 based audio board that replaces the original to give a match at 8 ohms and more oomph and TR replacement board that directly replaces the mechanical relay. John thoughtfully includes several well known and time tested mods (i.e. to enhance audio recovery for the TR switching) and the parts to do them. The effect on this radio is stunning. The audio can now easily drive a speaker and the DC receiver sounds wonderful; almost magical. I can listen with headphones for hours without fatigue. The new TR switching board with a simple mod (involving three changed or added components) eliminates the clacking relay and allows me to hear between characters. Wow! As a result this rig has become my daily driver. It run in the backround on a speaker while I do other things in the shack. I haven't even turned on the 509. Point is: the HW-8 was and is a solid radio, with these two additions it's now a wonderful machine and more in the same ballpark as the more modern QRP rigs. I love this thing! The two boards and postage set me back about $20 and were easy to build and add on.

N8YA	Rating:	2015-04-12
Great Vintage Radio			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Got mine off of eHam classifieds and LOVE it. Yes, it is a 30 year old radio, but it sure makes Ham Radio fun again! I put a Radio shack DSP unit on it and have a great time with it. I even use it to listen to SSB thx to the wide receiver!

N3AFS	Rating:	2014-10-20
Nostalgically Wonderful Rig			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I reviewed this rig back in 2013. It's now 2014 and I am still amazed at how wonderful this radio is. My HW-8 came with a terrible modification: someone cut out a section of the top-cabinet with the intention of mounting a small speaker. Of course it didn't work-out but the cabinet was damaged, ugly and detracted from it's value. I took the whole outer cabinet to my trusty auto body-shop and it's now like new! The speaker hole was patched with aluminum (same thickness as cabinet) then bondo'd and repainted to original. Re-installing it, I used s/s screws and it looks like brand new! It operates as per specification (after careful alignment) and continues to give me hours and hours of operating fun. I've never lacked for making contacts on either 40, 20 or 15 (no antenna for 80 meters). It's like an old Timex watch ad: It takes a licking & keeps on ticking!

K4TIN	Rating:	2014-06-09
Dripping With Nostalgia!			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine in 1979 for about 125 bucks, I think. My Uncle WA6JZG (SK) was a superb craftsman and kitbuilder. So I took him up on his offer to build it, and won't apologize for it. The radio served me for the last year of my novice license, and enabled me to cut my teeth on QRP. I was astounded to receive an answer from a W5 on my first call on 40. Thence to W0 in Minnesota and Colorado. Later in the week worked W6 on 15 in LA. The cute little direct conversion receiver required calling on the high side of zero beat; and the manual recommended answering calls--wise advice. Quite a pleasant sounding radio hooked up to a battery. No, it won't equal a Ten Tec Argonaut but it takes its place in the low power hall of fame.

F8WBD	Rating:	2014-03-16
QRP rig of choice			Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have an HW-8 back in the States, but recently purchased another here on the French side of the pond. Love it. It is in somewhat better condition than the one I have in the USA. Purchased from a French ham who kept it in pristine condition and did a mod backlighting the frequency dial and meter...which was also modded to be an swr meter. Running one watt I have had a number of 1,000 MPW QSOs. A few into the USA NE. And, an early morning a few days ago, a confirmed QSO into VK Tasmania. Antenna is a low PAR EF-20. I operate 20-meters only. The rig is basically drift-free and reports have have been very positive as to cw quality. The only minus, so far, is the direct-conversion receiver habit of allowing very strong BC signals to, occasionally, bleed through. This is a well known condition and didn't affect my 5 rating as it was to be expected. The HW-8 is now my QRP rig of choice. If you want some thrilling radio experiences, try QRP with, for that matter, any low-tech QRP transceiver.

«
1
2
3
4
»

Category:

QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

Product:

Heathkit HW-8

Summary:

Rating:	Time Owned:
Great! Good OK Needs Help Poor Awful!	0 - 3 Months 3 - 6 Months 6 - 12 Months More than 12 Months

Remarks:

Describe your experience with the Heathkit HW-8 and tell us why you give it the rating you did (required). Other useful information would include your experience with similar products, infomation on a product that you would purchase instead of this one, and so on.