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Reviews For: Heathkit HW-9

Category: QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

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Review Summary For : Heathkit HW-9
Reviews: 14MSRP: basic hw9 (5 bands) 249.00
Description:
1980s CW QRP transceiver covering all HF bands
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/1540/new_hw-9.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00144.8
AA1BW Rating: 2003-01-23
A must Time Owned: more than 12 months.
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.
KA3POY Rating: 2002-01-06
great rig Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
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.
N4QA Rating: 2000-10-23
corrected review Time Owned: more than 12 months.
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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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4QA on 2000-10-12

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
KG5IF Rating: 2000-10-12
Solid qrp rig with warc bands Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought this radio right prior to Heath's demise. Well from the hw7, hw8 to hw9 this is a big improvment. Receiver is less prone to overloading from strong signals. Addition of the rit control is very handy. The rig comes in a small package as one might expect. If the optional warc band pack was installed you have that ablilty. Check before you buy it otherwise you will get 80,40,20,15, and 10 meters. The rig is physically a little bigger than the HW-8. Of the two which do I like better. The HW-8, maybe some nostalgia showing. Anyway mines original no mods. I use it on field days and camping. Its great to take out and through op a wire and sit at the table and make contacts with qrp knowing you do not need 1500w to communicate 3 states away or around the world. I made several contacts from vq9 to the us on 1 watt some at 500mw. Overall If you can find this rig at a good price its worth the money. Just remember the optinal warc band pack