Retro QRP Rigs of the 1960's, 70's, and 80's -- Video by Mike WU2D

It is time to put aside (again!) all of the heated ideological arguments about the power level that defines "low power."  Just sit back and enjoy this wonderful trip down QRP memory lane. 

Mike's description of the simple, single-transistor QRP transmitter was really nice.   I recently made something similar: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/02/first-qso-with-high-school-receiver-100.html  And Mike does a nice plug for our beloved Michigan Mighty Mite.  Go CBLA! 

The modular idea:  words to live by my friends. 

40673!  TT2!  And G3RJV's PW Severn - indeed, bow your heads!

Wow, the Ten Tec Power Mite (or Might!) -- I still want one.  Same for the Argonaut -- what a great name (sounds like a "magic carpet), and with SSB to boot!  I want to join the Argonaut cult! 

I have both the HW-7 and HW-8 (the HW-8 is heading to the Dominican Republic).  This video makes me want to fire up the HW-7.  Maybe on 40.  

My 40 meter homebrew rig (Digi-Tia) has in it the filter from that old Yaesu FT-7 rig.  The filter was given to me by Steve "Snort Rosin" Smith.  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/05/bitx-digi-tia-build-update-2-installing.html  

Thanks to Mike for including me in the credit roll at the end.  What a great group of people -- it is a real honor to be listed with those folks. 

Great Homebrew Interview on "QSO Today"

This week Eric 4Z1UG has a really nice interview with Jim Veatch WA2EUJ.  Jim is the three time winner of the ARRL Homebrew Challenge.  There is a very interesting discussion of Arduinos, SDR, the technology behind automatic antenna tuners, and even some Raspberry Pi.   Jim's first receiver was a Halli S38 and his first rig was a Heath HW-7. 

Listen here:

http://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/WA2EUJ

Thanks Jim.  Thanks Eric.

UPDATE: HW-7 Fixed After 36 Years

Dave Oldham had sent us a report on his resurrection of a long-broken HW-7. I responded by saying that the FCC should give him a license on the spot, based solely on his HW-7 success. Well, Dave got his license (by the normal procedures) and has put his rig on the air. Here is Dave's report:

Update -- Granted a license today. Couldn't wait to make a contact. Took just a couple of minutes. Heard Dave, N9KKY, calling CQ and I answered him and he heard me. The very first contact this old radio has ever made. Based on his location he was 237 miles from me as the crow flies. My dipole is between 12' to 18' off the ground, so it was NVIS since Dave was off the ends of my wire. Anyway, between whipping the dial back and forth to hear and be heard plus other close stations and my newb status to both sending and receiving Morse, the QSO was short and mostly missed by me. But it was neat hearing my new call sign, KC9WIP, come back to me on this ole girl...I'm happy! 73

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HW-7 fixed after 36 years!

Give this man a license!  He deserves one.  Great job David. 
-----------------
Bill,

Found your podcasts (137 & 8) about the HW-7. Really enjoyed hearing your enthusiasm. I have owned one since 1976...my dad purchased it for me while at the Dayton Hamvention. Unfortunately it didn't work when we plugged it in. Dad didn't have the money to fix it at the time and as a 15 year old, neither did I. So it went into a box and was stored. 

Fast forward to 2008 and my youngest son asked me what Morse Code was. I told him and showed him...I didn't remember hardly any code. He wasn't interested in learning that didn't deter me and I wondered about the HW-7. So I went to the attic and found the box with the old rig. It still didn't make a sound when turned on so I decided to crack the case open and go through the troubleshooting guide...I had the manuals for both the radio and power supply. I determined the 40673 was bad. 

Got online and snooped around and couldn't find a source for a replacement so I started looking into equivalent parts and ran across the NTE454. Ordered it, made some "soldersmoke" and replaced it, turned on the radio and was happy to hear hum from the power supply in my headphones. Switched over to a 9 volt battery, attached a long wire and was blessed to hear CW coming through loud and clear! 

Dad, a ham from years past, almost didn't believe me when I called to let him know. "Fantastic!" was his response when I explained how it happened. (He's an EE and I'm a graphic designer.) 

During the investigation I also discovered that the original owner never finished the assembly guide. Found a tool at Radio Shack that I could tune the coils with, borrowed a frequency counter from a local TV station's tech and with dad's help aligned the rig according to the manual. Got the dial into rock solid sync with the FC. Both on RX and TX. 

I never heard what it sounded like with the 70673, however, looking at the data sheets for both Mosfets, the noise level of the NTE454 is lower. Typical for the NTE454 is 1.8 compared to 3.5 of the 40673. The max is 4.5 compared to 6.0 according to RCA. I have ears, thank you, and have copied a station located halfway down the Baja peninsula running 100 watts into a vertical. I was using a dipole 12' up in Indiana. I say copied because I have yet transmitted with it. Because of life I have been delayed (many years) in getting my ticket. However I will be taking the Tech exam...possibly even the General exam in July...but I have a bit more study to do for General. As a tech I would only be able to use 40 meters 

I have retrieved dad's J-38...still sporting the 76 Dayton Hamvention sticker on the bottom, polished it up and have been practicing for when I can get on the air. 7 1/2 WPM currently, but slowly gaining. I hear that working stations on the air will help the speed increase.

Anyway, the HW-7 is going to be my rig for a while...thought about selling it...because of the stories I've read...but I like listening to it JUST LIKE YOU for the SSB rag chews near the top of the 40 meter band. I also listen to the slower guys on CW to get my ear tuned to it. You also confirmed how to tune and listen so I will have possibly, an easier chance in making contacts. I also know a few local hams that can schedule with me. 

The HWA-7-1 power supply needs mods though. Plan on putting in place some caps and some magnetic beads to hopefully reduce the hum to a respectable level. Anyway, I appreciate your sharing and hope to work you sometime.

David Oldham

Greenwood, IN

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An HW-7 that Glows in the Dark

Hi Bill,

You are right, there is a lot of disdain for the HW7 out there.

While looking for a reasonable selection of do-able modifications to the HW7, I observed a sentiment that when all boiled down would sound like this: “Yea, rip out the innards and build a new transceiver in the carcass that is left.”

On the flip side, I have experienced relatively good results from my virgin HW7. Oh yea, I did add dial and meter lighting along with A nice set of Radio Shack Knobs but that is about the extent of the changes.

So Bill, I was wondering if any listeners to Solder Smoke know of a good source of reasonable modifications to the HW7 without inducing an implant? Second, is there a way of adding an S-meter to a direct conversion receiver? Are there any mods that can be lifted from the HW8 or HW9 and applied to the Old Senior HW7?

Thanks & 73’s

Harv WA3EIB Albuquerque, NM

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HW-7s, CB:"A Gateway Drug", and The Manly Way to Tune a Transmitter

I got a kick out of this e-mail from Cory, WA3UVV:

Hi, Bill!

While listening to SS137, you brought back some warm memories.

Bert Sessler, WA3WAW and I both grew up in Uniontown and met via CB – which was a gateway drug to Ham Radio for many of us. Within a fairly short time, we became good friends. Although I moved away some 30 years ago, I always try to get together with him when I’m back in town.

The HW-7 references also reminded me of trips into the nearby hills (being a few years older, I had my driver’s license and car before him) with his HW-7 and some lantern batteries. We’d park my ’69 Chevy Nova and then hike the trails to find some suitable trees for antenna supports. Bert’s code speed was impressive right from the start and he’d work more stations than me, in rapid succession. (How many 25+ WPM Novices do you know?)

Later, I’d get a HW-7 (and TenTec Power Mite 2) for those hikes alone, but it wasn’t quite the same as doing it with a friend. These days, I go to parks in the relatively flat South Jersey or Delaware with a FT-817ND, MFJ-9030 or 20M VXO’d RockMite and TX Topper Amp. Recently, pangs of nostalgia for my HW-7 (and ARC-5 station, for that matter) have arisen. I know the receiver doesn’t stack up against the new stuff I have, but it was certainly good enough for many enjoyable contacts.

Also, John Zaruba, K2ZA, is a good friend of mine here in Gloucester County. I’ve laid hands on the DX-100 you now have. You should have seen the Collins A line John’s dad had in the racks. Everything looked almost factory new.

At our GCARC Hamfest over the weekend, John helped feed my tube addiction with 4 boxes of NOS tubes, shields, etc. I also bought his dad’s Meissner Signal Shifter. After giving it a respectful time to warm up and colorfully glow again (orange, purple and green from the “magic eye”), I attached it to a tungsten lamp – the “manly” way to tune a tube transmitter – and got RF! As it has a balanced 300 ohm output, I have to build a 6:1 balun and hope to have it on the air next week with its characteristic chirp. Hmm, just like the HW-7 and my ARC-5’s of years gone by…

I hope you and your family are enjoying life back in DC. It’s not the milieu of Italy, but at least you’re much closer to a Ham Radio Outlet!

All the best,

Cory – WA3UVV

PS - If you have a desire to home brew a 6L6 transmitter and need a tube, let me know. My mom taught me to share...

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The (much maligned) HW-7 Receiver

My HW-7 benefactor, Mike, WA3O, sent me some files related to this rig. Above, the original receiver. Very simple. Note the 40673 dual-gate MOSFET (often used by Doug DeMaw). The 40673 was implicated in quite a bit of square law detection of shortwave broadcast signals. I don't seem to be having much trouble with this -- could this be the result of the demise of many of the powerful SW broadcast stations? Perhaps the old, standard HW-7 receiver should be given another chance... As I type, I'm listening to 40 meters with this circuit and signals are just pouring in. It works just fine.

Here is one of the many mods recommended for the receiver in this rig. I like this one too -- those SBL-1 devices are very nice. They look like ICs, but they are REALLY simple and you can crack them open and see their innards.




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