Heathkit HR 10 Servicing Part 2

Finally the Heathkit HR-10/10B; the classic beginners amateur radio receiver, is in shape to be aligned and brought back into excellent performance.

[@W1RMD]

Nice looking rig and great video. Thanks for sharing!

[@Texan747]

As a teen I dreamed about having a HR-10B and a DX-60. It was years later I got a HR-10 that worked. Nice looking rigs. I moved up to a Drake R-4A and WOW what a jump. I have enjoyed your videos. Watching for the next presentation.

[@Capecodham]

I wish I had a receiver like that. Hey I do, just like that. Very well done video.

[@LarryDeSilva64]

I don't even remember what novice rig I was using back in 1967 when I was a novice Remember my call letters were WN6YJK but it Might have been the Heathkit Hw16 Transceiver or it was the Arc5 receiver and the DX60 I switched back and forth. But this video gives me insight into your meticulous approach to repairing another great Novice receiver that you brought back to life and it works great.

[@HD7100]

I really enjoyed your video. I own a HR-10b and a DX-60b that I hope to get into operation sometime this year. Gary W9TOF

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Great old Novice combination!

[@docfoot316]

My first receiver i had The Heathkit 10b and an old homebrew phassing transmitter ,brings back memory's .good to see this equipment .73.s zl3je

[@snarfusmaximus]

"Kill me now, he's gonna talk about the schematic and the block diagram..." Aww, man, that's one of the parts I look forward to the most.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Have you ever wondered why there are so many tubes that were designed and produced when 1/10th of the number of types could have done about the same jobs?

[@snarfusmaximus]

@@MIKROWAVE1 I'd assume patents and copyrights would have something to do with it.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

@@snarfusmaximus Yeah. The market did what it did, likely based on risk of design and manufacture vs. litigation risk!

[@thomasreed325]

Enjoyed the series! Thanks for your time. As a side note I built the "improved" Morgan regen a while back using your videos it was very successful and enjoyable. Thanks again

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Very nice and the Morgan has some fun left to share!

[@PapasDino]

TNX for taking the time to video and share your project! 73 - Dino KL0S

[@mheermance]

Great job. it's neat seeing an old radio like that made serviceable again.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

And without getting too many shocks!

[@ok4rm]

Big thanks for both videos! I was able to fix another old HR-10 and partially align it. I can now listen to signals in 80, 40 and 20 meter bands, including some weird stations (some AM radio at about 3955, daily name calling "duels" at 7050-7060 LSB. Still waiting for some tools I need to align the cores. Is there any hint how to make 21 MHz work? When I look at VFO signal, for 21 MHz band it exists, but is fairly weak (about 10 volts p-p IIRC).

[@MIKROWAVE1]

The 21 MHz low injection issue with the HR-10 is a well known weakness. Alignment should bring it up to "acceptable" performance. It is a design shortcut to use a second harmonic of the HFO on 15M. Without some modifications (amplification of the harmonic), this is just a fact of life with the receiver.

[@nickmajor2547]

Thank you so much for posting. Really enjoyed watching. I’ve always been fascinated with Radios and the far off signals that come out of them. This one was conceived in the era I was born. Brilliant. 73 and keep Posting.. G0HFL

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Thank you sir! Right now I am playing with a 1948 Marconiphone Portable battery set. None of these ever seen on this side of the pond.

[@berndb.5097]

Hi Michael, I really liked this little series. It's fun to watch your restoration. UY5ZZ was also verry loud to hear today ;-) At the same time, I also sat at my lab bench and adjusted my home appliance. 73 Bernd

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Some big signals out there!

[@robertbruce7686]

Excellent 2 parter....breathe new life into tired classics! G7JDZ

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Robert - are you binging on KZbin? Ha. Thanks for watching!

[@robertbruce7686]

@@MIKROWAVE1 guilty of amradio bingeing (grin)

[@w6msu]

Wow, beautifully done. Thank you. 73

[@donovandyer9893]

Really enjoy your videos, very informative. Question, when you first started with the 10B, you turned the RF up, and the needle on the meter pegged. You said that something to look at later. Unless I missed it, you didn’t get back to that. The other thing, when you got finished, there were strong signals and the meter isn’t moving. I have both problems with the one I just bought. Wondering if you have a solution? Thanks, Don, WA1YDK

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Great question because this is a classic issue with entry level receivers. How do you provide an S-Meter without adding another tube? The meter is placed in the plate circuit of a variable-mu tube, in this case the last IF stage. The tube operates class A and therefore the only time there is a change in plate current is when there is AGC applied. So the darned thing only works in AGC mode so no dice in CW. With a large signal, the AGC voltage becomes greater, reducing the plate current (and gain) of the tube. So the meter has to be set up to show maximum reading on minimum current. This causes pegging when you fool with the RF gain control! Horrific but all too common circuit.

[@donovandyer9893]

@@MIKROWAVE1 Thanks for that, so in a cw QSO, everyone is 599, lol.

[@janetwinslow2039]

I did exactly the same to mine for proper alignment. And yes, quite deaf on 15 and 10m!

[@wa4aos]

Mike, has anyone tried amplifying the injection freq for 15 and 10 meters to improve sensitivity?? A few xistors/FETs and a bandswitch tap for biasing the xsistors should help considerably. Also, did you calibrate your outboard converter to match the 15/10 meter dial scales? There is room to help this old girl and give her a little breast augmentation.. Hi hi It'll never be in the same league as many other RX's of the time but could be a decent Novice RX with loads of room for serious improvement. 73, Glenn WA4AOS

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Oh I am sure somebody has tried some of that, but there are 100 times more folks simply enjoying complaining about the weaknesses and idiosyncrasies of these old sets! To a new novice, this was a box of joy. They all need some work now, just to get back to original performance. And no, I did not have an exact crystal that allowed the dial to work perfectly, but I think that could be accomplished quite nicely.

[@mikesmuseum]

Aha, see what I mean? This is why I change out all electrolytic caps. You should have known that by now, lol. But at least you demonstrated WHY they need to be replaced. Great video - Job well done!

[@MIKROWAVE1]

I don't know nuttin. I am Johnnie Novice. Actually you would be surprised how many people just plug them in!

[@mikesmuseum]

@@MIKROWAVE1 Actually, I'm the novice. I've learned a lot from you. I really appreciate your videos, your explanations, and your patience and attention to detail. Many thanks!

[@VintageTechFan]

@@MIKROWAVE1 I had to discourage many people from doing that, and even "fight" with them to properly restore old stuff like that. "Why? It works?" .. yes but it still has the ungrounded chassis, connected to the mains via old wax-paper caps. That stuff is going to shock you, start a fire or do both, even.

[@W4BIN]

When the super loud receiver's nose hits, my XYL in the next room (on the phone) screams: " Can you turn that down?"

[@MIKROWAVE1]

My wife's sister is very loud on the phone. No worries here.

[@terryshotts6604]

Hi Mike You may want to consider the Heathkit HW-16 in your novice series. Don't know if you've used one but it's dandy set with a good number of features. I used one back in the 80's as a novice. Great fun! de N3GTE

[@MIKROWAVE1]

I had one in hand and let it go. Almost too easy! A very fine rig for the Novice.

[@tonyperry6702]

Mike, how long did that alignment take?

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Including the calibrator, IF and front end, about 1 hour to align. Because the tuning range is so swamped by the high C fixed caps, there is no end point adjustment back and forth as with a general coverage receiver.

[@anthonymokelkie9360]

I think we should all go back to the novice days

[@waylonbelt4919]

Do you repair and up date and offer repair service, I have both a transmitter and receiver?

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Unfortunately with a full time job and this channel and fishing - there just is not time to do anything like that.

[@retroelectrons2]

have a 10-b . enjoyed this.

[@glynnhm0lsg308]

enjoyed thank you

Muchas GRACIAS. Muy bueno.73,s ea5bii

[@system3870]

Would you be willing to troubleshoot my HW-9? Pretty please? 73

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Ha! look me up on QRZ and email.

[@system3870]

@@MIKROWAVE1 ok...done. tnx!

[@sergiohenriques1311]

Salud Brazil.

[@BruceNitroxpro]

MIKROWAVE1, You really don't have the equipment to do a high class alignment... and don't appreciate how useless it will be connected to your signal generator without a standard antenna adaptor. Something isn't right here as you should have know better. Without doing an alignment with that crystal filter correctly, why not just bag it before you start?

[@MIKROWAVE1]

True, but I purposely keep my channel at the hobby level, and use techniques that can be done by folks with simple equipment.

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@MIKROWAVE1, OK... but then you must inform people of your intents and limitations... this appears to be simply a misguided way to do what others do correctly.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

@@BruceNitroxpro When I get back from work travel, I will consider doing a video based on your premise that radio receivers, even entry level receivers, are serious business. Terminals must terminated, crystal filters must be swept and tuned utilizing panadapters , spectral analysis or some such visual aid and is not to be taken lightly as with your earballs or a generator and RMS voltmeter and semilog paper and such...

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@MIKROWAVE1 I'm awfully sorry I jumped down your throat as you seem such a nice fellow. I get grumpy in my old age. LOL

[@MIKROWAVE1]

"Send your comments and criticisms to Radio Havana Cuba Box 7026" - don't know why I remember that! Maybe cause they broadcast so much when I was a kid during Vietnam. Honestly, all comments are good comments Bruce.

[@tommyn.j3628]

11:03 kgb call on you return home 😁

[@MIKROWAVE1]

If I tune around enough you will hear your own call eventually on one of these videos.