Update: November 11, 2002

In this issue:

The Boatanchor Timeline
Absolute performance
Pricing Boatanchors
the LMO Drive
Shipping Boatanchors
SB-303 Buyer's Guide
SB-303 Price Guide
Parts
Refurbing the SB-303
eBaying Boatanchors

The next issue of Heathstuff.

Join the radio investor discussion group.

Reading Heathstuff/Boatanchors.  This is a website created for you to read and reread.  While this first issue will link to a future issue, I will update this issue from time to time as I get more information for the articles.   I will also update the ads and links.

The appellation "boatanchor" is a misnomer.   Radios have not improved much since the 1950's.  Radios have changed styles but top end rigs from each generation perform well and sound good on the air.

1950's - Fatboy era - Radios were big and fat, 50, 60, 70 pounds and those were the receivers.  Transmitters could weigh in at two, three hundred pounds or more.  Examples are the Johnson desk kilowatt, the KWS-1, Globeking 500, and the Heathkit Chippewa.  You need a fork lift to move some transmitters.  Huge, knee buckling receivers, SX-101A, SX-115, HRO-60, 75A-4, R-390A.  Top models of the Fatboy era perform as well as modern rigs. They were just huge and heavy.  The VFO's, except for Collins and the SX-115, did not have 1 kHz readout.   Double and triple conversion superheterodyne, stable VFO's after a 15 minute warm up.  Rock the bandswitch onto frequency.  The Fatboy's, again, except for Collins, had free-running local oscillators v. crystal controlled and LC filters v. sharper crystal or mechanical filters.  Some implemented digital readouts using metal gears. Where did the Central Electronics rigs fit?

1960's - The Lowboy era - Radios took their current form.  Receivers adopted transmitter style VFO's,  sharp filters, low-boy look.  S-Line, SB-series, Drake 4-line (and 2B, 2NT), the HT-44 and SX-117, the NCX-5.   Lowboy tube rigs had good performance but added a slim look and transceived.   The standard of this era was 1 kHz readout and sharp selectable filters.  Bandswitched crystal controlled front ends.  This solved most of the problems of the 1950's receivers.  This was the era of great performance!

1970's - The first solid state era - These were mostly lowboy rigs with transistors replacing tubes. Performance remained 1 kHz readout with some use of frequency counters but many rigs had analog VFO dials just like the 1960's Lowboy tube rigs.   Some radios didn't perform as well as the previous generation. Transistors didn't offer the dynamic range and clean sound of tubes, nor were they as maintenance free.  Transistors proved to be fragile and easily damaged by static discharge and stray voltage spikes that did not bother tubes.  Strangely, some transistorized rigs were large and heavy, the HRO-500 solid state receiver was a boatanchor as was the Signal/One CX7

1980's - 2nd generation solid state - Computers, synthesizers and broadband amplifiers.  Lots of birdies and problems with internal noise.  Performance in the real world not much better than the previous generations.  Some rigs sprouted microprocessors and computer displays, this produced even more internal noise.  Many of these rigs shrank into small packages and became difficult to service and operate.  The increased complexity also meant that more things could fail.   Knobs shrank to the size of toothpaste caps.

1990's - 3rd generation solid state - Digital signal processing, more computers, video game displays, and obfuscated beyond belief.  These rigs are a maize of tiny buttons and modes, gigantic LCD panels, some are hard  to use and do not perform any better than 1950's and 1960's radios.   Radios such as the Collins KWM-2  had many fewer controls than the 1990's radios and are easier to use.   A complex digital radio has more components to fail.  While digital electronics do not "burn out" like tubes do, digital electronics are still sensitive to voltage spikes and the increased number of interconnects means more chances for bad connections.  Why is p-p-p-pushing a button easier that grabbing a big knob and twisting it?  Circuit boards with thousands of tiny machine made solder joints have a high failure rate compared to boatanchors that were hand soldered with 100 watt irons.

The other components in the radio, the resistors and capacitors will wear out as their Boatanchor era counterparts did.  New technology resistors and capacitors are longer lasting than their counterparts from the boat anchor era.  However, there are many more such components in the new digital radios so the odds of a failure are still high.

In addition, modern controls are not perfect.  How many "dead" TV remote control units have you seen?

Review of SB-100, 101, 102 drive belts.  I have an SB-101 and two SB-102s.  Heath used a rubberband drive  to connect the knobs to the load and tune capacitors.  I searched high and low for replacement belts.  Apparently there are standard O-rings used in plumbing and other applications that are acceptable substitutions.  But. A big BUT. Find the O-ring that works.  I made several trips to Home Depot and a specialty hardware store with so-so results.   On one trip, I got O-rings that were about the right diameter but were too thick.  Another set of O-rings were too slippery.

Finally, I found a set that works.  These came from:

"ken" the.turtle@verizon.net

I've got them in my SB-102 and they work very well. Just the right amount of tension but not too much.

Ken offers a special price to Heathstuff readers.  Only $5.25 shipped for the 3 belt set of drive belts

You get the special price if you order thru this site. Let ken know that you will be ordering, email "ken" the.turtle@verizon.net  Then mail your payment to him, check or money order only please.

More info at  ken's drive belt page

Set of three belts for Heathkit  HW and SB series tube type tranceivers .  These belts are .139 inch wide and work very nicely on both the final and preselector variable capacitors.  Please use the email button to order before sending your payment or for multiple set purchases.

Here is a complete listing of my MANUALS ON CD. You can order by sending an email to te@usol.com. Order multiple CD's and save on shipping now ! Check out my website for
detailed list's of what models are actully covered below at:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tje16/rm.html

Vintage Manuals on CD (3 CD set) - 12.95 + 3.50 S&H
Vintage Heathkit Schematics on CD - 9.95 + 3.00 S&H
Hallicrafters Manuals on CD - 8.95 + 3.00 S&H
Drake Manuals on CD - 8.95 + 3.00 S&H
Hammarlund Manuals on CD - 4.95 + 3.00 S&H
National Manuals on CD - 7.95 + 3.00 S&H
Collins R390 Receiver Manuals on CD - 4.95 + 3.00 S&H
Icom IC-211 Owner and Service Manuals on CD - 7.95 + 3.00 S&H
Vintage Swan Manuals on CD - 7.95 + 3.00 S&H
LeJay Generator Rewind Manual - 7.95 + 3.00 S&H

I accept personal checks (no holding period), money orders and credit
cards through Paypal.

Tim J. English
416 Dell Ave.
Flint, MI. 48507
USA

A great boatanchor resource.  I bought Tim's "Vintage Heathkit Schematic CD" and it was well worth the $12.95.   I used it when working on my SB-104A.

Boatanchor performance is competitive with modern radios.

Here's why.

Frequency readout.  1 kHz is good enough.  My computerized solid state rig has 100 Hz digital readout but I don't see the point of it.   SSB signals are 2,000 Hz wide or wider.  For a 2,000 Hz wide signal, 1 kHz readout is close enough.  What does 100 Hz, 10 Hz, or 1 Hz mean when you are measuring something that's 2,000 Hz wide?  I will be testing the AADE frequency counter for the SB-series.   This will supplement, not replace the two analog scales on the SB.

Dual VFO's and memory VFO's.  Not needed in normal operation.   This is one of those features that's easy to implement in software but serves no purpose.   If I can't remember the eCARs net frequency, how can I remember that it's stored in memory VFO 7?   I have to write it down.  If I write it down, I can write down the frequency and spin the dial to the right spot.

When I want dual VFO's, I'll use an SB-303 along side an SB-102.

Stability.  Heathkit SB LMO and Collins S-line PTO oscillators are very stable.  While these are spec'ed at a few hundred Hz per hour after warm up, I have measured my Heathkit LMO's with an ACECO FC1003 1 ppm frequency counter.  My LMO's drift a few hundred cycles per day as the temperature changes.  In a week an LMO may still be within a few hundred cycles. 

There are exceptions, the EICO 7-drifty-3.

Dynamic range.  The dynamic range of a vacuum tube and MOSFET front end is comparable and plenty good for real world radio.

Sensitivity.  The Heathkit SB-303 delivers .25 uV sensitivity using a dual gate FET front end.  The Heathkit SB-102 accomplishes the same using the 6HS6 vacuum tube.  The best modern digital radios may offer better sensitivity but my city QTH has an S7 noise level almost all the time.   When I turn on my computer and Tektronix digital oscilloscope, the racket drowns out the geezers on 40 LSB.

Selectivity.  The Heathkit crystal filters provide outstanding selectivity.   Modern radios may exhibit better specs but in real world listening, it doesn't make a difference.  I can't hear the ripple in the filter using amateur grade speakers.  You can't compare bandpass profiles using amateur grade speakers.   One of my SB-303's came with two cascaded SSB filters.  It sounds better and sharper than the others.

Internal noise.  All rigs have this.  The older boat anchors are just as quiet as modern rigs.  In fact, the classic superheterodyne boatanchor is potentially quieter than a modern rig with its computer, LCD drivers, switching power supply and digital circuits.

And here's an on the air experiment.  Tune across the band with anything you want.  Can you pick out a 1960 SSB boat anchor from a 2002 computerized rig?  No?  They sound the same.

Works the same on receive.  You sound just as intelligeable on a KWM-2, SB-100, and the newest digital signal processing receiver.  The antenna, QTH, local noise level, band conditions, microphone and speaker system make a bigger difference.  I use Radio Shack Minimus-7 metal case, acoustic suspension speakers on my radios.  Makes everyone sound better.   A cheap near-HiFi speaker changes the quality of the received signal.  For transmitters, get a good microphone.  Passive audio filters help too.

SB-303 - This is the highpoint of Heathkit receiver design.  The SB-303 has a sensitive frontend, the SB series filters, and a 500 kHz linear VFO.   It transceives with the SB-400/401 tube transmitters and with modifications, the SB-100, 101, 102 transceivers.

SB-100/101/102 - Heathkit's KWM-2.  Built on phenolic PC boards and using the LMO and SB series crystal filters. This transceiver offered solid performance.  Compare to the KWM-2 which used point-to-point wiring.

Unfortunately Heathkit never offered the SB-103.  This was supposed to be an SB-102 with all solid state devices except the final amplifiers.   The HW-104 might be a close substitute but the VFO has 5 kHz calibration not 1 kHz.   Not quite good enough.   A good compromise might be an HW-104 with an AADE frequency counter.

SB-104 and SB-104A - When this rig works, it is a great Heathkit rig.  Unfortunately it has design problems.  Birdies, internal noise, etc. The SB-104A is nearly the same size as the SB-102.  It is built on glass epoxy boards rather than phenolic.  Heathkit made several improvements in the A-model.

Boatanchors are like Rolex watches.  My $19.95 Timex Indiglo keeps better time and has more features than the Rolex President that it resembles. But a Timex is not a Rolex.  Similarly, my computerized ICOM has better frequency readout and more features than a Heathkit.  But an ICOM is not a Heathkit.

We might be at the start of a Boatanchor collector phase.  Radios like these will not be built again.  These are like any antique except that they perform as well as their modern counterparts in real world usage.

High end cameras, tube audio, quality turntables, mechanical watches, and similar items cannot be manufactured today.  The mechanicals and the specialized components will defeat any attempt at volume manufacturing because the supporting infrastructure no longer exists.   The modern substitutes might perform better in some circumstances but will fail in others.

Boatanchors in good shape should be priced above the highest priced modern equivalent.  In time they will rise to twice to ten times the price of a modern counterpart.  It is that way with watches and other collectables.

Another factor is the cost of the boatanchor with inflation applied.  The SB-303 was $389 plus shipping and optional filters.  Apply 30 years of inflation and an SB-303 should be a $2,000 receiver, add another $1,000 for assembly, make it $3,000.   Keep this number in mind.

** Reply to note from ken  21 Aug 2002 17:15:54 -0000
>
> Hey can anyone out there give me a few tips on working on the sb series
> dial drives? I am working on a sb400 transmitter and while I have been
> able to get the main tuning tuning dial freed up and working smooth that
> damn zero pointer dial is giving me fits. it looks like the little drive
> knob is about a 1/1000 of a inch too small and if you do get it to grab
> the outer dial glass the first time you turn the radio on its side it
> loses its grip and its back to square one. thanks. I am about ready to
> super glue the outer glass to the front panel so the indicator line
> stays in the middle of the display
> ken w8ob

The answer is at http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/102/102.html

see section 3. Tuning Dial Plastic.

In theory, you should remove the knobs, control nuts and the entire front panel to work on the LMO drive including the hairline adjuster.  If you don't, you risk bending the hairline drive washers.

I can remove and replace the bezel, drive, hairline drive, etc. without removing the front panel but it takes finesse. I don't like to do it because each time, I do it, I stress the drive washers.   For most repairs, it is easier to remove the front panel.

Before you remove the knobs, note which knobs sit too high.  When the front panel is off, add a washer to space the control.  Generally, the FUNCTION and AGC controls need spacing.

It takes about 10 minutes to remove the front panel.  I suggest rotating all controls fully counter-clockwise, remove the knobs and put them in a pattern of the front panel so that you can put the same knobs on the same controls.  Some shafts have keyways and if you switch knobs, you have to turn the setscrews more.   Remove the locknuts and washers and put them next to the corresponding knob.

UNPLUG THE POWERCORD.

1. Remove the main tuning knob (two allen setscrews) and retaining nut.
2. Remove the hairline knob.
3. Remove the bottom row of knobs and the nuts and washers.
4. Remove the left two knobs from the middle row (Converter, Preselector).  Leave the nuts and washers on.
5. Remove the two philips screws.  The front panel is loose.
6. Carefully pull it forward.  Do not stress the drive washers on the hairline adjuster or the main tuning disk.
7. Unlock the setscrew on the main tuning disk.

The Home Depot Husky brand big Allen wrench set has a 5/64ths wrench with a long shaft. You need this to unlock and lock the main tuning disk.   It also has the .050 wrench that fits the hairline adjuster knob.

While the disk is off, clean and lubricate the moving parts.  If the plastic dial is cracked, fix it by putting a drop of superglue on the back of the spiral and the back of the numbers. Hold the dial together until the superglue sets.  Do not get glue on the front of the numbers or the spiral.

When you reassemble the front panel, take care to align the knobs.  I space the knobs to 1/16th inch using a plastic feeler gauge.  I also align the pointers are as close to "right on" as possible.  I use a light machine oil on the bearing surfaces and give each pot and switch a shot of De-Ox-It.   If the setscrews are blade types, I replace them with stainless steel Allen-types.

I've been mulling over the SB dial drive and have found several interesting areas.

1. The spacing between the chassis, the attachment point of the 0-1-2-3-4-5 pointer, and the front panel is too tight.  If I position the big plastic dial right for the pointer, it sometimes binds on the front panel.  I need about 1 or 2 mm more spacing.

I notice the binding as knob shudder on SB-303 # 1.

I think I can get it feeling right if I put a slight S-bend in the pointer follower.

2. If I adjust the main LMO drive to "just" this side of slipping, it feels perfect, like oil on glass.  I have a Heath big knob that someone (Heath?) put weights in.  It flywheels across the band.

I'm thinking about prying the aluminum skirt off a knob and  experimenting with filling the cavity with lead shot and glue.

3. On all my SB-303's, I can push and pull on the main tuning knob and the knob moves in and out.  This puts pressure on the drive ring and the big plastic dial.

I'm looking for appropriate washers to use as thrust bearings.  The mechanism needs them on the inside and outside but the outside is more important as you don't generally pull on a tuning knob.

4. One of the SB-303's had a corroded drive shaft.  It was binding when I got it and after I pulled it apart, touched it up with 600 emery cloth, and oiled it, it turned freely but feels gritty.

I got some 1,500 grit silicon carbide paper and jewelers rouge to smooth out the shaft.  The 1,500 grit paper improved the feel.

5. I space all the knobs to 1/16th inch using a plastic feeler gauge.  While this looks great, when I spin the main tuning knob, the edge of the aluminum skirt rides up and down.

I'm thinking about making a jig that will let me spin the knob with my drill press while shaping the aluminum with a plastic roller.

6. One of my SB's has much shinier skirts and center trim than the others.

I wonder if I can polish the knobs with jewelers rouge and my drill press, I'd have to repaint the pointer or maybe just polish the edge of the skirt and the center piece.  I've spun the aluminum hairline adjuster knob with a drill to clean it up.

7. I get between 19 and 22 kHz per turn. I checked 5 different LMO's.

The skirt on the big knob measures 2 1/2 inches, giving a diameter of 7.8 inches. 22 marks at the edge of the skirt yield 1 kHz spacing of about 11/32nds of an inch, about 3/8ths of an inch.

As a reference, the 1 kHz lines on the big plastic dial are 1/8th inch spacing.

Other comments. I have a spare LMO dial with a crack from the hub through the 65. As detailed on the website, I glued the dial from the back.

I don't have the skills to build one but it is interesting to contemplate a better drive made of helical gears and roller bearings.

It takes me several hours to set up an LMO drive, at my commercial billing rate (I'm a computer consultant, M.S. Comp Sci, read machine language, program in C, Rexx, Lotus Notes, etc., sometimes can fix gas pumps and cook a terrific chicken teriyaki.) I could buy a modern SSB rig in the time I spend on just the LMO mechanicals.

This is a good tip, I found it on the Internet:  "A hint for owners of unsteady Heath LMO's: clean the area where the ground contact spring makes contact with the rotor on the variable capacitor. I used kerosene..."

This tip works!  Pull the LMO from the radio and open the bottom.  You don't have to remove the variable cap to clean the spring.  You can see the spring just past the electronics.  Shoot De-Ox-It in there, work the LMO.  Clean up the drip.  Let the LMO dry.  Cut a piece of clean cardstock into a burnishing tool.  Feed the cardstock between the spring and the capacitor's rotor.  Rotate the capacitor through the range a couple times.  Move the cardstock burnishing tool as you do that.

I've been working on the solid state and vacuum tube LMOs.   The LMO output should be 5.0+ V Peak to Peak and should tune from 4.990 to 5.510 mHz.  That's +/- 2 kHz at the end of the tuning range.  The sine wave should be clean and clear.   I listen to the LMO on my ICOM IC-720A and it sounds like a pure note.

Hey, boatanchors, someone's gotta keep the *real* radios running.  Modern rigs have lousy ergonomics. Meet me at 7.293.42? I make it just inside the phone band on 40.  Just tune down a little.

Those LCD panels?  Gak.  My eyes aren't that good.

Saw on USENET where an SX-115 sold for $4,000.  Worth it to someone? The buyer is rumored to be rocker Joe Walsh of the Eagles. Compare this to the original price ($389) of an SB-303 adjusted for inflation ($2,000-$3,000).  I have never seen an SB-303 sell for anywhere near that price.

I have a half dozen SB's and they all feel different.  They range from horrible through pretty-bad to absolutely perfect. The absolutely perfect might be a fluke but here's what I did (it took a day).

I removed the plastic dial and cleaned it and the drive washers, paying attention to get dirt and grit out.  I spun the washers on clean paper. I used light oil as a cleaning solution.   Get it as clean as possible.

While the panel is off, retension the hairline disks too.

It seems wrong but I oil the drive washers.

I aligned the plastic dial, fore and aft.  Too far forward and it binds on the hairline.  Too far aft (toward the LMO) and the pointer follower drags on the spiral.  Strangely, on some radios, it both binds and drags!

With the panel assembled, I engaged the drive washers and the plastic dial.  Nope. Slipping.

I tried again, a little more pressure. Nope, it's hard to turn, stiff.

I tried again and again, aware that each time I did that, it was putting stress on the plastic dial and possibly deforming the drive ring.

Then one time, it was perfect.  Locked it down.  Done.

The feel is like oil on glass, very light.  I also have a weighted heathkit knob that someone made.   It adds a nice flywheel effect.

Watch this space - A digital readout for the SB-303 - I found an interesting project, the AADE frequency counter.  It might fit into the space where the 0-1-2-3-4-5 scale lives but I hate to give up that feature.   Alternately I might build the counter into a speaker along with a digital clock, and an audio filter.

An eBay seller sent me an SB-102 without removing the tubes.  4  tubes were damaged in shipping including the 6HS6.  I was not able to leave positive feedback on that sale.  I didn't leave neutral or negative either because I feel it was an honest mistake.   Do not expect tubes to stay in their sockets during shipping.

The following two pieces are from USENET:

Paul wrote:

> Perhaps the lack of information regarding my question is the answer in
> itself.
>
> I am about to ship an old National tube rig (60's vintage) via UPS.
> Is it OK to leave the tubes installed assuming I provide double boxes
> and styrofoam packing?  I usually deal in transistor QRP rigs so have
> no experience with the venerable tube-based stuff.  I know its
> generally rugged stuff but was wondering if I should take special
> precautions anyway.
>

I have always shipped old National tube radios WITH TUBES REMOVED, separately wrapped with wrapping indicating which socket to put them back into.  Tuning capacitors fully meshed, interior stuffed solid with packing material and tubes, where easily done, packed in the interior cavity.  I wrap the radio with wrapping paper and tape it so the lid can't come open.  DO NOT apply tape to the rig itself.  There's no telling what it'll do to the finish.  Put a BIG note on the rig warning the buyer NOT TO PLUG IT IN until tubes have been replaced.

DO NOT use peanuts or styrofoam to stuff the interior.  It is a real job to get all the residue out.  If you are going to use styrofoam of any sort in the packing, even blocks of it, make sure the radio is wrapped well in a plastic sack and taped shut.  A couple of garbage bags will work.  Make sure that the front of the radio has extra padding on it with good protection around all shafts so if there is any pressure on the box the shafts aren't touched.  Use heavy cardboard if necessary to build a structure on the front to protect it and provide extra spacing.   If you are extra concerned, remove the glass scales, wrap and pad them separately and maybe even ship them in a separate double or triple box.

Always use at least DOUBLE BOXING of the rig with HEAVY boxes and not the typical light weight boxes you find in most dumpster diving.  Computer boxes cut down to what you need, Stereo/TV store boxes sometimes work well and are extra heavy.  IF you dare use PEANUTS (no-no to some people) put them in plastic bags and compress them so they are as near blocks of compressed styrofoam as you can possibly get.  Don't pour them in loose and assume they'll stay where they were put.

Even UPS hasn't been able to destroy any radios (and even an oscilloscope) that I've shipped that way and lately I've found that FEDEX is much gentler on the package than UPS.  Of course if either decides to run a forklift prong through the box or run over it with an 18 wheeled vehicle all bets are off.

Don't ASSUME anything about packing except that it'll take a couple of hours to do an adequate job and you must pack it to survive a drop of 6 or 8 feet to a concrete floor hitting on the corner of the box.

If you have something like an amplifier or a heavy power supply seriously consider removing the power transformer and if applicable, choke and boxing and shipping separately.  It's amazing what a bit of movement and acceleration to a package can cause those items to do when the package suddenly stops and they keep going.

DO ALL YOU CAN TO PROTECT OUR OLD BABIES!!!!
 

 
I make my living as an airline captain and for a number of years was required to commute from my home in the Great Lakes region to the East Coast for work. As airline pilots often do, I used other carriers, including the freighters (UPS, FedEx and Emery and Ryan who handle the post office air transportation).

Typically it runs like this: I finish my trip schedule and bonzai to the out station of one of the freight companies and put in a request to ride. I then fly with the crew...usually departing at 8-10 PM to its sort hub...where I wait for 3-4 hours to catch the next leg to the city I really want to end up in. During this wait period at the sort hub I saw everything from large boxes being slam dunked into cargo containers to "free throw" style shooting of a parcel across a 50 foot area of the sort to land in a sort bin. Remember this when you pack.

Also remember that the freight companies require packages to be packed in such a way that they can withstand a fall to concrete of 16 inches (roughly the distance from the loading conveyer to the floor)...and I saw this happen often.

When you are packing a boatanchor ask yourself "Can this package and its contents survive a fall of 16 inches to a concrete floor? If you don't think it can, you'd better repack because that is what it will probably get.

Finally (and this is subjective and not scientific at all) I saw packages handled FAR BETTER at the FedEx sort facilities THAN ANY OF THE
OTHER ONES.

 Good luck.

 V. W.

The principles apply to boatanchors in general.

Things to watch out for:

1. Must have all the knobs and only Heathkit knobs.  Heathkit SB-104 spinner knobs are acceptable even though the color isn't a match.  All knobs must have metal disks and skirts.

2. No modifications to the front panel sheet metal.

3. Good front panel lettering, no wear on the front panel paint. Darkening or stains are acceptable.  No magic marker on the front anel.

4. No enlarged or extra holes in the cabinet.

5. Must have all the circuit boards or it is a parts-only rig. This must be disclosed.

6. Should have the Heathkit 3 prong line cord.  If it's been replaced by an IEC, deduct $10.00.  This must be disclosed.

7. No extra or enlarged holes in the rear panel.  I believe it is possible to replace the RCA cx with a BNC without cutting metal.  If so, this is an acceptable mod.

8. The meter must work and no cracks in the plastic.

9. The LMO mechanicals must be all there.  No cracks in the LMO dial but crazing is acceptable.  Deduct $20 for a cracked LMO dial.  A new replacement is $40 but maybe you can fix a cracked dial.

10. Must have the SSB filter.

11. No visible electronic mods unless disclosed or radio is described as unknown condition or parts only.

12. Must power up, must make sounds or be described as broken or guarenteed DOA.

13. No or minor surface rust, deduct $10.00 for visible rust. The SB-303 is mostly aluminum so there are few places rust.

14. Must have manual or be described as no manual and deduct $10.00

15. Cat did not throw up in chassis. No roach nests.

16. Must be a non-smoker unless you don't care.  If the ad doesn't say "non-smoker", assume the worse or ask before bidding.

What doesn't matter for pricing, you can fix, replace, all these.

1.  May have the LMO load, a 47 ohm resistor in an RCA connector.

2.  Condition of feet.

3.  Alignment of knobs.

4.  Feel of LMO, slip, drag.  This is a big job but odds are you won't find an LMO set up right.   I can set up the LMO mechanicals but it takes time.

5.  Minor nicks or scratches.  I'm not a purist on cosmetics.  Signs of aging are normal in a boatanchor.

6.  Stains or chips on cabinet.

7.  Lightbulbs.

8.  Minor electronic modifications and reasonable parts replacements are acceptable.  Caps may be replaced with modern substitutes.   Resistors do not have to be original.  Approximate values that work, are fine.

Grade 10. Top quality, everything works to spec, turnkey, could be a Heath display model, switches click into place, LMO tunes like oil on glass, all filters, good paint, can be repaint, strong audio, original manual, extension board, $500+

Heathkit was not compulsive about paint and there was some variation in color from the factory.

Grade 8.  Works well, minor defects, cosmetic flaws, chipped paint, LMO tracks and stable within spec, LMO dial crazing but no cracks, copy of manual, all filters, no extension board. $250+

I'm not grading internal build quality.  These are circuit board rigs with a wiring harnesses.  There's not much electronic build variation possible.  The mechanical alignment is more important than the soldering quality.  In addition, there are different styles of soldering.  I prefer to use a minimum quantity of solder and use lots of heat to flow it to a shiny, tight to the wire look.   I don't like solder blobs or excessive solder.

Grade 6.  Makes noises, major flaws, has all knobs, cracks in LMO plastic, dead Xtal calib, needs cleaning, alignment, new caps, and repaint. Two crystals.  Hum, birdies, shot noise, and distorted signals acceptable.  No manual. No extension board. Advertised as needs work but not dead. $150.

Grade 4.  No sound but all parts seem to be there.  One knob might be missing a trim disk. SSB filter only. Dirty, scarred case. Does power up (good transformer).  Advertised as project, fix, or parts. $100.

Grade 2.  Parts donor. Holes in front panel.  No knobs. No filters.  Some boards.  LMO present.  $50.

I have been buying Grade 4 - Grade 6's on eBay and paying about $140 plus shipping.   I am restoring SB-303s and hope to bring them to 9+ quality.

I bought one Grade 2 and have harvested essential parts from it, CW filter and a jumper. It has an LMO, dial follower, and back panel, cabinet, all of which I can use on the other SB-303s.

Most of you won't accept this but I expect that SB-303's will be over $1,000 in a few years.  Eventually  these might sell for $4,000 and more, much more.  The reason is this.  Consider the antique shows.  Why does anyone want any of those weird things, the furniture, the old trunks, boring books, hair brushes,  paintings, Hummels, tea pots, china, cheaply made but old metal toys, or what ever.

Watch those shows sometime,  they drag out an antique umbrella, music box, or ceramic pig, the appraiser squeals, "It's a genuine Batton! What do you think it's worth?"  The owner shrugs. The appraiser yells, "$8,000!"

Don't you ever think, dang, if I had a choice between that Elizabethan era ceramic pig and an SB-220 linear amp, I know what I'd take.

Well, you do have a choice.  It's called buy what you like, sell what you don't like on eBay.   If you like ceramic pigs, fine.  I'm not saying that you shouldn't have thousands of dollars tied up in them.  If you prefer vintage SSB radios, why not have a few around to decorate the living room?

Boatanchors are a usable item that performs a function and is as interesting to look at as any antique.

Have you watched the cable show about people who decorate neighbor's houses on a $1,000 budget.  In each case, they make an "art piece" out of scraps.  One team framed their dropcloth and called it a work of art.

I don't plan to pay $4,000 for an SB-303 but then I own 5.  I am gradually restoring and improving them.

Parts

I am not offering to buy or sell Heathkit parts.  This is just what I believe they are worth and is intended to be a price guide.

I price parts this way:

Filters, $35 (SSB, CW, AM. The AM filter is the rarest.)
LMO, $75
Package of mechanical parts, LMO dial, pointer, drive, hairline
  drive, bezel, follower-arm, $50 if no crazing or cracks.
Cabinet, $30
Extension board $30 (only due to rarity)
Large circuit boards $30 each (rig has two, $60)
Small circuit boards $20 (Rig has 5 small boards plus the RTTY board which is part of the LMO.  The crystal board has 8 crystals on it.  At $5 a crystal, that's $40 in crystals.)
Knobs $3 each (all 11, $35)
Linecord $5 (another rarity)
Original manual $15 ($20 for like new)
Bare chassis (good front and back panel, struts, interior panels) $30
Meter $10
Transformer $10
All switches, shafts, pots,  $30

For an SB-303 with all filters, the total is way over $500.  This doesn't mean that you should pay that much.  New cars sell for a fraction of the price of all their parts too.

This implies that rigs can be broken down for a profit.  I've been seeing people do that with SB-104As and SB-220s. I don't
encourage anyone to part out a rig unless it is beyond repair.

If you want to buy a part, expect to pay 50% over the prices above or more.   If you are selling, be prepared to accept 65% of the amount quoted.  That's just the way commerce works.

Let's keep these boatanchors working!

# 1 Purchased late 1970's at Dayton.  Performance was disappointing.  Was supposed to receive the extension boards but the seller didn't followup.  I used it for a while but put it in storage for 20 years.    All filters, came with line cord and manual.

In August 2002, after much debugging, I discovered that C104, the cap that couples the LMO to the mixer, was never installed.  I put a cap in and the radio came alive.  It's hot and signals boom in.

# 2 A smoked out radio, only SSB filter, bought on eBay spring 2002 for $175.  Has a strange little hole in the top of the cabinet. Cleaned, de-smoked, and aligned by ear.  Did my mechanical alignment.  Now my primo, reference-standard model.  Added AM filter (had that for 20+ years) and CW filter (from parts radio).  Came with Xerox of manual.  Linecord.

# 3 A guarenteed DOA that came with all three filters and some RTTY mods.  One problem was that the BFO board wasn't seated.  Aligned, lubed, and performing well.  Came with Manual.  I spent a couple days peaking this one up.  This has a huge hole in the back panel with a connector like you'd see on a propane tank.  #3X included a perfect back panel.

# 3X - This was a stripped down chassis with some parts that I needed to restore the other SB-303s to factory spec.  It included a CW filter that is now in #2.  3X's cabinet will go to # 2.  3X's LMO was bad.  I fixed it, aligned it and put it in #4.

#4 Guarenteed bad LMO, had all three filters plus a second SSB filter in series with the first.  The sound of the bands are cleaner and brighter with the two SSB filters.  LMO tunes but was unstable.  Now running with #3X's LMO.  I repaired and aligned the LMO. Completed mechanical and electronic alignment.  The rebuilt LMO tracks within spec and over 6 days drifted less than 200 Hz.  At the end of 6 days it was within 20 Hz of the starting frequency. No manual or linecord.

#5 Parts or Fix, three filters, very poor cosmetic shape but essentially all there.  Have put power to it.  Found and replaced a bad cap that was dropping the +10 and +15 V lines. Cleaned the chassis. Did a preliminary mechanical and electronic alignment.  Will complete work on next year.

On Mon, 16 Sep 2002 10:35:15, "Joe S."  wrote:

> The following may be sour grapes on my part -- but -- here goes.
>
> I am a novice on Ebay and have a question about how it operates.
>
> I have recently bid and lost on a ham radio item (twice) and on a book.
>
> The ham radio item is a small accessory that I really do need.  I asked a
> few experts and determined that a good price would be $75.00, $100.00 if I
> were desperate.  I watched Ebay for four months and did not see one.
>
> Then, a month ago, one appeared.  I bid, was outbid, and bid again.  I was
> the high bidder until literally the last minute when an individual who had
> not bid previously outbid me.  Oh well, I figured, luck of the draw.
>
> Two days later, an identical item appeared, offered by another seller.  Same
> thing happened.  I was the winning bidder up to the last minute.  Only this
> time, I was ready.  My bid was $100.00; at the last minute, a bid of $102.50
> popped up from an individual who had not bid before.  I was able to put in a
> bid of $125.00 -- it was not enough and I lost.
>
> The same thing happened to me on a book that I wanted.  In this case, while
> the ham radio item was somewhat rare, the book was not -- there are several
> of them on Ebay right now.  I bid what I thought was an outrageously high
> bid -- I was the winner until the last minute when someone who had not bid
> previously won the item.
>
> Is this just the luck of the bid?? OR, is there a function on Ebay where a
> buyer can say "I want this, I'll pay anything, make me the winner no matter
> what."?
>
> Just wondering.
>

eBay is an open auction that millions of people participate in.   This means that when something sells on eBay, it sells for the absolutely highest price that anyone, anywhere is willing to pay at  that moment in time.

The stuff about sniping is just baloney and sour grapes.  The fact is,  the item sells for top dollar no matter how the game is played. No matter how you play it.

When I wanted an SB-200, I put in a very high bid, $350, and got it.

When I wanted an SB-104A, I did the same thing.  Later I sort-of wanted a second SB-104a and bid medium.  Didn't get it, even though I was bidding for real and up to a fair amount.

Prices are soft now.  The depression that started on January 14, 2000 is in full swing and lots of folk are dumping their toys for cash.

The nature of a giant auction means that the prices are as high as anyone anywhere is willing to pay.

In the last 6 months, I have purchased a dozen items, the SB-200,  SB-104A, 4 SB-303's, a Tektronix LCD dual trace digital storage  oscilloscope, a couple Heath extender boards, an SB-102, some manuals, parts, and a Signal/One CX7A. The total amount is under $2,000.  More than half of that is in the Tek and the SB-200.

I don't mind paying $150 for a more or less working solid state SSB receiver that cost $389 in 1970 for a box of parts.

At some point, I might be selling these radios back through eBay.  At that time, I expect that someone will pay me the highest price anyone, anywhere is willing to pay for the item.  That's only fair.  I am not going to sell SB-303 #2, my reference standard radio that I spent dozens of hours cleaning and refurbing, where I carefully aligned the knobs and adjusted the internal settings, for a few hundred dollars.  If I ever decide to sell, I will list the work that goes into refurbing the radios and will let the market decide.

Many times a deal goes bad.  I've been following Heath sales and have seen the same items show up again.  I have also been contacted by  sellers to take items that the high bidder declined.  Some folk get carried away by the bidding process and end up legally bound to buy  something that they're not sure they want.

As a bidder, I also play the game with the other bidders.   Many people  believe that others bid to even numbers such as 100, 150, 200.  Believing this, they will bid or set their proxies to 101.25 or 200.75  to just edge out the competition.

Since I frequently bid early and high, I sometimes see others "feeling out" my bid.  For example, a fair price for a nice SB-102 with HP23 PS and SB-600 speaker might be $200.  Some folk might proxy bid $200.50.

I've seen others bidding 166, 171, 181, trying to edge above me.

I don't bid 200.50.  I bid 197.  What happens then is that if someone else wins the bid, they pay top dollar.   I win fewer items but tend to pay less than average.  All that means is that I have to participate in more auctions.

Since the "round number" for an SB-102 w/ PS is about $200. If there is a bidding war, hey, YOU can have it.

If it turns out that $197 is a winning bid,  very likely no one has run the price up anywhere near close to $200.  Very likely, I'll get it for $150.

It's strategy.

Odd numbers on the high side of the "round number" win more bids but tends to pay much more than odd numbers on the low side of the "round  number".

Odd numbers on the low side win far fewer bids but when they do, it's because no one else was bidding.

The reason to set the number close to the "round number" is that if the SB-102 w/ PS is about to close at $110, guaranteed that someone will try to steal it for 115, 121, 126, 131, 150.25 near the last minute.

In that case, my proxy of 197 will dishearten them.   I don't know what their maximum bid will be.  If I knew it was $150.25, sure, I could set my proxy to $155.   But I don't know that.  I don't know that it's 160.75 either.  $197 covers the class of all bottom feeders.

What is very unlikely to happen is that someone will bid 196, push my proxy to my maximum without taking the item.

It's strategy.  I pay tend to pay less but win fewer auctions (which is OK since there are hundreds going at any moment in the Heathkit category)  They tend to win more auctions but pay more (which is nice for the sellers.)

You're not going to "steal" an item, such as an SB-102 w/PS for half price.  There are enough bottom feeders (and shills) around to prevent that.  You can get bargains if you are patient but expect to pay a fair price.

The sellers who know their item, the SB-102 w/PS, is worth $200 but attempt to manipulate the auction by setting an opening bid at $150, a reserve at $200 or a buy-it-now at $350, are kidding themselves.

The right opening for the SB-102 is ONE Dollar.   A low opening causes more people to bid and get excited about the item.  Very likely, I and the other bottom feeders will be there to bid it up to $138.  If I feel I really, really need an SB-102, I will bid higher.   You want to have lots of people bidding.

I tend to ignore reserves except that if it is above my low-end price, I'll drop out of the bidding.  All it means is that you don't really want to sell it.

If you bother to put a buy-it-now on the SB-102 w/PS, don't get rediculous. A fair high number is $275 or there abouts unless you have an exceptional unit.

As a "fixer", I prefer to buy "guarenteed dead on arrival, if the unit starts to work with 48 hours of receipt, return it for a full refund."  I've noticed that others are attracted to these DOA radios.  In some cases, they bid the DOAs to close to the average price for a good radio.

While some of this is bidders getting caught up in the spirit of the auction,  something else might be going on.  A few people may believe, as I do, that boat anchor prices are at a low point and that this is the time to buy and refurb them.   DOA's are attractive because they sell for slightly less than known-good radios.   For "fixers", the fun is taking a broken radio, finding the bad parts, cleaning it up, and bringing it to better-than-new operating condition.

There will never be another Hallicrafters and SX-115s will never be made again.   All the Heathkit SB-303s that will ever be, exist now.  If you want one, you have to buy it from a current owner.

Future issues of Heathstuff/Boatanchors will carry articles on the AADE counter, reversable upgrades to the SB series, using a monitor scope with the SB-303, super feet, stainless steel hardware, testing SB-303 #4 the dual cascaded SSB filter radio, the ultimate boatanchor - Signal/One, fixing the SB-104A, No PL in boatanchor HTs, test equipment old and new, the Tektronix digital LCD scope, frequency counters, DMMs, retailers, cleaning boatanchors, crystal calibrator, repainting the green,  and more.