Reference

This volume collects the data behind the History: a master table of Heath’s amateur-radio kits, a chart of the linear amplifiers, counts of the amateur line by catalogue, the catalogues used and their hosting data, and the sources.

6.1 How the table was built

The table was compiled from the text layers of about 55 Heath catalogues and flyers on World Radio History, from 1950 to 1991, with OCR of the five scans that have no text layer (Fall–Winter 1961, March 1962, 810/73, Spring 1988 and Summer 1990) and of the 1953 summer flyer. For each model number the first and last catalogue in which it appears was recorded, and the launch price was read from the first catalogue that prints one. Three cautions apply.

• Years are “in the catalogue by”. A catalogue is printed months before its season, and there are gaps in the surviving scans: no general catalogue for 1953, 1957, 1960 or 1964 with a usable text layer, and nothing between Spring 1988 and Summer 1990. Where the survey has a gap, the years were taken from Bob Eckweiler’s Heathkit of the Month or the Nostalgic Kits Central model matrix, and are marked †.
• Prices are the first found, not always the launch price. Where the first price found is from a later catalogue, its year is given in brackets. Heath raised prices through the 1970s and cut them at clearance; the kit dives give full price histories for the DX-100, SB-301/SB-401, SB-102, SB-104A and HW-101.
• Several catalogue files are misdated. The flyer filed as “Summer 1951” is from mid-1953 (it cites QST for May 1953); the file “1963 Supplement 80-33” also contains the March 1966 supplement 800/62; and “1963 Fall-Winter 81-30” is the 1962–63 catalogue, with prices effective 15 August 1962. The dates here are corrected.

A dash means no price was found in the catalogues examined. Dives on this site are linked in the last column.

6.2 Master model table

6.2.1 HF transmitters

Table 1 — HF transmitters

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found	Dive
AT-1	Novice CW transmitter; 6AG7, 6L6, 5U4G; 35 W input; 80–10 m	1953–1956	$29.50
DX-100	AM/CW, 160–10 m; two 6146, 1625 modulators; built-in VFO	1955–1958	$189.50	DX-100
DX-100B	Restyled DX-100, chassis ready for SB-10	1958–1960	$189.50 (1959)	DX-100
DX-35	Phone/CW, one 6146, 65 W CW input	1956–1957	$56.95
DX-20	CW, 6DQ6A sweep-tube final, 50 W	1957†–1960	$35.95 (1958)
DX-40	Phone/CW, 75 W, Novice limit	1958–1960	$64.95
TX-1 “Apache”	AM/CW, 150 W phone, 180 W CW; EL34 modulators	1959–1964	$229.50
SB-10	Phasing-type SSB adapter for TX-1 and DX-100	1959–1964	$89.95
VHF-1 “Seneca”	6 and 2 m AM/CW transmitter	1959–1962	$179.95 (1961)
MT-1 “Cheyenne”	Mobile AM/CW, 90 W, 80–10 m	1959–1962	$99.95 (Gilmore); $105.95 (1962)
DX-60, DX-60A, DX-60B	Phone/CW, 90 W, grid-block keying	1961–1976	$82.95
HX-11	CW, 50 W, built-in low-pass filter	1961–1963	$43.50
HX-10 “Marauder”	Filter-type SSB/AM/CW/FSK, 180 W PEP	1962–1965	$334.95
HX-20	SSB mobile transmitter, 90 W PEP	1962–1964	$199.95
HX-30	6 m SSB transmitter	1963–1965	$189.95
SB-400	SSB/CW, 180 W PEP; LMO	1964–1966	$325.00 (1965)	SB-301/401
SB-401	SB-400 revised; transceive switch; crystals optional	1966–1975	$285.00	SB-301/401
HX-1681	Solid-state CW transmitter, matches HR-1680	1979–1982	$249.95

6.2.2 HF receivers

Table 2 — HF receivers

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found	Dive
AR-2	General coverage 535 kHz–35 MHz, “companion” to the AT-1	1953–1955	$25.50
AR-3	General coverage 550 kHz–30 MHz	1956–1963	$27.95
RX-1 “Mohawk”	Ham-band double-conversion, 160–10 m, SSB	1959–1964	$274.95
MR-1 “Comanche”	Mobile receiver, 80–10 m	1959–1962	$119.95 (Gilmore)
HR-10, HR-10B	Basic ham-band receiver, matches DX-60	1961–1975	$82.95
HR-20	SSB mobile receiver	1962–1964	$134.50
SB-300	SSB receiver, LMO, first of the SB line	1963–1966	$264.95	SB-301/401
SB-301	SB-300 revised; RTTY, WWV	1966–1970	$260.00	SB-301/401
SB-303	Solid-state SB receiver	1970–1976	$319.95	SB-301/401
SB-310, SB-313	Shortwave-listener versions of SB-301, SB-303	1967–1975	$249.00 (1968)
HR-1680	Solid-state SSB/CW receiver	1977–1983	$199.95

6.2.3 HF transceivers

Table 3 — HF transceivers

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found	Dive
HW-12, HW-22, HW-32	”Singlebander” SSB, 75/40/20 m, 200 W PEP input	1963–1966	$119.95
HW-12A, HW-22A, HW-32A	Singlebanders with selectable sideband	1966–1974	about $99 (Gilmore)
SB-100	First SB transceiver, tube LMO	1965–1967	$360.00	SB-102
SB-101	Front-panel CW filter switch	1967–1970	$370.00	SB-102
SB-102	Solid-state LMO	1970–1974	$380.00	SB-102
HW-16	Novice CW transceiver, 80/40/15 m	1967–1976	$99.50 (1968)
HW-100	Five-band HW, cost-reduced SB-101	1968–1971	$240.00 (1969)	HW-101
HW-18-1, -2, -3	Two-channel SSB for CAP, MARS, 160 m	1968–1972	$109.95 (1969)
HW-101	HW-100 revised; 13 years in the catalogue	1970–1983	$249.95 (1971)	HW-101
HW-7	QRP CW, 40/20/15 m, 3 W input	1972–1977	$69.95
SB-104	All solid state, digital readout, 100 W	1974–1977	$669.95	SB-104A
HW-104	SB-104 without counter	1975–1977	$539.95	SB-104A
HW-8	QRP CW, 80–15 m, direct conversion	1976–1983	$129.95
SB-104A	Revised SB-104, factory-built front end	1977–1982	$669.95	SB-104A
SS-9000	Synthesised HF with WARC; assembled only	1982–1985	$2,795
HW-5400	Synthesised HF kit with WARC; last Heath HF design	1983–1985	$699.95
HW-9	QRP CW, broadband, RIT; WARC with HWA-9	1984–1991	$249.95
HW-99	Novice CW, 45 W, built-in supply	1985–1987	$299.95
SB-1400	Yaesu FT-747GX in Heath livery; assembled	1988†–1991	$799.95 (1990)

6.2.4 VHF

Table 4 — VHF

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found	Dive
HW-19 “Tenner”	10 m AM “lunchbox” transceiver	1960†–1962	$39.95 (1961)
HW-29, HW-29A “Sixer”	6 m AM lunchbox	1960†–1971	$44.95 (1961)
HW-30 “Twoer”	2 m AM lunchbox	1960†–1971	$44.95 (1961)
HW-10 “Shawnee”	6 m AM/CW transceiver with VFO	1961–1965	$199.95
HW-20 “Pawnee”	2 m AM/CW transceiver with VFO	1961–1965	$199.95
HA-20	6 m linear amplifier, 125 W PEP	1963–1965	$99.95
SB-110, SB-110A	6 m SSB/CW transceiver, SB style	1965–1971	$320.00	SB-102
HW-17, HW-17A	2 m AM transceiver	1968–1971	$129.95 (1969)
SB-500	2 m transverter for the SB line	1969–1971	$179.95 (1971)
HW-202	2 m FM, six crystal channels, 10 W	1973–1978	$179.95 (1975)
HA-201, HA-201A	2 m amplifier, about 10 W	1975–1983	$39.95 (1975)
HA-202, HA-202A	2 m amplifier, 40 W	1974–1984	$69.95 (1975)
HW-2021	2 m handheld, 1 W, five channels, autopatch	1975–1977	—
HW-2026	Synthesised 2 m; recalled December 1975	1975	$289.95
HW-2036, HW-2036A	Synthesised 2 m, replaced HW-2026	1976–1980	$269.95 (1977)
VF-2031	Synthesised 2 m handheld	1978–1984	—
VF-7401	Scanning 2 m transceiver	1981–1983	—
HW-6502	2 m handheld; assembled	1986	$199.95
HW-24	VHF/UHF twin-band transceiver; assembled	1990–1991	$599.95

6.2.5 HF linear amplifiers

Table 5 — HF linear amplifiers

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found	Dive
KL-1 “Chippewa”	Two 4-400A; needs KS-1 supply	1959†–1961	—
HA-10 “Warrior”	Four 811A; supply built in	1961–1965	$229.95
SB-200	Two 572B; 1,200 W PEP; supply built in	1964–1978	$200.00 (1965)
HA-14 “Kompact Kilowatt”	Two 572B; 7 lb; external HP-14 or HP-24	1965–1968	$99.95
SB-220	Two 3-500Z; 2,000 W PEP	1969–1978	$349.95
SB-230	One 8873, conduction-cooled	1974–1978	$319.95
SB-201	SB-200 without 10 m (FCC, 1978)	1978–1983	$429.95 (1979)
SB-221	SB-220 without 10 m	1978–1983	$579.95
HL-2200	Two 3-500Z; SS-9000 styling	1983–1985	$849.95
SB-1000	One 3-500Z, 1,000 W out	1987–1991	$739.95

6.2.6 Station accessories

Table 6 — Station accessories

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found
VF-1	VFO, 160–10 m, for AT-1 and DX series	1954†–1961	$19.50
AC-1	Antenna coupler for the AT-1	1953–1961	$14.50
QF-1	Q-multiplier for 450–460 kHz IFs	1956–1960	$9.95
VX-1	Electronic voice control	1957†–1960	$23.95 (1959)
CA-1	Conelrad alarm	1957†–1960	$13.95 (1959)
B-1	Balun coil	1957†–1963	$8.95 (1959)
HG-10, HG-10B	VFO, 80–2 m, matches DX-60	1961–1976	$34.95
HD-11	Q-multiplier, replaced QF-1	1961–1966	—
HD-19, HD-15	Hybrid phone patches	1961–1983	$24.95 (HD-15)
HO-10	Station monitor scope	1962–1966	$59.95
HO-13	Panadapter for RX-1 and others	1964–1966	—
HP-23 series	AC supply for SB and HW transceivers	1963–1979	$39.95
HP-13 series	Mobile DC supply for SB and HW transceivers	1963–1979	$59.95
SB-600	Speaker, room for HP-23 inside	1966–1975	$17.95
SB-610	Signal monitor scope	1966–1974	$69.95 (1967)
SB-620	”Scanalyzer” panadapter	1967–1975	$119.95 (1969)
SB-630	Station console: clock, timer, SWR, patch	1967–1974	$74.95
SB-640	External LMO for SB-101 and SB-102	1968–1971	$99.00
SB-650	Nixie digital frequency display	1972–1975	$179.95
SB-604, SB-614, SB-634, SB-644/644A	Speaker, monitor, console, remote VFO for SB-104	1974–1983	$29.95, $139.95, $179.95, $119.95
HP-1144, PS-1144	AC supply for SB-104	1974–1982	$89.95
HO-5404	Station monitor	1985–1988	$249.95

6.2.7 Test and measurement

Table 7 — Test and measurement

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found
GD-1, GD-1A, GD-1B	Grid-dip meter; Heath’s first ham product	1952–1960	$19.50
AM-1	Antenna impedance meter	1953–1960	$14.50
AM-2	Reflected power (SWR) meter	1957†–1962	$15.95 (1959)
CO-1	Code-practice oscillator	1959–1967	$7.95 (1962)
HD-20	100 kHz crystal calibrator	1960†–1975	—
HN-31 “Cantenna”	1 kW oil-cooled dummy load	1961–1983	$9.95
HM-10, HM-10A	”Tunnel Dipper”, transistor dip meter	1961–1970	$34.95
HM-11	SWR meter	1962–1966	$15.95
HM-15	SWR meter in low SB-style cabinet	1966–1971	$14.95
HM-102	HF wattmeter, 2 kW	1970–1981	$29.95 (1971)
HM-2102	VHF wattmeter	1973–1981	$34.95 (1975)
HD-1250	Solid-state dip meter	1975–1991	—
HM-2140	Dual-reading HF wattmeter	1979–1991	—
HN-31A	Redesigned Cantenna	1983–1991	$24.95
HM-9	QRP wattmeter	1983–1991	$49.95

6.2.8 Tuners, keyers and data

Table 8 — Tuners, keyers and data

Model	Description	In the catalogue	First price found
HD-10	Electronic keyer	1965–1974	$39.95 (1966)
HD-1410	Electronic keyer	1975–1984	$49.95
SA-2040	Antenna tuner, 2 kW PEP	1979–1983	$139.95 (1980)
SA-2060, SA-2060A	Deluxe tuner with wattmeter	1981–1991	$254.95
SA-5010	”µMatic” memory keyer	1981–1991	$97.95
HFT-9	QRP antenna tuner	1983–1991	$54.95
HD-8999	”UltraPro” CW keyboard	1983–1988	$249.95
SA-2500	Automatic antenna tuner	1984–1987	$599.95
HD-3030	RTTY terminal unit	1984–1987	$249.95
HD-4040	Packet terminal node controller	1985–1987	$299.95 (OCR)
HK-232	”Pack-Kit” multi-mode TNC	1987–1991	$279.95
HK-21	Pocket packet controller; assembled	1988–1991	$219.95
HD-1780	”Intellirotor” rotator controller	1990–1991	$279.95

6.3 The size of the line, catalogue by catalogue

The number of distinct amateur model numbers (radios, amplifiers, accessories and supplies, not counting sub-models such as crystal packs) found in each catalogue’s text is a rough measure of the line’s size. The count depends on the quality of each scan’s text layer and on the size of the catalogue, so flyers and small supplements count low; the full catalogues are more comparable. Gilmore’s independent counts are 9 amateur products in 1956, 29 in 1961 and 44 in 1970 (EEJournal, parts 1–3).

Table 9 — The size of the line, catalogue by catalogue

Catalogue	Amateur models found
Winter 1954 flyer	3
1956	8
1959	11
May 1961	16
1962–63 (81-30)	28
May 1963	33
1966	25
1969	37
1971	42
Christmas 1975	41
Fall 1977	34
1980 (No. 848)	36
Christmas 1982	31
Fall 1983	26
Fall 1985	21
Fall 1987	24
Spring 1988	21
Winter 1991	about 21

The line grew fastest between 1959 and 1963, reached its largest in the early 1970s, and fell by about half between 1975 and 1985, when Heath stopped developing new amateur equipment.

6.4 Catalogues used, and hosting data

Under the site’s manuals decision, catalogues and flyers count as advertising and are hosted in the Reference Library only if they are likely to be in the public domain: published before 1964 with no renewal found, or published without a copyright notice before 1 March 1989. The table records what was checked for this dive. “Notice in text layer” means a copyright line was found by searching the scan’s text; “none found” is not a visual check of every page, and must be confirmed by eye before any title is hosted. No renewal searches were made for this dive.

Table 10 — Catalogues used, and hosting data

Catalogue (World Radio History file)	Actual date	Notice in text layer	Basis for hosting
Heathkit-1950-09	September 1950	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1951-01-January-Flyer	January 1951	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1951-09-September-Flyer	September 1951	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1951-Summer-Flyer	summer 1953 (misfiled)	no text layer; OCR found none	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-Catalog-1952	1952	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1954-Winter-Flyer	winter 1954	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1955-Winter-Flyer, -1955-Fall-Flyer	1955	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1956, -1956-Summer-Flyer, -1956-Flyer-Christmas	1956	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit 1958 (Allied)	1958	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-Catalog-1959	1959	”Copyright 1958, Heath”	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1961-May	May 1961	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1961-Fall-Winter	1961–62	OCR found none	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1962-March	March 1962	OCR found none	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1963-Fall-Winter-81-30	1962–63 (misfiled)	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1963-May	May 1963	”COPYRIGHT 1963, HEATH”	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1963-80-34	late 1963	none found	pre-1964; renewal search needed
Heathkit-1963-Supplement-80-33	1963, bound with 800/62 of March 1966	800/62: “COPYRIGHT 1966, HEATH”	1963 part: renewal search needed; 1966 part: link only
Heathkit-1965-March-800-53	March 1965	”Copyright 1965, Heath”	link only
Heathkit-1966, -1967, -1968, -1969, -1971 (Allied)	1965–70	”Copyright 1965” to “Copyright 1970”	link only
Heathkit-1967-June, Heathkit-Winter-1970	1967, 1970	none found	notice check by eye needed
Heathkit-1972-810-72	August 1971	none found	notice check by eye needed
Heathkit-1973-810-73	August 1972	”Copyright 1972, Heath”	link only
Christmas 1975 to Winter 1991 (23 files)	1975–1990	none found in any text layer	notice check by eye needed; if none, pre-1989 files qualify

6.5 Other documents cited

No assembly manuals were consulted for this dive; the manual editions of the five flagship rigs are listed in their own dives’ Reference volumes. The principal non-catalogue sources are:

• Eckweiler, Bob (AF6C). Heathkit of the Month, Orange County Amateur Radio Club, 2008–2026. Articles used: #3 DX-40 · #10 MR-1/MT-1 · #11 HR-20/HX-20 · #14 RX-1 · #17 TX-1 · #20 HN-31 · #21 HD-4040 · #25 AT-1 · #30 SB line · #33 SB-200 · #49 SB-220 · #58 HA-14 · #70 HW-12/22/32 · #79 VF-1 · #97 SA-2040 · #111 HW-2026 · #132 HR-10 · #A06 Penson review
• Leibson, Steven, with Chas Gilmore, Chuck Penson and Terry Perdue. “‘H’ is for Heathkits and Hams”, parts 1–4. EEJournal. 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
• Brueschke, Erich, and Michael Mack. “The History of the Heath Companies and Heathkits: 1909 to 2019.” The AWA Review 32 (2019). Internet Archive
• Penson, Chuck (WA7ZZE). “Heathkit’s 50th: The Green Turns to Gold.” 1997. Heathkit Virtual Museum
• Nostalgic Kits Central, Heathkit alphabetic model matrix. Link
• Heathkit Virtual Museum, “Heath Hams.” Link

Sources

• World Radio History, Heathkit catalogues index. Link. Individual files are linked in the volumes where they are cited.
• The sources listed under “Other documents cited” above.
• Site dives: DX-100 · SB-301/SB-401 · SB-102 · SB-104A · HW-101 · company history