[vcf-midatlantic] History-of article on Heathkit, must-read

[madodel]

On 12/7/20 17:24, Mike Loewen via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Dec 2020, Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
>
>> https://www.electronicdesign.com/communiqu/article/21148923/electronic-design-heathkit-an-employees-look-back 
>>
>
>    Thanks, Herb. In my younger days, I used to drool over the Heathkit 
> catalog and later was able to build some kits in the '70s. IP-2718 triple 
> output power supply (which I still use), IT-3120 FET/Transistor tester, 
> IG-5218 Sine/Square wave generator, and a GDA-405-D 8-channel R/C 
> transmitter for my father. The first kit I built though, was a Knight-Kit 
> Star Roamer short wave receiver (tubes). The Heathkit manuals were 
> outstanding.
>
>    I wasn't able to afford any of the Heath computer gear back then, but 
> I now have H8 and Z90 computers, and a H19 terminal.


I'll have to pull my H150 out of the basement and see if it still boots. I 
used to love reading through the Heath magazines to see what amazing kits 
they had. I had built a few simple kits so thought I could tackle a 
computer kit and save some money. When I opened the box for the H150 and 
saw spools of resisters, sticks of chips and naked boards I almost had a 
stroke, but with Heath store's help I got it running and it was my computer 
for several years and got me a job supporting a hospital  groups PC rollout 
because I was the only one in the IT department that had my own computer.


Mark