Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!dsinc!wells!k3tx
From: k3tx@wells.UUCP (Dave Heller)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: HeathKit Catalogue
Summary: more about heathkit
Message-ID: <894@wells.UUCP>
Date: 16 Jan 91 16:36:43 GMT
References: <37.2790F66B@egsgate.fidonet.org> <889@wells.UUCP>
Organization: Wells Computer Systems Corp., Levittown, Pa. 19058
Lines: 65

In article <889@wells.UUCP>, edw@wells.UUCP (Ed Wells) writes:
> 
>   No Heath is still in business, however, they have decided to go
> with just mail order and close there retail stores.  They lost my
> business.  I like the idea of looking at what I am buying before
> ordering it, being able to get parts locally, etc..  Let's face it,
> trying to get parts for equipment these days is getting to be
> more and more of a custom parts business and having a local
> source of parts is a big advantage.  Now that they are mail order,
> they fall into the same catagory as the rest (equal, no advantage).
> They're prices are not as cheap as other mail order houses and
> I feel that they have made a grave mistake in their future
> business planning.
> =========================================================================
> Edward E. Wells Jr., N3IAS, President		    Voice: (215)-943-6061



I guess, Ed, that you don't remember when Heath first
started it was ALL by mail from MI -- but the
difference was they had a lot of items that
just couldnt be had at a reasonable price
elsewhere.  
Like the $30 scopes that WORKED, varied very
nice VTVM's , all sorts of nice little
test equipment and generators, and the hama
equipment like the DX60, DX100 that were the
real standards of the industry.

Some others tried to compete, like EICO, which was
pretty crappy in comparison with Heath (they did have
a very nice GDO, however.), and Knight-kit, with such
items as their 180 Novice transmitter, which could have
been sold safely with a double-your-money-back guarantee
of WAS in 3 hours operation.  (Unfortunately, WAS-OO)

But for years Heath was THE big standard.  If you had
the money Collins was much better, so what else is new.]
Some Hallicrafter and Hammarlund was real nice, and still
is.

But then such things as Drake came around, not much more
expensive than the kits, and GOOD.

Then came the riceboxes and tremendous advertising budgets.
And all the gadgetry that cheapie microprocessors can produce
in a small space, plus so many knobs and pushbuttons you could  
find a new button to press every day.  In a few (not all) cases
they would actually receive and transmit better than the now-
antiqued standards such as HW-101, etc.  Never mind that the
prices were Heath x N - the ads sold them (must have been the
ads -- can't think of anything else.)

Heath put in its retail stores with plusses of seeing first and
local parts availability.  Service?  What for.  Hams fix theirx
own stuff remember.  Minus was the (advertised) increased cost,
partly offset by lesser shipping.

Heath was a wonderful era, but it's fading, and I'm sorry.

Now we have to rely on such local vendors as DG, who will demonstrate
before sale, have excellent prices and truly unbeatable warranties
and service.

PF