[NSRCA-discussion] Heathkits

Mon Jun 22 14:18:42 AKDT 2009

I had a used GD-17 and also built a GDA-19 when I was 16.  The GD-17 had
Bonner sticks and had a large, 2 deck metal cased receiver that was fairly
heavy even by late 60's standards. Not too reliable because of intermittent
receiver problems, but the rest of it was fine.   I didn't think it was a
Kraft design, but maybe it was.  Servos were Kraft KPS-9 cases, with
electronics that I think were probably Kraft or very closely derived from
Kraft.  The RF section was apparently a Heathkit design, and as for the
encoder electronics, I always assumed it was influenced by Kraft, of was
designed for them by Kraft, but was not necessarily a direct copy.

The GD-19 was on 72 Mhz and had the closed gimbal Kraft sticks, with what
appeared to be a Heath RF section and encoder.  Again, maybe derived from or
done by Kraft?  The receiver was Heathkit designed and really kicked butt
for its day.  It was single conversion, with a ceramic filter IF amplifier
and If I remember right, it used a series of SCS (silicon controlled
switches) in the decoder.  It was very selective for a single conversion
receiver, and very sensitive too.  In fact, several of us who flew at
Mitchell Field in Hempstead, NY were able to fly in an interference
environment caused by a local UHF TV transmitter (right off the corner of
the runway) that was close enough and strong enough to make a servo
connected to just a battery jitter if you held it up and moved it around a
little bit.  Kraft was sending engineers out to Mitchell to figure out why
their Series 7x stuff was crashing, while the Heathkits were impervious.
(Other brands had trouble too).  Several of us even demonstrated that we
could fly with the antenna up only one stage (obviously we only did this at
a safe altitude and with a helper ready to extend it if control was lost).
Heck of a radio for 1971.  

They eventually came out with some really nice IC based servos in the
KPS-11, KPS-12 and I suppose other Kraft cases.  I never built any of their
later radios, but a lot of local guys did and they just worked great.  I
miss those days.

Ed

From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of steve hannah
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 4:24 PM
To: General pattern discussion
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Heathkits

My Dad is Bill Hannah, who used to be the VP of Engineering for Heath
Company.  He was the one that introduced the RC equipment into the Heath
lineup.  As a kid I built A LOT of Heathkits.  I learned how to debug all
sorts of electronic problems and lead to my engineering career.  Of course,
I learned to fly on Heathkit radios.  

Heath radios were a kit version of the Kraft radios.  They had some of their
own designs in the later years as well.  

I believe the engineer you are talking about is Mike Geishin (SP?).  I'm not
sure of his exact title when he was at Heath, but he was instrumental in
their radio designs.  He flew with my Dad back in the day.

By the way, I still have the Heath stereo system I built when I was in high
school.  It survived the endless torment I subjected it to in my college
years.  Good stuff.

Steve Hannah.

On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 12:51 PM, <ronlock at comcast.net> wrote:

I'm still using a Heath ESV, one of the few that does single nicads.

Though, I have not found much use for the timing light for a while -  <VBG>

Ron Lockhart

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Atwood" <atwoodm at paragon-inc.com>
To: "General pattern discussion" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 3:37:44 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Servo Signals

Agree on missing the stores and the kits.  That was my introduction to Elec.
Engineering and programming which has ended up putting a lot of food on my
table over the past 20 years.

-----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Pete Cosky
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 1:35 PM
To: General pattern discussion
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Servo Signals

I used to live at the Heathkit store in Pittsburgh when I was a kid. Never 
used their RC stuff but I did build one of their robots. I miss their kits.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "mike mueller" <mups1953 at yahoo.com>
To: "General pattern discussion" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Servo Signals

>
> Mark there's a guy Mike --- sorry I forgot his last name that comes to the

> contests that was an engineer for heathkit. He'll be at the Jim Hubbard 
> this weekend. I'll tell him you had a Heathkit he will get a kick out of 
> that. Mike
>
> --- On Mon, 6/22/09, Atwood, Mark <atwoodm at paragon-inc.com> wrote:
>
>> From: Atwood, Mark <atwoodm at paragon-inc.com>
>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Servo Signals
>> To: "'nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org'" 
>> <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>> Date: Monday, June 22, 2009, 12:13 PM
>> The old heathkit servos (mine anyway)
>> were kit versions of the Kraft K-15 servos.
>>
>> In fact the whole radio I believe was a Kraft design.
>> -Mark
>> --------------------------
>> Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
>> <nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org>
>> To: General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>> Sent: Mon Jun 22 13:06:18 2009
>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Servo Signals
>>
>>
>> Yes, as long as they are clean. That is the problem, it
>> depends on contact between two components and the friction
>> wears them out.
>>
>> I remember years ago that the large heathkit (and possibly
>> some Kraft) servos used variable capacitors for feedback.
>> not much to wear.
>>
>> Ok, Jay, how long ago were the "days" you were talking
>> about? :-)
>>
>> Bob R.
>>
>>
>> --- On Sun, 6/21/09, Jay Marshall <lightfoot at sc.rr.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> I remember from my days in control systems theory that the
>> analog computers were faster and more accurate than the IBM
>> big iron computers. Analog pots are still cheaper, lighter,
>> and higher resolution than digital encoders - as long as
>> they are clean.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
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