HELLO HEATHKIT

True confession—I have never built a Heathkit. Growing up in Victoria, my friends and I would travel downtown on Saturdays to the old Shaver Shop on lower Yates Street, or to Radio Shack (now The Source) and check out all the cool stuff. Problem was, I don’t solder—tried it in metalwork with a soldering block with little success—and using electrical soldering guns was even harder. In those days, kit assembly involved all sorts of soldering, especially  in tube units. Others, however, had the knack—many of my high school friends were genius kit assemblers. Personally, coming-of-age in the mid-1970s, people of all sorts and ages found Heathkit assembly projects enjoyable and affordable. Some built clocks and other household devices; some attempted to assemble mid-fi audio systems (video was then out of reach); and the most adventurous assembled and used radio equipment including Citizen Band and Ham gear. I was so envious.

I was reminded of such hobbies a couple of weeks ago when Heathkit discovered me on Facebook. Heaven knows how or why the social media algorithms connected us both. A delightful post included the picture above accompanied by enthusiastic comments such as:

“I built my first Heathkit at age 14 in 1955: an AT-1 Ham Transmitter. I had earned the money from my paper route. Dad gave me a Hallicrafters S-38A for my receiver. I stretched a long wire antenna and used an old broadcast radio condenser as an antenna tuner. I later built a Heathkit DX-35 CW & AM transmitter and VFO when I got my General Class license a year later.”

Now there’s an enthusiast; he (I assume) knows not only the model numbers but the machinery as well. And he still has the equipment and it still works. That’s sustainability-award stuff. Another writes:

“Right there with you. Finally saved up enough paper-route money to buy a DX-20 (1961). It seemed like all the money in the world. Later came an SX-110. I would not trade the memories for anything.”

Ah the memories, of a world before colour television and mobile phones, life before iPads, and Fitbits. Yes Virginia, there was life before Google and Facebook—and it was fun. Middle-class children of the 1950s enjoyed an expanding world of entertainment, technology, and opportunity. But who bore the cost of these enterprises? Many commenters talked about earning money from delivering newspapers (remember collecting?) or cutting lawns. Point was that in those days, you earned your entertainment. Girls baby-sat or roller skated around the A&W car stalls—this was the era before McDonalds though Tastee Freez and Dairy Queen fed the masses. Others set pins at the bowling alley, or collected tickets at the movie theatre. Some pumped gas, and others joined cadet groups. Basically, if you wanted fun stuff, you had to fund it.

Admittedly nostalgic, it was refreshing to hear the stories of folks now in their seventies who remember days of good work and pleasant society. (The influence of “golden-age” memorializing noted.) I am a bit foggy on this, but I think our kids supported their interests and activity in various ways. I do hear,  however, from some of my sixty-something acquaintances that things have changed. At a recent diner party, a chorus of complaint regarding privileged younger generations erupted with surprising force. I will say that I have experienced my fair share of unhelpful service in the past, mostly from younger folks who obviously lack adequate training, support, encouragement, or compensation—or is their apparent  lackadaisical attitude something generational or genetic? Time will tell.

Imagine my delight when one afternoon I took refuge with Juno in the Penticton Staples computer department. After many staff greeted Juno, one clerk reached out to provide consumer assistance. After  explaining my presence—and giving assurance that I was a regular customer but simply needed a cool refuge, he was very thoughtful and helpful with two particular technical challenges. He was motivated, responsive, informed, and cordial. Win/win I say!

So back to Heathkit. I thought the brand and product line disappeared years ago. Not true, as their website (and a T-shirt) attest:

“We’re Heathkit. We invented DIY. It’s a great job, but someone has to do it. Ever since Ed Heath built his first airplane in 1906, Heath Company has brought you products you can be proud to build and own. We continue in that fine tradition unabated.”

“We invented DIY.” Love it! Take that Home Depot. A pox on your house IKEA. We were there in the beginning, and plan to stay for the future. For those willing to pick up a (soldering) gun—though likely the tool of choice now is a very small screwdriver or a pain of snap-in thumbs—the future is, once again, yours.

Signing out, XM13–9723 TR 1Z3, from my PC Pro mucho-fasto CPU with BT keyboard (which works most of the time).