The Heath HW-99: A Ramblin' Radio

Curt Holsopple, K9CH

Back in March, 1986, QST published a Product Review of the Heathkit HW-99 CW transceiver. My wife Edie, NG1F, and I built and reviewed this rig. For a variety of reasons, the HW-99 was never a commercial success for Heath. I've only heard three or four of them on the air in the past ten years.

We've had a blast with this station-in-a-box, using it for Sweepstakes, Field Day and general operating at home or on the road. I added an internal speaker and an electronic keyer to help make the station more compact. Similarly, I taped the matching wattmeter and antenna tuner together to keep things tidy. An old yard-sale suitcase is used to transport this station. The suitcase has a pocket for holding the log book, spare pens, and a couple of antennas wound on spools.

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This article and color photos were contributed to the museum by the author, Curt Holsopple, K9CH. The article originally appeared in the January, 1996, issue of QST, the official journal of the American Radio Relay League (Vol. 80, No. 1, pp. 63). Reprinted with permission of the ARRL from QST magazine.