Heathkit IG/IT Madness - Is old better?

[w5hro]

I’m currently going through and reconditioning some old Heathkit IG/IT test equipment that I recently found on ebay; IG-42 Lab Generator, IG-72 Audio Generator and the IT-22 Capacitor Tester.

I have always preferred using modern equipment because of things like better frequency stability, etc. However, what I have discovered for example is that the IG-42 is almost rock solid for frequency stability. After it warms up I can set it to its maximum output frequency of 30Mc. Using a digital frequency counter I can set the generator to 30.0000 (4 decimal places) and only the last digit will flicker from 0 to 1. It’s pretty darn amazing

One of the other issues is that most modern test equipment is designed for very low load impedances, 50-ohms for RF generators and 600-ohms for Audio generators and low-voltage for Capacitor testers, etc. It’s always an obstacle. Since the old IG and IT stuff is for high impendence loads and high voltage it completely solves those problems.

Has anyone had any experience with the Heathkit IG and IT stuff before? Have you discovered any of what I have mentioned?

Also, does anyone have electronic copies of the IG-42 and IG-72 generators. I have the schematics, but not the complete manuals?


              IG-72          IT-22           IG-42

[w3jn]

Brian, looking at the schematic for the IG-42 it looks like the attentuator's designed for 50 ohms.  Am I missing something?

[Jim, W5JO]

Brian sometime back a guy claimed to have bought the copyrights to all Heath manuals.  He then set about telling everyone to quit providing the manuals even for free.  You may find someone with them who can personally copy them for you, but I doubt it. 

Some years back I took a Heath manual to a copy place and they refused to make one for me claiming the copyright would not allow it.  This was even though the manual was in public domain but there is no way you will ever win that discussion with a clerk.

So if you don't find one the only place I know that has those manuals that will make you a copy is Vintage Manuals.  It is the former W7FG Vintage Manuals and is now located in Batesville, IN.

[Jim, W5JO]

Gary passed away some months back.  He sold the manual business a few years ago but kept the Ladder Line business.  After his death his widow sold the Ladder Line/Antenna business to the same guy who bought the manual business.

Ever since the copyright discussion, I have not seen anyone shoot any Heath manuals around.  Good luck.  The only thing I have seen open on the Internet are the diagrams.

[w3jn]

The resistors in the step attenuator are in circuit regardless of the position of the attenuator, apparently to provide 50 ohms impedance at the output of the generator.  Wonder why they would mention terminating the end of the cable with any resistor?  That's not general practice.

[w3jn]

Yeah, without that resistor network connected looks like it'd be abt 300 ohms output impedance.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Gary passed away some months back.  He sold the manual business a few years ago but kept the Ladder Line business.  After his death his widow sold the Ladder Line/Antenna business to the same guy who bought the manual business.

I thought Charles Redding, K5JYB, Dewey, OK, bought the ladder line business. That's where you're redirected when you search W7FG ladder line. Gary's manual business was actually bought by a person in New York and the people in IN (family member) run it.

[Jim, W5JO]

I thought Charles Redding, K5JYB, Dewey, OK, bought the ladder line business. That's where you're redirected when you search W7FG ladder line. Gary's manual business was actually bought by a person in New York and the people in IN (family member) run it.

May by the case now Pete I don't know.

[KD6VXI]

Gary went into the manual and other business in the early 1990’s because he knew his job at Philips Petroleum would be coming to an end and he needed some kind of income when it happened. I actually worked for the guys (a certain product line division) when they left Phillips and opened up shop in Tulsa. We had a radio controlled data acquisition system used to find oil. I was involved in the system’s new design after they left Phillips in Bartlesville. We were eventually taken over by the other Geoscience company down in Houston called Sercel. It was a French company.

Small world.  I worked in Ponca City, at Conoco when DuPont owned them.

I was there on contract from... Houston, Tx!  6 months spent in a pretty raggedy town.  Not much to do, as I remember.  I ended up building a 4x4 truck out of sheer boredom

--Shane

[Jim, W5JO]

Gary sold almost all of his boatanchor equipment long before he died Brian.  I don't recall who bought the desk but he was using a Flex 5000 with an amp.

Gary was 60 when he died and suffered a heart attack while traveling.  He was overnight in Henryetta, TX in his motorhome when it happened and he didn't make it to the hospital.  He stayed with Phillips and retired from there about 2 years ago.  He sold the manual business  before he retired but kept the ladder line business.  If you want more specific dates, you might ask Pete he seems to know a lot.

A couple of people tried to pull the "I bought the copyrights to Heath Manuals" on him but it didn't work.  I know you can still get them at Vintage Manuals but don't know if the owner made any specific arrangements.  They are off BAMA because Ken didn't want to fight a legal battle to provide something for free.  Can't say I blame him.

[Jim, W5JO]

Given what I know about the manual thing, I wouldn't buy from that guy.  Gary's old business has both the IG 42 and 72 for 18 and 20 dollars.  The guy in Calif is not a ham.

[KC4VWU]

Hi,
      I have the IT-28 Cap checker and with re-capping (ironic huh?) re-tubing, and a thorough cleaning, I was really amazed at how well it worked. Pretty much dead on considering the dial resolution.
       Even though I have several tube sig gennies (not inclusive of Heathkit brand though), my vote is for the solid state versions.
Phil KC4VWU

[Jim, W5JO]

Wayne/N0TE is still active some in the morning along with several other KS and MO hams.  Ted/KC3OL hasn't been on MF/HF in several years, he is into Lofer.  Pat (ex-WG5M I can't think of his call at the moment) is in Oklahoma City working for some Avionics shop but is not on the air.  I saw him a couple years back and he married a gal from Honduras which means he owns a home there.  They spend as much time there as they can.  I don't know of any heart problems Pat had but he is as busy as always, just not in radio.

I haven't heard Don/PW in quite a while so can't tell you anything about him.  Jim Lemar/W5NBC, ex-KE5RC is mostly on SSB.  Scotty/K5SPE is back on the air now with his 2X833 modulated by 2X833.  He has been off air for about 5 years.  If you can remember calls, ask I will try to remember. 

There is a web site that will give you many of the historic calls along with current info.  It is http://www.vanityhq.com/

[Jim, W5JO]

Scotty sold the newspaper and retired to his ranch about 4 years back.  He has a large herd of cattle that he raises and he bought a water well drilling rig.  He spent some time drilling water wells for friends and neighbors.

He also got back in to flying and bought a Cessna 172 that he flew around for a couple of years.  I don't know if he is till doing that.  His son is on the air from Austin, TX and they talk frequently.

Jim/K5BAI is still on the air along with Bud/K5JDU and they are still running the audio gain in the far right hand position.  They both can sound so bad that I have a hard time understanding them.  Jim/W0NKL is doing fine and moved into a downtown building is Ft. Scott, KS.

[SA7AUY]

Hi !

I am a new member of this forum. I have both the IG-42 (http://www.heathkit.nu/heathkit_nu_IG-42.html) and the predecessor of the IT-22, the CT-1 (http://www.heathkit.nu/heathkit_nu_CT-1.html).
I don't have the manuals but maybe a visit to my web-site will give some extended information.

SA7AUY, Hans
http://www.heathkit.nu/