"Ed Price" wrote in message
news:c2nTb.11134$fD.5188@fed1read02...

"Phil Witt" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:17:39 -0600, "Brian Hill"
brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote:

Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth
so
much the way it is?



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73

Great question. I have agonized over what I would do if I had a good
unbuilt kit. Kind of like I agonize over what I am going to do with
the money when I win the lottery.

However, I think I would build it.

I suspect that building it would appeal most to the older guys, those who
built Heathkits in their teens. To them, the building of the kit brings a
complex mix of emotions and memories. Even the aroma of the parts within
the
bags leaves a life-long imprint; too bad Proust never built a Heathkit. In
those days, just accumulating the money to buy the kit was an exercise in
determination. Unless you saved every cent of your "discretionary income"
for 6 months to buy & build a Heathkit, you can't understand the
excitement
that a Heathkit could engender.

To younger guys, who grew up in an era of electronic parts abundance and
relatively cheaper consumer electronics items, I suppose a Heathkit is
just
a box of parts with an insane price tag.


Ed
WB6WSN


Sad but true! Kids today for the most part wouldn't have the patience to
build a kit. Hell, I bet many wouldn't even know what a kit was! It just
isn't the same. Though I gazed through many of their catalogs, I didn't do
many Heathkits. Two or three maybe. Did more Eico gear. Loved every minute
of it. I miss those days, but as I said in another post, now days I build
from scratch. A bit of a pain to gather all parts, but the end result is
well worth it. You were right about determination as well. IF a kid, and
wanted them, you saved your allowance, cut grass, delivered papers, etc.
Eventually, you got the cash plus maybe a plug from the parents to help out
more to allow you to get it. You built it. It worked and you enjoyed it
because you had time, money and sweat invested. MNS