Twitter is abuzz with news that someone is trying once again to revive Heathkit. The image above was taken right off the Heathkit home page.
Even more amusing is the online customer survery. It’s quite an extensive survey and very heavy on the amateur radio questions. GB Hoyt (KB4GVL, @kb4gvl on Twitter) has an interesting take on what it will take for them to succeed on his blog.
Take the survey and tell me what you think. Can Heathkit be resurrected?
Dave, N8SBE says
Took the survey, but I wonder if they had decided they had enough respondents, because I couldn’t find a link to it from the site front page.
Dan KB6NU says
I think they’re trying to limit the number of responses. I got the link from Twitter. It would be interesting to get a look at the results of the survey.
AB3TH says
No chance. The kits, if any, will be packaged in China. Look at the US parts prices versus China prices. Analog Devices DDS modules – assembled, tested, with PCB and all associated parts cost less in single units than just the chip from a US distributor. A hallmark of Heath and other electronics of the era was ergonomics. Although the functions may not have been wonderful, panels were clear, well organized, intuitive. Look at the garbage people sell today. Even the high-end stuff. I don’t know that there are any decent designers left (besides me), or maybe the companies just don’t care. And, kids have no interest anymore. I have a big shop. Would have been heaven for me when I was a kid. Not one single one of my friends kids says anything except ‘huh’. No ‘wow, how does that work?’. They’re like dead fish. So, heath may produce a lame kit, it won’t sell and they’ll close forever. Very sad. The world is different now. Not many people make buggywhips and steam motorcars now, either.