In 1965, my brother, Johnny, who was 17 years-old, built a Heath Kit 5 
channel CB rig. That radio led this then 11 year old toward more 
friendships in our town, drove me to want to know why we could hear 
and talk with people in Chicago, or Los Angeles, and ultimately to 
work toward a ham license, which I have now had for almost 42 years.

He later traded that radio toward a 23 channel unit, which we both 
thought was really cool!

In all of my plundering at ham fests, junk stores, etc, I had never 
seen another of that Heath Kit model until today.

That's when a very dusty Heath GW42 CB rig leaped from a flea market 
table, and followed me home from our local ham fest. The friend who 
brought it was amazed that I recognized it so quickly. He told me 
later that I had the grin of an 11 year old when I touched it.

It doesn't have a power cord yet, so I don't know if it works or not. 
But, all of the knobs are there, along with the original microphone.

I am going to clean it up, at least physically, and surprise my 
brother with it on his birthday.




Mike Duke, K5XU
American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs