We are appointed sole distributors of the first of the new HF transceivers from China.
The HB-1A-MK3-40-20 transceiver offers 40m and 20m coverage with up to 5 Watts output. It includes a digital display, built-in CW keyer with auto CQ and switched bandwidth filters. Designed very much with the portable QRP operator in mind, it can be run from internal cells or external 12V system. This radio is sold in the USA under the TenTec banner. The China factory has now appointed Waters and Stanton as their exclusive UK distributor.
Specification:
* 40 & 20m
* Full band coverage
* Tx: CW
* Rx: SSB CW & AM
* Filters: Crystal for CW and SSB
* Keyer: Built-in
* Power Out: 3W dry cells, 5W 13.8v
* Memories: 20 Channels
* Volts: 9 - 14V
* Current: Tx 950mA max on, Rx 55mA
* Internal: 8x AA cells
* External: 13.8V
* Tuning steps: 100kHz - 10Hz
* Size: 140 x 95 x 35 (mm)
Peter Waters - G3OJV Comments "I have used the HB-1A from YouKits and am very impressed with its performance. The high contrast display is easy to see, even in bright daylight and the receiver performance is great. The built-in filter selectable filter system is something that even the FT-817 does not have. You can really pick out the weak signals and the stability is superb - as it should be because it is locked to a reference xtal. And I found the multi step tuning an absolute dream. Simply press the tuning knob to select one of three tuning steps - 10Hz, 100Hz or 1kHz. The RIT is equally convenient and the display makes it very clear when the RIT is in operation. The built-in electronic keyer works fine with iambic keyers and speed adjustment is just a button press! If you want to use a straight key, then, provided the key is plugged in before the radio is switched on, it will auto sense the fact and switch over accordingly. Finally the built-in auto CQ sender is easily programed for your own call, thus making the sending of CQs an automatic task, just by a single button press, the speed being the same as that set for the electronic keyer.
The internal AA cells inthe HB-1A gave me around 4 Watts output and even when the voltage was down to 11 volts I was getting 3 Watts output. The radio will still work down to around 8.5 volts. An external 12v supply gave me around 6 Watts. All my contacts have been the hard way, using it from a car with base loaded Diamond 40m whip, or from my bicycle with a Buddistick mounted on the frame. Contacts around UK and Europe have been much easier than I expected from both these arrangements. It really is a remarkable pice of engineering built to a standard much higher than perhaps some would have expected. It is great for SOTA."
HB-1A-MK3 Review
