Heathkit HW-8
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| Frequency | TX/RX: 80/40/20/15 m (CW) |
| TX power | 3 W |
| Modes | CW |
| Weight | 1.8 kg (4 lb) - ~1.8 kg (~4 lb) approximate, compact all-solid-state QRP rig, 13.6 VDC (no internal transformer); not manufacturer-confirmed. |
| Connector | RCA (phono) |
| Year | 1976 |
| antenna | RCA (phono) |
The most-built QRP transceiver kit in history. ~3W CW on four bands (the lower 250 kHz of 80/40/20/15m). Direct-conversion receiver. Small, light, and buildable in a weekend. The HW-8 introduced thousands of operators to QRP and kit-building at once. Many lifelong QRP operators started with one.
3W is truly QRP. The direct conversion receiver is noisy and has audio image problems. Kit build quality varies. The VFO drifts. 4 bands only. Not a serious contest or DX radio.
The gateway QRP radio. The HW-8 was to QRP what the Hallicrafters S-38 was to shortwave listening: the affordable entry point that hooked a generation. Building one and making your first 3W CW contact was a transformative experience for thousands of operators.
The Heathkit HW-8 is the most beloved of Heathkit's QRP transceivers, a compact, solid-state, four-band CW kit from the mid-1970s that helped define low-power operating culture. It covers the CW portions of the 80, 40, 20, and 15 meter amateur bands at a few watts of output, and improved markedly on the earlier HW-7 with a better receiver featuring an RF amplifier stage, a balanced product detector, and an active audio filter offering selectable wide or narrow bandwidth.
That improved receiver made the HW-8 genuinely pleasant to operate, capable of real DX on minimal power, and it earned a devoted following among QRP enthusiasts who prized its performance, simplicity, and charm. Many builders consider it the radio that made QRP fun and accessible. Compact, affordable, and rewarding to build and use, the HW-8 remains an icon of the low-power hobby and a sought-after vintage kit.
It is a discontinued classic. See the earlier HW-7 and the deluxe HW-9.