Heathkit SB-300 / SB-301
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| Frequency | RX: 80–10 m (amateur) |
| Power | Receiver only; pairs with SB-400/SB-401 transmitter |
| Modes | USB, LSB, CW, AM |
| Weight | 7.7 kg (17 lb) |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 1963 |
| antenna | SO-239 |
Heathkit's answer to the Collins and Drake lines, a competent SSB receiver as a kit at a fraction of factory-wired prices. The SB-300/SB-400 pair gave kit builders a complete SSB station. A 2.1 kHz crystal filter gave genuine selectivity (with optional AM/CW filters). Thousands were built; the improved SB-301 is the one to seek out.
Kit build quality varies. The crystal filter is adequate but not outstanding. Alignment requires test equipment and skill. The SB-301 is the improved version and worth seeking out. Heathkit instructions were excellent but could not compensate for poor soldering.
Heathkit's entry into the SSB era. A carefully-built SB-301 receiver performs surprisingly close to a Drake R-4B at a third the cost. The wild card is always who built it.
The Heathkit SB-300 is the receiver of Heathkit's SB-line separates, a build-it-yourself amateur communications receiver designed to pair with the matching SB-400 transmitter for a complete kit-built station. It covers the amateur bands from 80 through 10 meters, receiving SSB and CW with optional AM, and brought the SB-line's clean styling and solid performance to those who preferred separate transmitter and receiver.
As an early member of the SB-line (preceding the all-in-one SB-100/101/102 transceivers), the SB-300 let builders assemble a genuinely capable receiver with crystal-filter selectivity and a stable oscillator at a modest price. Combined with an SB-400 it formed a handsome, matched station that many operators built and treasured. Compact, attractive, and well supported, the SB-300 remains a desirable vintage Heathkit receiver for collectors of the line.
It is a discontinued classic. See the SB-line transceivers SB-101 and the Apache transmitter.