Hi Terry, Welcome back to the hobby. I have had my own long periods of inactivity, so I definitely know how that happens. Life gets in the way of this stuff. I know what you mean about the CQ thing. Sometimes I've been a bit disappointed about the whole "friendly factor." Some groups on the air seem more like cliques, and I've felt a strong sense that they were pretty exclusive. Then, as much as I like chasing DX, it isn't infrequent that a pile up degenerates into name calling or just general rudeness and poor operating procedures. Anyway, having said that, I still call CQ from time to time. I listen for it as well, but probably don't hear it as much as when I started the hobby back as a 13 year-old in 1977. Having said that, I see lots of CQing on PSK31 one of the new low power digital modes. Less on SSB, but I still do that anyway. I almost never hear CQ on 75 meters, but I think that has always been pretty uncommon. I love the Drake gear, I've always thought the older Drakes just looked great. I know now that they are made really well, and the tube SSB audio has a nice quality to it. Maybe there is a group of friendly folks on the reflector that gathers via roundtable -- seems like it would be a great real-time way to talk about equipment issues or just rag chew. Hey, I'm up for it. 73, Chuck W1CEW (KB5GC: 1978-2005, WD5FWX: 1977-1978) www.chuckwyatt.com
_____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Terrell E. Hamilton Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 3:00 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [drakelist] TR4C repair Greetings to all: Recently, I renewed my license after a 35 yr break. My dream rig was always a Drake setup. To this end, I bought a TR4C from an estate sale, an antenna tuner, and a G5RV antenna. The receiver works excellently. Although I have instructions, I cannot get the transmitter to utter even a peep. Since I have forgotten whatever electronics I ever knew, I would like to get some quick and dirty suggestions for a repair plan. The only test equipment I have is a fairly decent VOM, and hope that will be all I need. Checking the tubes would be a good first step, I suppose, and perhaps whatever TR relay is there. Checking the power from the PS is my next thought. Anything else before I ship it off to a repair facility? Also, I have noticed a few operating differences on the air - I hear almost NO CQ's - Two, I think, in a couple of months of listening. Maybe it's just happenstance. On sending my own CQ's on an old Henry Radio Tempo One, I have not had a single reply, even after endless calling on all bands. Is the CQ a thing of the past? I am confused by what seems to me to be a large number of nets as well - I hear them spending long periods of time asking for sign-ins. Do they do that for a certain period, and then have folks take turns on a ragchew, or pass traffic? Maybe they have taken the place of CQ calls. 73 - Terry (Out-of-Date) Hamilton K7WLD [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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