Hi Garey, Many thanks for sharing that EXCELLENT summary re. the different Drake receivers...!
It is definitely well worth retaining in one's radio library as a "...one stop" ready reference for the future. Thanks again, & my best "H.N.Y." wishes to you & all subscribers to this wonderful Reflector... ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ ************************************ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Garey Barrell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 10:33 AM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] [Drake] Drake Receiver Comparison. > Bob - > > I'm away from home, and not checking the list as often as usual. It's > pretty quiet because of the holidays I guess. > > Here is a comparison of the Drake receivers that I wrote up a while ago. > > >>>>>>> > > > The 2-B is an outstanding CW receiver, the dial calibration is a little > coarse by today's standards, but for just getting on the air and > enjoying a CW QSO it works as well as any. It has three (L-C) filter > bandwidths, (500, 2100 and 3600 Hz,) built in along with passband > tuning. The 100 kHz crystal calibrator was optional. The companion > 2-BQ Q Multiplier adds a very sharp peaking filter and a nice tunable > null, both at the IF. > > There is no matching transmitter for the 2-B. > > The R-4 is almost a 2-B, just with a linear PTO and 1 kHz dial > calibration. All tubes. Very similar in operation, and will > transceive with the matching T-4X for an excellent CW station. Four > filter bandwidths, (400, 1200, 2400 and 4800 Hz,) passband tuning, noise > blanker, LC notch and 100 kHz crystal calibrator built in. > > The R-4A (early 13 tube model) is an improved R-4, almost identical > specifications. PTO and Band Oscillators converted to solid state. > > The R-4A (late 11 tube model) almost identical specifications. Product > detector, BFO, AGC and low level audio stages converted to solid state. > > The R-4B (early) is very similar to the late R-4A, minor modifications > and crystal calibrator multivibrator for 25 kHz markers. > > The R-4B (late) almost identical except PTO changed from bipolar to FET. > > The R-4C (early) very similar, except IF filters changed to crystal > filters. Only the 2.3 kHz filter is standard, 250, 500, 1800, 4000 and > 6000 Hz BW are available as options. The 4000& 6000 Hz filters are > normally installed in a special socket under the chassis and are > effective on AM only. Four position filter switch. The noise blanker > was optional. Entire audio chain solid state, tubes used only from RF > to IF, all other stages and oscillators solid state. > > The R-4C (late) same. Five position filter switch. > > The 2-B through the R-4B used L-C filters in the IF. This type of > filter has much gentler slopes, which means that nearby signals are > still heard, just at reduced levels. The crystal filters are steep > sided, more like the crystal filters in today's receivers. > Personally, I prefer the L-C filters for all except heavy duty contest > use. I like to hear what is going on around my frequency, instead of > "listening with blinders on"... > > The T-4 series transmitters are all pretty much the same, the T-4X had 4 > pole crystal filters while the T-4XB and C had 8 pole filters. The > later ones therefore had slightly better carrier and unwanted sideband > suppression, neither of which has ANY effect on CW operation. > ANY 4 series receiver will transceive with ANY 4 series transmitter, mix > and match. There are minor things like the B line had a neon indicator > light under the dial to show which PTO was controlling in transceive > while the C line just turned the dial lamps on or off. The R-4 and R-4A > had neither, so you had to look at the switch! > > My opinion..... The R-4B is probably the best receiver overall. It has > great audio, smooth AGC, all the filters and noise blanker are built > in. The L-C filters are not quite as "drop off the table" selective, > but I prefer that for casual QSOs. > > The R-4C has poorer audio, a little harsher, the "better" (?) crystal > filters are extra, and the noise blanker is extra. > > The R-4 and R-4A are just earlier iterations of the R-4B, and are not > quite as refined, although some say they prefer the early R-4A to the > R-4B because the tube type product detector in the R-4A is "cleaner". > > The 2-B isn't very far behind, except it will NOT transceive with > anything, and the dial calibration is not precisely linear. > > <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > > Tom is correct on the 2-C, it is similar circuit topology to the 2-B, > but with tubes in the RF and IF stages only. Oscillators, Detectors, AVC > and AF stages are all solid state. Passband tuning is also > "non-tunable", just two fixed 2nd converter LO offsets for USB and LSB. > > OH, the default "Reply" is to the sender, not the list. Contrary to > most lists, but I believe a vote was taken and more preferred this way. > I like everything to go to the list, so all can see what is going on, > but ... > > Happy New Year! > > 73, Garey - K4OAH > St Charles, IL > > Drake 2-B, 4B& C-Line,& TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs > <www.k4oah.com> > > > Bob Macklin wrote: > > When you reply to a message on this list does it got to everyone or just the person the sent it? > > > > Bob Macklin > > K5MYJ > > Seattle, Wa. > > "Real Radios Glow In The Dark" > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Drakelist mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist > _______________________________________________ Drakelist mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
