Lee -
I understand what you are saying... I too am one that prefers to keep 'vintage' gear, Drake or
otherwise, as it was! The quirks and shortcomings of these radios is 'who they are', and modifying
them changes them from 'vintage' to 'just another radio'.
When they were new, and Rob Sherwood and others suggested/made modifications to improve a function
that was omitted due to either cost or design decisions, and actually _improved_ it, the 'state of
the art' was advanced. A Sherwood R-4C was just about the best receiver _FOR CONTEST OPERATION_
available at any price at that time. For general use on the amateur bands, not so much. Yeah, once
every week or two you might have someone snuggle right up against you and the mods would make the
difference, but that was the exception. You could just turn on the amp and they'd move! :-)
Today, however, there ARE better receivers available, some even cheaper than a Sherwood R-4C, PLUS
digital frequency readout, computer control, and all sorts of other 'features' that are of value to
a contest operator. Once again, even those 'features' are only really of benefit to a contest
station. Yes, it's fun setting them up, and then sitting back and watching the radio operate the
contest for you, but .... :-) What was it that the QST article said some years ago?? Start your
station for a weekend contest, go to the beach or the mountains, and check when you get home to see
how you did in the contest!!
The example some have used of the braid ground lead on the PTO is an example of a 'field change'. If
you keep the gearbox rider bar clean, and use light oil in the ball bearing, you really don't NEED
the braid. But the braid makes the radio less susceptible to failure, so why not. The braid became
standard on late C-Line and all 7-Line PTOs.
I do NOT think we need a separate group to further segregate the Drake community. We have members
who feel as I do, and others like Jim(!) who just can't wait to take a soldering iron to a
previously unmolested radio!! :-) We have no problem discussing the modifications, certainly they
are HIS radios to destroy as he sees fit, and I can keep mine as pristine as I choose. I'm
interested in what he does, he tolerates my Luddism, and we get along just fine. At least until
now... Dividing our 'almost' always non-combative group seems counter-productive to me. Sharing
ideas, even wrong ones (!) is healthy! We ALL have a DELETE key if something REALLY bothers us....
Full disclosure, the DrakeRadio group that I 'own' was 'inherited', and I agreed to take it on just
to keep it from dying. DrakeRadio is typically a little less busy than Drakelist, and when I see a
new call over there I tell them about Drakelist and suggest that they join both. I think most Drake
people are members of both groups.
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA
Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
and TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs
<www.k4oah.com>
lee wrote:
This may be true but I can tell you I purchased a lot of new Drake gear from Drake dealers and
when I ever talked to the factory regarding them, without naming names, it was expressed very
clearly each and every time their/his disfavor of those mods. I happen to agree with those
remarks. I would never consider them. In fact, I am thinking of starting a new Drake reflector or
wish someone else would open one where it would be forbidden to discuss foreign mods except for
those really needed because of lack of old parts. I personally consider the mods offensive and
consider a radio with these mods no longer a Drake product.
I know not everyone agrees with me, but I know some may agree with me. Don’t get me wrong. If you
own a radio, I believe you can do anything you want with it and you can believe anything you want
about your mods. I just don’t agree with this philosophy at all. I am not trying to start a war
here or call someone stupid for altering his Drake gear. I am not telling you you are nuts for
doing this but I would consider myself foolish for installing them in my Drake radios. Those are
my thoughts. If I was going to buy a radio with them, I would discount the value before making an
offer. If my offer would be accepted, I would remove the mods and if they were too extensive, I’d
refuse to buy the radio in the first place. Again, these are my feelings and I don’t expect
someone else with other ideas to have to conform to my standards. Just do what you want to do. I
also enjoy using my unmodified C lines more then my B line. Again, I know some don’t agree with
this. Thaty’s OK with me. I just know my thoughts do not agree with a lot of things I read on here.
There is a British Paraset Group which is really radical, even for me. You are not expected to
join unless you agree to only use the built in hand key rather then using an external hand key,
bug, or paddle with memory. You also are expected to only use a long wire as operatives used with
this transceiver during WW2. Now these are really extreme rules! I could not live up to them so
declined membership.
But getting back to a real Drake reflector for unmodified Drakes for guys wanting the experience
of using a Drake rig as it was offered by Drake without discussion of major mods, is there any
interest in a group for guys wanting to discuss their unmodified radios and want to keep them that
way? Or am I just a peculiarity among Drake owners? (Easy to set up on Yahoo. I’m really
interested in hearing from guys thinking as I do rather then from those saying they would not join
a group as I described. Anyone not liking the idea needs not join the new group. Simple enough). I
have a lot on my plate and would prefer someone else open such a group, but I’d be willing to do
it if nobody else would step up to the plate. If I’m the only guy feeling this way, the idea can
just then die and I’ll just keep using my delete key .
Again, this is not intended to flame anyone.
Lee, w0vt
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