Garey Barrell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang
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The T-4XB is worth about $150 - 200 and the T-4XC is about $200 - 250, both without power supplies. The AC-4 supply is typically about $100 - 125. The only functional difference is the two disk dial on the C and the phase lock capability with the R-4C for stable transceive alignment.
The R-4 Series from the R-4 through the R-4B used L-C filters in the IF. This type of filter has gentler slopes, which means that nearby signals are still heard, just at reduced levels. The R-4C uses crystal filters that 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"...
Up through the R-4B, all filter B/W (400, 1200, 2400 and 4800 @ -6 dB) are standard. The R-4C has only the 2.1 kHz filter standard, all others are optional, and sell for ~ $50-70 each. The Noise Blanker is standard in the B and optional in the C, ~$ 125, and hard to find separately.
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!
Transceive alignment is more stable in the C, while the B has to be "netted" occasionally. The B transceive is more consistent if the crystals are "matched", (indicated by the letter at the end of the serial numbers, R, B or G,) with same letter on transmitter and receiver.
CW filters for the C are available for 250, 500 and (my favorite), 1800 Hz.
My opinion..... The R-4B is probably the best receiver overall for day-to-day, casual hamming. It has great audio, smooth AGC, and 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. There are aftermarket mods to further improve the "single signal in HUGE pileup" operation typical of major contest operations. There are also mods to replace the tube third mixer with a SS replacement and a replacement audio output stage and power supply.
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".
Mechanically, they are very similar. The PTO's are identical, with minor changes from the R-4 (Tube oscillator) through bipolar transistors to FETs. The dial assemblies are the same through the R-4B. With 25, then 5 kHz marks, with 1 kHz marks on the knob skirt. For the C, a second dial disk was added with 1 kHz marks. Little or no difference in accuracy or resetability.
73, Garey - K4OAH Atlanta
Drake C-Line Service Manual <http://hr99.home.mindspring.com/R-4C_Servicez/>
Greg wrote:
"Greg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang
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How much would a T-4XC be worth compared to a R4C (in similar condition), I have two T-4XC's and thinking of putting out a trade ad. on one of them.
And how does the R4C compare to R4B in audio quality and reception?
I find that I prefer the R4B over my other icom receivers, such clear and crisp sound
and almost as sensitive...
//Greg
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