Great set of responses, both from public and private E-mails. Many thanks
to all for your input. It was a real learning experience for me since I have
not "lived the moment" with a Collins S Line.
Paul, W9AC
---- Original Message -----
From: "Paul" <draked...@comcast.net>
To: <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 10:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Collins and Drake Compared
My 2cents worth....
I've had the pleasure of owning both B and C lines,as well as a Collins S3
line. I liked the Collins S line,it was well designed & built,and sure
performed well,but it's gone 3 years and I still have my B and C lines.
Main reason was lack of 160 meters on S line,but not the only reason.
I could hear anything on my Drakes as well as I could on my Collins.
Drakes took up less real estate on the desk also. The two were about the
same for vfo drift,not bad,but VERY respectable.
Big plus is the pretty blue meters / dials!
Nuff said
AD3G
On 6/14/2011 10:30 PM, Paul Christensen wrote:
For the past few weeks, I've been comparing receive structures between
the Drake 4 series and Collins 75S-3 series. I'm surprised by the
similarities - as well as the differences.
Some obvious differences:
- Mechanical IF filter versus crystal or LC filtering;
-160m coverage ability;
- Tunable BFO versus PBT;
- Q Mult in 75S-3.
Similarities:
- PTO VFO with 1 kHz dial markings;
- Preselector (similar octave structure?);
- Crystal 1st LO (unlike early JA receivers during the same time period);
- Audio power and AF driver stages similar to R-4B;
- Extensive use of RCA jacks, including RF IN;
Collins, like Drake, used PBT in the 1950s and I'm curious why it was
abandoned in the S line. Perhaps too complex to use among
commercial/military/amateur users? In essence, the least common
operating denominator wins?
Both series use the chassis for the filament return, although Collins
used four (!) heater lines in the 75S3. I found Collins' treatment of
the headphone jack quite interesting. They use a resistive divider
network to load the output line during periods of high Z loads. Seems
wholly unnecessary given that the 4-ohm transformer tap is routed through
the H/P jack's N/C contacts and the 500-ohm tap makes use of the divider
in which one resistor is bypassed during insertion of headphones.
My recollection of the S line tuning feel is sketchy but I recall a
superbly designed VFO tuning mechanism onto the PTO -- probably at least
as mechanically well designed as the those found in the Drake 4 series?
Perhaps the Collins S line has a slight edge with quality of construction
and components although I've not taken a look at whether the 75S-3 uses
ceramic switch wafers versus Phenolic -- and whether they used Teflon
harness wiring (where Drake fails). I have nearly no operating time
with an S line and I was considering a purchase. But based on what I'm
seeing in the schematics, I'm not impressed enough to unload my bank
account for a S line. This may seem like a "trolling" exercise to some,
but I find the comparison between the two products to be very interesting
especially when comparing cost and evolution of their product lines.
Thoughts on the matter very much appreciated.
Paul, W9AC
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