Steve -
Cool, that makes all that filter stuff irrelevant. I'm about 97% CW, and only get on SSB when
forced by circumstance... :-)
Now if it was a KWM-2, you'd have BIG problems.. !
Yes, as I said, _MANY_ of the earlier 4 Series radios got the "B" knob upgrade. But does it have
the flat or dished skirt??
Other than the filters, the later transmitters have no 'technical' improvements, just ergonomics,
until you get to the T-4XC with the 'shared' CO and 3rd LO for stable transceive.
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>
Steve Wedge wrote:
Being a mostly CW operator, I'm not surprised at this.
I've been making an attempt at going back to SSB - which would be a grand movement for me from c.
1989 and even then, probably more since '85.
It's funny, but the T-4X that I got with the R-4B already had the B-series knob with it. Since I
routinely don't run these rigs beyond 100W in either mode, I suppose all of the directives, etc.
are probably meaningless to me.
I suppose that anything required beyond 100W with these rigs will require a
"helper" anyway.
I have that "helper" and it, too, will be online soon - to be called upon when
needed. :-)
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
To be is to do - Socrates
To do is to be - Plato
Do be do be do. - Sinatra
All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended
thereto.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Garey Barrell" <k4...@mindspring.com>
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 10:57 PM
To: "Steve Wedge" <w1es1...@earthlink.net>
Cc: "Drake List" <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Anyone ever look inside the PBT box?
Steve -
Not really..... Yes, the neon 'PTO in Use' lights were a nice touch, but the 'above the belt'
switch from aluminum to black lettering made all the difference in the world in being able to
READ what they said. The new MAIN TUNING knob with 'dished' skirt also made them much easier on
the eyes, especially in lighting with any glare. That's why MANY of the R-4 and R-4A receivers
no longer have the old main knob and flat skirt, but ended up with the 'new' style with the nice
bright aluminum center. LOTS of those knobs and skirts were sold when the "B" came out. Most
important of all though was the change from 4 pole crystal filters in the T-4X to the 8 pole used
in all later models. The T-4X actually doesn't meet the 'Purity of Emissions' requirements in
the FCC regulations. Both the Carrier and Opposite Sideband suppression are much poorer in the
T-4X. Obviously the T-4X is 'grandfathered' in, and if you are not driving an amplifier, most
will never notice the difference. However, IF you use an amp, and/or have a nearby ham neighbor,
you may make new friends! :-) Of course if you only operate CW, not a problem as the T-4X has
that nice, smooth T-4X(any) keying. The 'B' also saw the conversion from bipolar to FET in the
PTO for improved stability.
Other than the above, not much difference! :-)
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>
Steve Wedge wrote:
#2 is still in its pristine, late-1960's state. I just bought it with a very nice-but-dusty
T-4X and MS-4 and AC-4 from Shelby. I have shut if down for now, though, as I've noticed
significant AC hum on the signals. Once I get my PTO back, I'll run my R-4A with the revitalized
PTO whilst I begin work on R-4B #2. This will include re-capping all electrolytics.
My take is that this set I bought at Shelby represents what a lot of hams with Drakes had during
that period: The receiver was enough of a progression from the R-4A to be worth upgrading, but
the transmitter wasn't really different enough to warrant dumping the T-4X for a T-4XB. From
what I've seen, the major difference is the neon dial indicator.
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
To be is to do - Socrates
To do is to be - Plato
Do be do be do. - Sinatra
All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended
thereto.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Garey Barrell" <k4...@mindspring.com>
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 6:13 PM
To: "Steve Wedge" <w1es1...@earthlink.net>
Cc: "Drake List" <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Anyone ever look inside the PBT box?
Steve -
What did you do to the PTO in R-4B #2? I thought they were both jumpy?
I would use just about any small coax you have for the injection. It's not long enough to
matter what impedance or loss (within reason!) it is.
The headphone jack on the R-4A was in that location, and the panel still has the locator mark
in the "B" location, and of course the main chassis has the cut-out needed. Drake probably had
enough 'complaints' about the front panel location interfering with access to the RF GAIN and
the SSB/CW switch. I didn't complain, but the PHONE plug body sticking out there made it very
difficult to switch the SSB/CW switch.
So now we have to deal with the silly little flat plugs!
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>
Steve Wedge wrote:
Now I'm home (and listening to R-4B #2, which is going to need to be re-capped but is
otherwise working in a sterling manner) and checked out the info on the PBT assembly. It
sounds pretty simple once the cover is removed.
I'm now at the point with R-4B #1 where I feel that I owe it to the rig to put it back - more
or less - to the way Bob Drake intended it to be. That means I'll need to re-route a new
Injection cable inside the rig, as the PO shortened it when he moved it over to the SPARE
location (WHY he did this, I will never know, and it's my understanding that he's an SK). The
audio mods I'll probably leave in, as the rig sounds nice and rich, but that variable AGC
delay is seriously messing up the ability to control RF gain. I think I'll put a headphone
jack where that extra goofy knob is as I have seen more than a couple of B's that have had
this change (in all honesty, moving the headphone jack to the side wasn't a great move...)
Question here is this: what can I use for the internal cable in the R-4B to go from the
pre-mixer to the INJ jack? I will have to replace this since the PO shortened it :-(
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
To be is to do - Socrates
To do is to be - Plato
Do be do be do. - Sinatra
All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended
thereto.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Chris Kepus" <cke...@comcast.net>
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 11:25 AM
To: <k4...@mindspring.com>; "'Steve Wedge'" <w1es1...@earthlink.net>
Cc: <drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Subject: RE: [Drakelist] Anyone ever look inside the PBT box?
ROTHFLMAO!!! Made my day reading your softly worded post, Garey! Had to
clean up some coffee that squirted out, though. RTFCD and derivatives;
i.e., RTFIM, RTFD, etc., are most fun play words. :-))))
73,
Chris
W7JPG
"As some have said, 'RTFCD!!' :-)
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA"
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