Hey, - Pete - I bought an R-4B and T-4XB from Bob. I was a fairly-early purchaser and was somewhat disappointed because they were represented as an 8 out of 10. The transmitters were represented as "maybe not working/untested". The transmitter was so heavily modified that I consider it to be a parts rig. I have scavenged knobs, a PTO and other parts off it to make it worth the final $75 price that I negotiated for it.
I just want to make sure everyone here knows what they're getting into (and I mean this as no criticism of your post, Pete, as I learned the hard way here). Many of you remember some of my posts of the last couple of months mentioning the R-4B and T-4XB that I bought. These were from this same source, from the same estate, obviously, as the receiver mods look identical to what's on the R-4B that I bought. Whilst the receiver worked fine out of the box, after I did an alignment per the factory specs, I've found that the AGC is pretty messed up and there were some significant mods done to the rear panel jacks and to the audio amp - in addition to the AGC mods. I just want to make you all aware that you will have to do a significant amount of work to get to a factory-spec rig. If you're not a purist, I do see an ergonomic opportunity to the rigs that underwent the surgical knife of this ham (as the mods were well-crafted and, in some instances, were electrically superior to the factory build). The major one is that extra knob on the front panel. When I first saw it, I got almost sick. However, Drake had never changed the chassis behind that extra knob and had conveniently provided a target area on their silkscreen which was transmitted to the final front panel. The chassis always had a cutout and so the only place injured by the mod was the front panel. My opinion is that a headphone jack on a receiver belongs on the front and NOT on the side, so the best way of dealing with this extra hole is to install a headphone jack in place of the extra pot. If ever you find an R-4B with an extra pot or hole in the front, I'd wire it with a stereo jack (with the channels shorted) and be done with it. Pete, I'd love to see what you've found with the R-4B you purchased, as it would give me a head start when I'm ready to rebuild the R-4B that I bought. I will commence that exercise after I wash and re-cap an subsequent R-4B that is unmolested that I bought at the Shelby (NC) Hamfest as the only extant Drake Twin offering that I found there... 73, Steve, W1ES/4 ...my Joe Walsh quote is buried somewhere. "Illigitimi non carborundum" .Message: 1 Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:37:29 -0700 From: "Pete Juliano" <jessyst...@broadstripe.net> To: <Drakelist@zerobeat.net> Subject: [Drakelist] R4B and T4XB's FS Message-ID: <BD55C5B7E01A488D8D9D95A60F11A0DC@UNIT0> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Fellow Drake Fans, I am posting this for a friend of mine who has been tasked to liquidate the estate of a SK. Disclaimer --I have no financial interest in any of the transactions. I just happen to be one of the early buyers of some of the radios and have managed to resurrect an R4B and T4B and have put them back in operation. There is a you tube of my R4B fix and a summary of what I had to do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gscCpiuo9cA Basically the R4B had some modifications and I suspect the same mod was made to all of the radios and that is covered in my video. Aside from undoing the modifications, two tubes needed replacing and a basic alignment and that was it. Needless to say there was a bit of dirt and dust. Here is what is left and a paraphrase of what is on a QTH.com ad and is from W9ETA , Bob. He should be contacted directly at cbrx...@hotmail.com; 3 R.L. Drake T4xb's and 1 R4b left. They all need work. Consider them parts radio's or rebuilds. Most all parts are there but they need one thing or another such as alignment or tubes. All have covers. Detailed photographs are available upon request to W9ETA W9ETA can help with parts too as he has a fairly large asst of Drake parts. $90 each plus $20 shipping on the T4xb's and R4b. He Also has a Drake AA-10 amp with box and manual. $30 shipped . Listing #940619 - Submitted on 09/26/11 by Callsign W9ETA, Modified on 10/17/11 Any inquiries aside from those relating to the undoing of the modifications should be directed to Bob, W9ETA 73's Pete N6QW 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.
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