Re: [Drakelist] Dishwasher trick
Re: the stuff won't even clean my tea cup, let alone a radio chassis. 73 Bud W0HG Bud wins! Good one! Still laughing! You-all have read my "sea story" about the old Gunny and his garden hose and that Collins gear. While it is a true story, I still have some concerns. You won't see me posting a you tube video of me and my garden hose and my prized Sherwood R-4C out in the backyard this spring giving a bath. #1 the VFO grease that is used in our beloved radios. The hot rinse cycle would not do your vfo's any favors. #2 the high humidity (100%) would put power transformers at risk. I am still a chicken, about as far as I would go is to use my electric toothbrush with a suitable cleaning compound and a little water on the brush to scrub up the upper deck of a radio. The underside of a the drake rigs is too busy with point to point wiring for scrubbing with a tooth brush. Time to be real and get honest with ourselves. If you want pristine collector grade appearance hire a professional and ante up. Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T-4XC Output Power Varies...
Two tips, First hit the switch with Deoxite. Second double check the cables you are using. I believe the INJ, CARRIER, and one other cable need to be a special low loss double shielded cable. Some of the resident experts will chime in I hope and correct any miss-information I might be spreading. Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA Message: 8 Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:48:01 -0800 From: "Jim Bo" To: Subject: [Drakelist] T-4XC Output Power Varies... Message-ID: <689C305DD4144A1F8096AFDD0907740A@JDESK> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" My T-4XC has different Pout depending on the position of the "transceive" switch and in the CW Mode. With transceive swith set on "separate" Gain is at 2:30 Plate current is 300 ma Pout is 100 watts With transceive switch set on "rcvr" Gain is at 2:30 Plate current is 320 ma Pout is 117 watt When transceive switch is on "xmtr" Gain is at 2:30 Plate current is 140 ma Pout is 19 watts When transceive switch is on "xmtr" Gain is at 5:00 (fully clockwise) Palte current is 320 ma Pout is 117 watts What is pecular is that Pout when seperate compared to Pout when xmtr supposedly uses the same oscillator signal for drive. I did not see anything in the manual that looks like there is an alignment step for this. Comments? Thanks Jim ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] restoring...
I remember when I was in the NAVY and I was stationed at NAS Memphis attending NAVY AT "A School". I was a lowly E-3 (Airman) in 1977. We received a post-Vietnam era surplus Collins S-Line and a complete KWM-2A station for the W4ODR club station. This equipment came from a Marine Base in Vietnam. They were very dirty, had been around smoker's and stunk to high heaven. I remember one Saturday afternoon in utter horror as a I watched the club's lead op, a Gunny Sergeant, take a garden hose with a spray nozzle, a bucket of liquid dishwashing soap-water, and stood there in a pair of "non-regulation rubber yard boots" with a big fat cigar in mouth, armed with the spray nozzle, barking orders and we scrubbed the Collins gear inside and out - spick & span. I remember going back to my barracks that evening knowing without a doubt in my mind that we just witnessed the destruction of a beautiful Collins station. But I dare not say a word contrary to the Gunny - he was a god - his word and orders were never to be questioned. After 7 days of air drying on the next Saturday, the gunny took each piece one at a time (with a big fat cigar in mouth) - visually inspected them, powered them up op checked what needed to be op checked and re-aligned the 75S3C, 32S1, KWM2A and the remote vfo. They worked perfectly and he bought us pizza and a 1/2 case of beer. I will never forget that lesson from that old Gunny. Thanks Art, 73 where ever you are these days, Don Jones KO7i Message: 4 Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:44:49 -0800 From: John Hudson To: Morrell Siegel , DRAKE LIST Subject: Re: [Drakelist] restoring Message-ID: <591DDEA1FDC6444DB993596115BD144CF0B2352636@VA3DIAXVS031.RED001.local> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I've sent this out before but looks like it could help again. Some years ago Hewlet Packard has their repair and calibration lab in Fullerton, CA. and I had the opportunity to visit the facility doing a walk through where they take equipment in for repair and all they do to bring the units up to speed and operational. It seems they make sure the unit is working and then take simple green and bathe the whole unit down. The unit was then scrubbed with brushes to get the big pieces off, then the unit is power washed with clean distilled water to remove all grease, girt, and whatever else was there. Once the unit is completely clean the equipment is placed in a large oven at 150-200 degs for several days unit the unit is completely dry. Once its dry the unit is again tested and any/all repairs, alignment and calibration was performed. Once the unit was done it looked brand-new. So the dishwasher is not a bad idea provided you don't use the soap, and not sure how simple green would work in a dishwasher. 73's, De WA6HYQ. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] [Drake list] Roofing filter
DITTO!! I could not agree more with this piece of advice. With a tight front end and IF strip I have found the need for a noise blanker to be nil when using the 600Hz roofing filter's and the 500 or 250 Hz drake cw filters. For SSB BW's the need for a noise blanker is nice at times and I do open my receiver up to the stock BW's in order to get the 4NB to work. One not for the good of the order - the "Sherwood" R-4C did outperform my OMNI 6 (with a full load of filters and the INRAD roofing filter mod) in the pile ups during the recent VP8ORK DX-pedition. We are talking 559 (R-4C) verses 229 (OMNI 6). No comparison. Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2011 22:22:50 -0500 (EST) From: kc9...@aol.com To: k4...@mindspring.com, Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Roofing filter Message-ID: <8cd9f8dc0ddfc69-760-4d...@webmail-d112.sysops.aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed The ideal situation IMHO is the Full Sherwood MOD for the R-4C. It has a switch so I can keep it wide if I want (and use NB), or use SSB or CW Roofing filters to keep unwanted adjacent signals from de-sensing the RX. It works super! Almost as well as my Ten-Tec Orion II 73, Lee, KC9CDT ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Vol 32, Issue 22
My set of Drake Twins were a R-4A & a T-4X, worked my first 230 countries using them between 1977 & 1981. That was when and where I was first exposed to the beauty of passband tuning in fighting qrm. Don Jones Arlington, WA Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 11:17:55 -0500 From: Lee Hiers To: Diane and Edward Swynar Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] DSP Filters Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 11:07 AM, Diane and Edward Swynar < deswy...@xplornet.ca> wrote: > Is your R-4 the "...just-plain-ol'-original-R-4" version, with no "A", "B", > or "C" suffix...? > > Yes Eddy, it's an R-4, no suffixactually the first one I've ever listened to...I had used a lot of C-lines in the past, but never an R-4 or R-4A...not sure about B-lines. But the sound of this old rx on cw is very nice indeed. 73 de Lee -- Lee Hiers, AA4GA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Adding DSP to a R-4C
Thanks guys for the suggestions, duly noted ham fest season is just around the corner. My receiver does have the Sherwood audio amp mode in it and it is really surprising how clean the audio is. To be honest I might try the Timewave on my OMNI 6. Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:20:27 -0800 From: "Jim Bo" To: Subject: Re: My Drake/Sherwood R-4C Rules my shack! (Don Jones) IMHO, the only thing that is better than what Don describes is the R-4C as he describes BUT...use a Timewave 599ZX with a pair of noise canceling earphones (the Bose are expensive, but quite comfortable). The Timewave has a superior audio amp and I set up the filter as a bandpass with the low end at ~300 Hz and the high end at 1,500 Hz. This helps with the low end "rumble" and the high end atmosphere noise and makes the radio even more enjoyable. I rarely use the other features of the DSP filter, but on occasion, the "Random" function does help. Only on few occasions do I use the CW function of the DSP. It does help also, but for the most part, the R-4C audio into the DSP filter is "clean". I have recently aligned my R-4C and used the headphone jack with out the Timewave and again realized what a huge difference it makes. The DSP filter is not low cost, but I got it 10 years ago and it is still a viable solution. I am sure that there are lower cost filters out there, but can not attest to the audio amps on them. One of the cost drivers of the 599ZX is the ability to go to 5 kHz as the upper cut off frequency. This compares to others that have a cut off at 3 kHz or so. For amateur radio, the 3 kHz is fine, but I also use the 599ZX with my Drake R-8B for BCBDX and Beacons. Jim WA9ZBV Orange, CA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] My Drake/Sherwood R-4C Rules my shack!
Like some of you here, I have been working very hard to get into the log of the DX-pedition to the South Orkney Islands. My favorite band/mode has always been 40M CW. Last night I finally got my contact with them. Considering I am only running 600W to a 20M double zepp from W. WA it has been a bit of a chore. My fully loaded "Sherwood R-4C smoked my Ten Tec OMNI 6+ (which has a full load to TT filters and the INRAD CW roofing filter mod) last night. On the Drake VP8ORK was only a 529 using GUF 600Hz roofing filter and the DRAKE OEM 250Hz cw filter with no ringing filters or white noise. One the OMNI VI+ VP8ORK was only 229 due to the receiver white noise and the howling DSP noise. It is absolutely amazing to hear the difference of the two receivers. I do prefer the digital control that the "6" offers, but if you can't hear 'em you ain't going to work 'em. A trip down to Fry's electronics for a 4PDT 12V relay, a 3 pos double pole rotary wafer switch, a bud box and 6 RCA jack and 3 1/8" headphone jacks is on the agenda next so I have TR switching for the R-4C, then it is good to go for the TJ8 DX-pedition coming up next. God I Love that Sherwood R-4C. Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] R-4C Noise Blankers, Dynamic Range & roofing filter mod's
I agree, when using the 8kHz Drake Roofing filter the 4NB noise blanker will clean-up some interfering noise sources. But only some of the time. I (and many others who have e-mail me privately) have found that you get better noise reduction by reducing the IF BW's. This would include going to a 600Hz roofing filter making the 4NB ineffective - but more importantly - NOT NEEDED. I look at a "hot-rod Sherwood R-4C receiver" as a utilitarian tool used to dig deep down into the noise floor and root out S Unit 0 weak signal DX stations buried in the midst of QRM. I did not completely buy into the "wild claims" of the users of these Sherwood R-4C's until I actually used one. All I can say is, "Holy Cow!" I am now a "convert" of the writings W8JI regarding the R-4C in its un-modified state. This "Holy Cow" is based upon side by side comparisons to a stock Drake R-4C to a Sherwood R-4C. Basically all you get is the receiver performance from a FT101B/E, the only advantage R-4C has is the passband (IF Shift) tuning. Conversely if one is rag chewing on SSB with 3kHz wide "Hi-Fi SSB" (or worse yet AM), they generally are not concerned about digging out weak CW signals that are S-0 on the S meter. These users typically are happy campers with a 75M 20+dB over S-9 QSO while running 1.5kW (or more) for a "in-state rag chew." They remain happy campers until someone moves in 2kHz away and is running similar power. But at least their 4NB noise blanker's work... BTW, the measured 2kHz Spacing Dynamic Range of a TR-4C is 68dB which is 10dB better than the stock R-4C. Plus the 180W output of the TR-4C will drive a GG 4-1000A amplifier with 3500Vdc B+ to 2,300W-rms out on 75M SSB. 73 es Gud DX, Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Wanted 4NB Noise Blanker
KO7I RESPONSE - "The CW roofing filter is particularly bad... but the 4NB is good..." SAY WHAT? I could not disagree with you more. A unmodified R-4C has a Narrow Spaced Dynamic Range of 58dB while the Sherwood modified R-4C has a dynamic range of 84dB. So in affect what you have just said is that having a noise blanker that works is more important than having your receiver blown away by adjacent QRM. I'll take the roofing filter thank you. :-) FWIW, the mod's to my "Sherwood R-4C" do allow you to use the standard 6kHz front end filter. The 4NB noise blanker has only been marginally successful, at best, even when I revert to the standard filters. Don Jones KO7i Message: 1 Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:26:07 -0500 From: Garey Barrell To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Wanted 4NB Noise Blanker Message-ID: <4d487a6f.1050...@mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Don - You answered your own question/statement. I believe the words 'heavily modified' were tossed around! :-) The Sherwood mods essentially render the 4NB useless, as you have discovered. The CW roofing filter is particularly bad, as it narrows the noise bandwidth seen by the NB, and delays pulses through it so they no longer match up with the blanking pulses. The NB is very effective as some have stated, when used with the original receiver topology. Like so much in the world of RF and electronics in general, a receiver is a 'system'. The original design was optimized (within cost constraints) as a whole. Anything that alters that design takes the risk that it 'may' alter that basic, optimized design, 'possibly' improving one characteristic. Unfortunately the characteristic it improves almost always causes another characteristic to decline, perhaps obviously, otherwise not so much. The basic Drake NB is the same design from the R-4A through the R-7, and most find them VERY effective on high level, short duty cycle impulse noise. As soon as the noise pulses are 'stretched', either by source characteristics or group delay through filters, the effectiveness drops off quickly. 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 ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Wanted 4NB Noise Blanker
OK - I am going to stir the pot some. I have one of those 4NB noise blanker's installed in my R-4C. To be honest that noise blanker is largely ineffective and over rated. I have seen them sell for over $200 on e-bay. I scratch my head and wonder why? In My Humble Opinion they are a over rated vessel of fertilizer and none may abide by the odor there of. Would I sell my 4NB noise blanker? NO. As you might recall I have one of those Sherwood / Drake R-4C's (late production SN), the service receipt for it from Sherwood totals more than $900. Bottom line, be prepared to be disappointed if you pay high dollar for a 4NB noise blanker and it does little or nothing. Experiencing what I have with my R-4C and 4NB, I would never throw away money on buying one for my TR-4C. Be careful what you wish for. Don Jones KO7i ps - my heavily modified R-4C has been outperforming my Ten Tec OMNI VI in every way. The OMNI VI has a full load of filters. Plus the INRAD roofing filter mod. I have trying to get the VP8O logged and I have had to resort to using the R-4C to copy his very weak signal here in Western WA. Message: 1 Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:21:01 -0800 From: "Kevin Nathan" To: Subject: [Drakelist] Wanting to Buy Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi All, I went to a vintage radio even over the weekend and was able to sell some heavy metal and come back with much lighter cash.Now, I would like to find the noise blanker for my R4C. Does anyone on the list have one and what would you need for it? Thanks much and very 73. Kevin :) Amateur Radio: K7RX ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Kroil - it's good stuff... but for a radio?
OK this is a new one for me guys, I can personally attest to its effectiveness in cleaning firearms - but radios? This is a new for me. The stuff can be purchased at multiple high end gun shops you won't find it at Walmart. 73, Don Jones Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drake Knob found - Thanks!
Thank you to all who responded to my help request. K7MKS said he would drop one into the mail for me. Thank you Joe, much appreciated - also thank you to the other guys who made similar offers. I even got invited to a rag chew group which a lot of Drake users frequent. 73 and Happy Holidays to all, Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] I broke a knob...
T-4XC Don Jones Arlington, WA From: Don Cunningham [mailto:wb5...@martineer.net] Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2010 10:23 AM To: Don Jones; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] I broke a knob... What rig, Don??? 73, Don, WB5HAK ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] I broke a knob...
The knob for my USB - LSB select split on and broke in half. Wonder if anyone has a spare I could buy off you? Thanks & 73, Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Vol 29, Issue 26
Richard, Great Question, It does not appear to make a difference , same results driving into dummy load as antenna (& tuner) or the untuned input to the Dentron Clipperton-L amplifier.I have a wattmeter at the input to the amplifier and a seperate one at the output of the amplifier. Don - Original Message - Message: 2 Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:04:25 -0800 From: "Richard Knoppow" <1oldle...@ix.netcom.com> To: Subject: Re: [Drakelist] T-4XC Low Power Output on 160M Message-ID: <65f091b2c86a4debbd4438cb96cb3...@valued20606295> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original What are you testing into, a dummy load or something else? - Richard Knoppow Los Angeles WB6KBL dickb...@ix.netcom.com -- Message: 3 Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:30:17 -0500 From: "Wayne Rogers" To: Subject: [Drakelist] Soft-Start Module and Soft Key Mod for L4B Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=response I have the Soft-key mod installed and just purchased the Soft-Start Module, which installs in the same location. Anyone know if there is a simple solution? I have a call in to Harbach - just though I'd ask here for a quick answer, since I have the Amp opened up on my bench. Thanks, Wayne N1WR -- Message: 4 Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:16:59 -0800 (PST) From: Ron To: drakelist@zerobeat.net, k...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] T-4XC Low Power Output on 160M Message-ID: <107612.63136...@web54403.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii There was a "mod", I think in Ham Radio magazine, about adding a cap to the pi network on 160M to allow for proper tuning. Anyone know if this might be Don's issue? 73, Ron WD8SBB > > - Original Message - From: "Don Jones" > To: > Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 11:21 AM > Subject: [Drakelist] T-4XC Low Power Output on 160M > > > > I have noticed that when loading up my T-4XC up on > 160M I am only able to > > get 45 - 50W out of my transmitter. Seems as though > the loading cap has > > insufficient range for proper tuning. The load control > is fully CCW. Is > > there a problem with the transmitter or does it just > need alignment? > > Thanks & 73, > > > > Don Jones KO7i > > Arlington, WA -- Message: 5 Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:46:19 -0600 From: "T. David Cohen" To: Subject: [Drakelist] Q Multiplier Message-ID: <005101cb883b$95191c90$bf4b55...@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I'm bringing back a recently acquired 2B and Q multiplier. The first of many questions - about how long should the shielded lead between the 2BQ and the receiver be (and what sort of coax?)? A previous owner did some 'work' on it. Thanks! Dave Cohen, N7TC -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://mailman.zerobeat.net/pipermail/drakelist/attachments/20101119/ee65a56a/attachment-0001.html> -- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist End of Drakelist Digest, Vol 29, Issue 26 * ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] T-4XC Low Power Output on 160M
I have noticed that when loading up my T-4XC up on 160M I am only able to get 45 - 50W out of my transmitter. Seems as though the loading cap has insufficient range for proper tuning. The load control is fully CCW. Is there a problem with the transmitter or does it just need alignment? Thanks & 73, Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T-4XC VFO Transceive Mode Problem Solved
Thanks for all who responded to my request for info. I have resolved the problem it was the INJ cable and I am good to go. 73, Don Jones Arlington, WA -- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:15:43 -0800 From: "Don Jones" To: Subject: [Drakelist] C-line will not go into transceive mode... Strange Message-ID: <002d01cb8462$a0ccf840$e266e8...@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" OK, I have something strange going on. The transceive vfo select on my T-4XC will not switch to one vfo or the other. Running separate is fine. The spot function works good too. The vfo lights on the R-4C and T-4XC switch on & off following the vfo select switch position on the T-4XC. A little history, yesterday evening the R-4C was not hearing anything but the calibrator was loud and clear. So today I broke out the Deoxite and cleaned the contacts of the TR relay inside the T-4XC - receive problem solved. I put the T-4XC back together and now I have this new issue with transceive vfo select. I am hoping I did something stupid and easy to fix. 73, Don Jones KO7i -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://mailman.zerobeat.net/pipermail/drakelist/attachments/20101114/d6160e b0/attachment-0001.html> -- Message: 2 Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:38:28 -0800 (PST) From: Robert Ladden To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] C-line will not go into transceive mode... Strange Message-ID: <303165.42452...@web43131.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Let's start with the obvious. ?Is the INJ cable connected well at both ends?Did you put Deox-it on more than the T/R relay? 73,Bob WW3QB --- On Sun, 11/14/10, Don Jones wrote: From: Don Jones Subject: [Drakelist] C-line will not go into transceive mode... Strange To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010, 8:15 PM C-line will not go into transceive mode... Strange OK, I have something strange going on. The transceive vfo select on my T-4XC will not switch to one vfo or the other. Running separate is fine. The spot function works good too. The vfo lights on the R-4C and T-4XC switch on & off following the vfo select switch position on the T-4XC. A little history, yesterday evening the R-4C was not hearing anything but the calibrator was loud and clear. So today I broke out the Deoxite and cleaned the contacts of the TR relay inside the T-4XC ? receive problem solved. I put the T-4XC back together and now I have this new issue with transceive vfo select. I am hoping I did something stupid and easy to fix. 73, Don Jones? KO7i -Inline Attachment Follows- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://mailman.zerobeat.net/pipermail/drakelist/attachments/20101114/031d09 02/attachment-0001.html> -- Message: 3 Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:42:36 -0800 (PST) From: Bob Loving To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Sudden loss of T-4XC ouptut power Message-ID: <744880.82433...@web81103.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I've mentioned this before, rather recently, but check CR19 in the cathode circuit of the driver, V4 (12BY7). I have 2 T-4XC transmitters that exhibited sudden drop (to nothing in both cases) in power output. Both had CR19 with cracks in the cases. The diodes would appear OK with a DMM (diode mode) but with the application of heat would open up. Maybe there's some intermediate mode that would allow moderate output power but that doesn't seem to make too much sense. Most semiconductors work or they don't work, in my experience! A 1N4003 and up is good substitute for the B5G5 diode used by Drake. Bob K9JU -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://mailman.zerobeat.net/pipermail/drakelist/attachments/20101114/ead943 6e/attachment-0001.html> -- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist End of Drakelist Digest, Vol 29, Issue 21 * ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Vol 29, Issue 21
RE: The Inj Cable... this what I suspected and I am hoping is the problem. RE: Deoxite: I went over all of the wafer switch contacts and RCA jacks, plus I gave as many as possible a light squeeze with the needle nose pliers making sure I was have solid center pin engagement of each respective cable. I did not apply Deoxite to the pins of the tubes. I will re-verify the Inj cable and make sure I have a good connection and I am using the proper impedance cable. One unrelated item: I did not realize with the T-4XC, you can access the neutralizing cap for the finals from the bottom of the RF deck. That is nice. Thanks & 73, Don Jones KO7i -Original Message- -- Message: 2 Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:38:28 -0800 (PST) From: Robert Ladden To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] C-line will not go into transceive mode... Strange Message-ID: <303165.42452...@web43131.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Let's start with the obvious. ?Is the INJ cable connected well at both ends?Did you put Deox-it on more than the T/R relay? 73,Bob WW3QB --- On Sun, 11/14/10, Don Jones wrote: ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] C-line will not go into transceive mode... Strange
OK, I have something strange going on. The transceive vfo select on my T-4XC will not switch to one vfo or the other. Running separate is fine. The spot function works good too. The vfo lights on the R-4C and T-4XC switch on & off following the vfo select switch position on the T-4XC. A little history, yesterday evening the R-4C was not hearing anything but the calibrator was loud and clear. So today I broke out the Deoxite and cleaned the contacts of the TR relay inside the T-4XC - receive problem solved. I put the T-4XC back together and now I have this new issue with transceive vfo select. I am hoping I did something stupid and easy to fix. 73, Don Jones KO7i ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] W8JI & the R-4C Mixers..?
Actually I have two C-Lines, one with a late S/N non-mod R-4C and the second one with a fully modified (as in every mod) "Sherwood R-4C" and have done side by side comparison's. The answer is YES! In particular the roofing filter mod's are simply outstanding. They make a huge difference on both SSB and CW performance. My Sherwood R4C is fully loaded with the optional filters and has crystals for 160M and the low end of 10M too. The 300Hz roofing filter and 250Hz standard filter are a brick wall. I am looking forward to the November CW Sweepstakes and can't wait to put my receiver thru contest grade qrm proof testing. I am the 3rd owner "post mod" of this receiver and it came with a 3 ring folder that fully documents all of the work done to my R4C, the invoice say's there was over $900 worth of work done to the receiver. I have $1,300 into my C-Line which is a lot of money, however when you compare "Sherwood price" to the price of a equal or better performance Ten-Tec, Icom, Elecraft, or Yaesu I found that I was a minimum of 6dB$ ahead and have money left over to put into my antenna system. At least that is the reasoning I used to justify paying what I did for my Sherwood R-4C. The other thing I like about our old rigs is that we can work on them. The new rice boxes? Forget it! As you know with our old rig's a bottle of Deoxite is a must have. 73, Don KO7i From: William Mills [mailto:mills...@windstream.net] Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 9:30 AM To: Don Jones Subject: Re: [Drakelist] W8JI & the R-4C Mixers..? Don, Are the Sherwood Engineering mods worth the cost? Would like to know your thoughts on the R-4C receiver after the Sherwood mods. My only experience with Sherwood Engineering is with the purchase of a SE-3 Synchronous Detector which I have interfaced with a Collins R-390A receiver. The SE-3 greatly improves the audio of the R-390A as well as SSB operation. 73, Bill Mills KC4AA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] W8JI & the R-4C Mixers..?
I was reading his web site regarding 160M & receivers. Basically he trashes the R-4C for it's well known problems with the dual gate mosfet mixer. As you go thru the receiver tests on his website shows test results with a medium level modified R-4C which comes pretty close to matching the performance documented on the Sherwood Engineering website. (I have one of those "Sherwood R-4C's". ) But what has got me wondering is W8JI goes on to talk about the highly modified R-4C that he says was gutted and redesigned with heavy emphasis on the mixers. My first guess is that he is switching over to MiniCircuits DBM's (perhaps SLB1's) as there is mention of running much higher injection levels to the mixers and switching over to video amplifier chips in the IF chain to further enhance the dynamic range. What I am wondering is if anyone here on this list has monkeyed around with different mixers and if so what did you use? 73, Don KO7i ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] T/R relay source for a T4XC?
Hi, Looks like I have a flakey T/R relay in my T4XC. I am looking for a source for a replacement part. 73, Don KO7i ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Drake R-4C score
OK, I do not get it. I went to Sea-Pac (the NW Div ARRL Convention) and I hoping to move a T-4XC down the road that I picked up at another hamfest. No takers. There was one guy who basically tried to give one away at $200 - no takers. During the last moments of the flea market, I did one last cruise of the tables and spotted a R-4C late production S/N for $200. I could not pass on that. I hope it works. Now I have 2 C-Lines sitting here. I think I have gone nuts. is there a treatment for this apparently viral bug that has taken over my sound reasoning? HI HI. The first C-Line R-4C I recently picked up has every possible Sherwood mod installed - everything. The T-4XC has the outboard RF speech processor. Not sure what to do with this second C-Line. Don Jones KO7i ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Newbie Scores
This is my very first post to the Drake List, so I guess a little bio would be appropriate. I was first licensed in winter 1974 (novice) and upgraded to general in the fall of 1975. I bought a Drake TR-4C with money earned mowing lawns and doing odd jobs as a high school aged young man. I still have that TR-4C. >From high school I went into the Navy for 6yrs. While in the Navy, I was in Memphis in '77 and bought a set of Drake Twins, T-4x & R-4A. They were good old rigs and worked 200+ countries with them while in the service. In the early 90's I sent the "A-Line" down the road and joined up with the solid state trend but hung onto the old TR-4C. Recently I found that I had got tired of the "rice boxes" and all the noise. Talking with a friend about the current "state of the art" and amateur radio he said I should go back to my roots, dig out that old TR-4C and give it another listen. He told me about the DrakeList and said I needed to go take a look at the technical reports on the Sherwood Engineering web site. What I found was very impressive. I wanting to find a complete "C-Line". Today at a local Hamfest, sitting there on a flea market table was a mint T-4XC & AC-4 power supply, it was in perfect working order, this baby was a real beauty, the asking price was $200. I would have been embarrassed to ask the seller if they could come down some on the price. Recently, thru dumb, I located a luck a complete "C-Line" and the R-4C has every Sherwood mod possible already installed, a full set of filters, and crystal's for 160 for the TX & RX. Now I have the problem of this extra T-4XC sitting here, I think I will continue to hold out for another R-4C, but a guy never knows a nice R-4B might find its way into the shack too. Life is good, Don Jones KO7i Arlington, WA ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
