[Drakelist] Invoices
Someone keeps sending me invoices through the Drake list for something I did NOT buy. If it doesn't stop I will be forced to quit the list. Steve w7jsc ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Garey Barrell K4OAH SK
I was fortunate to have met Garey when he was visiting some family members in nearby LaFox, Illinois. I have his 2B CD and it has been a great help in keeping that old receiver in great shape. I hope that something can be worked out with his family to keep his Drake legacy alive. He was a real resource, and a fine man. Steve WA9JML --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. http://www.avg.com ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] TR5
Thanks guys, I thought I remembered seeing somewhere a long time ago that it did operate backwards, but I wanted to make sure. I have two TR7s and a number of 4-line radios, but this is my first TR5. Nice little radio and it goes well with my other Drakes. Steve W7JSC ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] TR5
I bought a very nice TR5 at a hamfest, it looks great and works great. My only question is about the vfo tuning dial. Is it supposed to operate backwards, clockwise to decrease frequency and ccw to increase frequency? Steve W7JSC ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Using a Drake 2NT and Drake 2B on 30m
G’day I’ve got a Drake 2NT and 2B, which am in the process of refurbishing. With the decline in solar activity, I was wondering if anyone had found ways to use them on the 30 m band? Maybe the 2B just needs relatively straightforward crystal addition, but the 2NT looks like an extra coil would need switching into the anode circuitry of the 12BY7A and potentially another tap put in place on the 6HF5 PA tank coil (am wondering if the 7MHz or 14MHz tank coil tap would tune there?). Any information would be much appreciated. Vy 73 Steve, VK6VZ --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Any ideas about building a Q multiplier for a Drake 2B?
G’day Greetings from Glen Forrest, Western Australia! I have a nice Drake 2B here, for which I’ve been looking for a 2AQ/2BQ Q Multiplier for some time. After coming to the conclusion that there were a heap of other 2B owners all looking for 2BQs and the chance of finding one was probably less than zero at a price I could afford, it occurred to me that I could find a nice old external speaker and build a Q multiplier inside it. My other conclusion was if any had built a Q multiplier for a 2B, this list was a really good place to ask about designs, parts and ideas! Please, if anyone has done this or has any ideas about doing this, could they drop me a line? Thank you! Vy 73 Steve VK6VZ/G3ZZD --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] L7
I am looking for the rod which controls the safety interlock on the RF deck for an L7. It looks like at one time the rig became so hot that when removing the rod it broke. I am also looking for any guidance as to how hot the thermostat that controls the fan speed must get to bypass the resistor . I am thinking the only reason the deck became so hot was if the fan did/could not kick in at full speed. I know I can bypass the resistor and keep the fan on higher speed but would like to keep everything original. Please contact off reflector. Any help much appreciated! 73, Steve, WD8NPL bau...@centurylink.net___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] L7 filament transformer
Greetings to the list-can anyone tell me if the filament transformer for an L4 is the same as an L7? I have an L7 with a bad one and looking for a replacement. Would appreciate any info or if someone has one I can use please contact me. Many thanks and Merry Christmas to all! 73, Steve, WD8NPL___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Vol 64, Issue 5
He replaced the tube. I just fixed a T-4XC that exhibited a cold or broken solder joint this month, in 2013. Joint was soldered in 1977. Not quite the old House, MD maxim of it never being Lupus. If swapping the tube brings no resolution, check all the connections. That means both tube socket and all solder joints. Still good maxims to live by. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Rich Jones Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 7:13 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Vol 64, Issue 5 You ever notice when trouble the R4A, it always says, its the tubeits the tube. I have one, and yes, it is always the tube. Get a new tube. 73 Rich K8UV On Friday, October 11, 2013 12:00 PM, drakelist-requ...@zerobeat.net drakelist-requ...@zerobeat.net wrote: Send Drakelist mailing list submissions to drakelist@zerobeat.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to drakelist-requ...@zerobeat.net You can reach the person managing the list at drakelist-ow...@zerobeat.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of Drakelist digest... Today's Topics: 1. R4A erratic audio output (k5eh) -- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:36:06 -0500 From: k5eh k...@cox.net To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] R4A erratic audio output Message-ID: 52571dc6.8070...@cox.net Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed R4a s/n 5404b has erratic, changing audio levels. 6EH5 (V7) gets very HOT! Pin voltages and resistance readings a little off ( IAW tube chart in alignment procedure). Can tap tube and change audio and signal levels. Changed tube with no improvement. Previous posts show very different voltage and resistance readings from those in my manual. I have the 11 tube version. Open to suggestions and comments. I refer to this GREAT site daily, and hope to be a constructive contributor in the future. 73, Jim, K5EH -- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist End of Drakelist Digest, Vol 64, Issue 5 ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T4XB tune problem
Peter, you are probably outputting the IF frequency 5645 kHz (the carrier oscillator). That explains the strange setting of the RF TUNE and the high SWR on an 80m antenna. It could be that your band oscillator is not working. Do you get normal output on other bands? Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Peter Ravn Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2013 12:49 PM To: Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] T4XB tune problem When my T4XB is in tune mode, and the gain control is fully CCW, the meter reads 0.4 A. Turning the gain control CW has no effect on the reading. The RF control is also out of control. When I want maximum peak on 40 meters, the RF control has to be turned to 80 meters. Output is app. 40 W and SWR is very bad. The plate control can be dipped but ends in a completely other position than the usual one. The problem is the same in SSB and CW, and when the T4XB runs as a separate transmitter. The bias is 0.07A. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks. OZ8CTH, Peter ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Need MN-2000 Antenna Switch
Greetings to the list: I am looking for a replacement antenna switch for an MN-2000 Tuner. I recently acquired this tuner, but it looks like in it's former life someone smoked the antenna switch. From the looks of it, it appears to haver been hotswitched. The ceramic portion of the switch in my unit is totally cracked and burned through. If someone has a replacement or a source for a replacement switch of this type, I would be grateful. Regards, Steve, N6HK Tehachapi CA 93561 ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] XTAL trade
I've got some extra crystals for the Twins and I need a 15m crystal for a TR-4. I've got rocks for 160, 10CW, 17, 12, higher 10m segments, as well as (cough) 11m. Will swap any of these for a 15m crystal for a TR-4 (xtal frequency is 35.5 MHz). 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4C IC Product Detector
Byron, You may find that any noise you have will be remedied by the power supply and audio changes. I owned two different C-Lines over the years: one early and one late. The earlier one was definitely MUCH quieter than the late one I had, and you will probably not need to do a 3rd mixer mod. I can't seem to find a schematic for the earlier R-4C. Didn't the early ones use 6HS6 mixers? Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: David Assaf III Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 8:40 AM To: Byron Tatum ; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R-4C IC Product Detector Byron: we;lcome to the adventure! The 8 KC front end filter is very broad. The previous owner must have been an AM SWL? Please read Sherwood's and Inrad's info on the roofing filter for the radio. The r4c is the radio where the concept of the roofing filter was made back in the 1970's. It transforms a so so radio to a great one. Drake's r4c, stock, was actually a step backwards in performance. Many still claim the B line superior. Modified, as you are doing will erase that doubt. The power supply is a necessary mod. drake simply had one big power supply and when they needed a different voltage they used large resistors. With age, these resistors change and you end up not knowing the actual voltage. The audio and product detectors are a small increment in the performance of the radio. Please consider Sherwood's third mixer mod. I chased the noise in mine till I read his article and it was the second best thing I did for mine (the roofing filters were the first). Cannot tell you the number of third mixer tubes I tried to make the receiver quiet,. Drake had three or four third mixers in the radio. They were aware of the noise, technology was not there to fix it. It is now. I would not pull off the 10 volts on the Balanced modulator. I would do the 12 volts you need from a separate regulator at the power supply. Look at Sherwood's power supply mod. It is all you need for any mod in the radio. The solid state mixer noted above will need that 12 volts as well. One last thing if you do CW. Look into the AGC mod offered by Sherwood. It is well worth the considerable trouble to do. Good Luck! David Assaf, III W5XU On Sun, Mar 31, 2013 at 8:53 PM, Byron Tatum bjtat...@att.net wrote: Hello- I am in the process of installing some upgrades in my R-4C, an early one (18K SN range) that has the 6HS6's. The INRAD 8 KC 5645 KC first IF filter was in when I bought it, so at least I have a little bit of protection for that second mixer. I upgraded the power supply with the 7812 regulator and better electrolytic caps all around, per WB4HFN info combined with Sherwood info. Today I built the IC product detector using a TL442CN, installed it and appears all is well. I thought I would post this as I believe the TL442CN is an obsolete device. The TI SN76514 is an identical chip, it was used in the Mihuzo 9 Mhz SSB boards as the balanced modulator. One thing, I am powering mine fom the +10 VDC that is provided for BFO, as that terminal was very near the module. Is itnecessary to have the full 12 VDC on the chip? I wish to do the sudio amp upgrade, mostly to get rid of the heat, but also to have a little better audio. I am thinking of going with the LM383T as done by Sherwood, but saw a video of an R-4C sporting a D-Labs audio upgrade. I cannot find any additional info on this. Thought I would ask for advice before I proceeded with the audio changes. Thanks, Byron WA5THJ ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Drake 2B
Does anyone have alignment instructions for the 2B? BAMA has one for 2C and is hard to read. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] B-Twins FS
Please contact me off-list for particulars re price and shipping. I've got some nice B-Twins finally available. It has been busy enough here with career-changing that it has taken me 'til now to have these rigs ready since I first announced them in Oct. Pics that are better than iPhone snaps will be done later today. T-4XB, s/n in 20xxx range, full output, recently re-neutralized and balanced. Nice chassis with minimal freckles. One feed-through cap was damaged and repaired by a previous owner. R-4B, s/n in the 13xxx range, nice chassis, it is discolored around the fuse but not corroded. Nice, unrestored receiver that required minimal tweaking. Three accessory crystals for 30, 11 (!) and 10CW. Yeah, there were some extra 11m rocks laying around, though this one already had this one when I bought it. AC-4 in good working order, s/n in 46xxx range. I replaced both caps in the bias circuit as a preventive measure. Other caps are original and working fine (as were the original bias caps, but they've been completely disconnected from the circuit and the new, smaller caps installed underneath). MS-4, no dents, speaker works fine, looks like a repaint and there are some scuffs on the front. I'll sell these as a set or individually. I'll also install a Heathkit Shop or Hayseed kit in the AC-4 for a nominal charge above the kit cost if you want. I understand most folks on this list do their own work and there's nothing wrong with the power supply. From past experience, shipping weights and sizes are: R-4B, 21 lbs, 20.5 x 20.5 x 13.5 in. T-4XB, 18 lbs, same size as R-4B. AC-4, 18 lbs., 14 x 8 x 8 in. MS-4m 8 lbs, same size as xmitter and receiver. Shipping from 27302 (NC). 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Ripple
When we talk about the AC3 or AC4 bias supply and say that it has to have NO ripple in its output what do mean 100mv p-p? 1vp-p? what is the collective wisdom on this specification?? I am working on a CW/Vox issue and found a note in the Archives that say make sure you have NO ripple in the bias supply...Am trying to figure out if I comply!!! Steve NU0P ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Neutralization
Lots of good on what I was looking for. I have done the neutralization the way it is outlined in the manual and think I have it pretty good. This T4 was a rust bucket basket case when I got it and it had several burned up cathode resistors, two in the Driver cathode cicuit alone and one in the plate circuit of the driver. I replaced those and began the neutralization per the manual. As I moved the neutralization cap all of a sudden the radio started sparking and smoking. The same 3 resistors had burned up. So I am thinking that some kind of wild oscillation is taking place when I hit a certain spot on the neutralization cap. So I replace the resistors again. And the very same thing happens again. So I look at the charred mess and the black smoke deposits in the radio and try one more time. This time I replace the resistors and remove the neutralization cap and find that at a certain rotation of the cap the plates short together. So what was happening was that I was getting HV from the PA tubes into the plate circuit of the 12by7 driver. No wonder those resistors cooked. I Put it all back together and find that I can get no output at all now. It turns out that the filaments of several of the tubes along with the #47 pilot lamps had all burned out. So I replace those tubes and lamps but still no output. I replace one more tube in the Tx chain and she comes back to life. She really has been abused but is putting out respectable power now and is neutralized to a pretty good extent. Now I want to try the neutralization scheme which removes the HV and Screen voltages. I will be careful... I have learned the hardway before at least once or twice. Steve NU0P On 10/23/2012 20:17, Steve wrote: I have a Drake T4 that needs neutralization . I have tried the approach given in the manual and while it seems to work I thought I might use this as an opportunity to learn how to do what is called a Cold Tube neutralization where you do not apply High Voltage to the plate. Seems that you can Neutralize the tube with only filament voltage, bias and screen voltages applied. Has anyone done this and if so what is the preferred method of doing it. Steve NU0P ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Neutralization
I have a Drake T4 that needs neutralization . I have tried the approach given in the manual and while it seems to work I thought I might use this as an opportunity to learn how to do what is called a Cold Tube neutralization where you do not apply High Voltage to the plate. Seems that you can Neutralize the tube with only filament voltage, bias and screen voltages applied. Has anyone done this and if so what is the preferred method of doing it. Steve NU0P ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] R-4B Update
I got my two new 6BZ6's today and put one each in my two R-4B's. My station receiver's performance has improved dramatically. I now get background noise that is believable compared to what I see on my K3/P3. The roughness seems to be gone, but I'll wait before pronouncing a cure on that due to its intermittent nature in the past. The recently-acquired R-4B now seems more deaf than when it had the defective 6BZ6 and I've tried re-aligning the AGC and S-meter calibration. The AGC now easily resets to -1.35V but I can't get the AGC (by turning down the RF GAIN) to -15V with the new tube. Not sure if I could with the old one, either, but it held the AGC to -0.75V with the old 6BZ6 and I could not get any more than that. It's likely this receiver needs some more tubes as well. I'll check all the resistor values going to the S-meter as well, as I've seen fried ones before. So it looks like I can put the cover back on my station R-4B and that cuts the number of naked receivers by 25% 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. Emoticon1.gif___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Exploding cap? Progress
Nice going, Damien - Yes, an arc of 220VAC to GND could result in some rather loud sounds. Obviously, it must have been the side that's on the supply side of the fuse, or else the fuse would have blown. Check your fuse to be sure that it's the correct value: the current rating should be half what it would be at 120 (I don't have the schematic in front of me at the moment). Complete lack of function on one band suggests a bad crystal. I'd check all of your connections off the rotary switches, then try re-seating the crystal. You may want to try swapping in the 10m crystal just to see if you get some receiver noise. If you do, the 15m crystal's definitely bad. Good luck - Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Damien Mannix Sent: Monday, August 27, 2012 11:33 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Exploding cap? Progress Hi all, It is time I gave all you kind folks a progress report. Found the WB4IQK AC3/4 troubleshooting guide invaluable. Tested all voltages with the covers off, very carefully! All okay. As promised by the seller I found that the two caps and four diodes in the 650v circuit have been renewed. Even though all seems to be well I will follow the advice given and approach Hayseed to see if they will supply the new parts for the 250v part of the unit. Surprise, when replacing the bottom cover I saw on the inside a charred patch about an inch in diameter with a very tiny hole almost in the middle! Never saw that before, silly me. Too busy examining components. The area is directly below the fuse holder. Probably would have been okay at 115v but it looks as though it arced at our voltage. I wonder if it has happened before? Anyway a bit of insulation and several hours running seems to suggest it is now okay. Please though, do not let anyone think they wasted their time giving me all that advice. I have loads to learn and it will all be most useful to me in the future. Fingers crossed it was time for me to try the TR4. First problem was that the MS4 speaker was silent! Fortunately all was well on phones. Turns out someone has rewired the big psu/tcvr socket with the speaker connections now on pins 5 8 which lead to the VOX relay socket! Irritating, I believe plugs for those sockets are impossible to find and correcting this in the tight space of that twelve connection socket will be quite a soldering challenge for me. As for the TR4, using a short length of bellwire as an antenna (crude I know) and a 50 ohm load for transmit all seems to be well except for 15 metres which is as dead as can be. Both TX and RX, nothing. It cannot even hear its own calibrator! Oh well, I am quite pleased really. It could be an awful lot worse and is probably good example of a TR4 once sorted. Thanks again all. Damien G3XER ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Exploding cap's ???
Chin up, Damien: power supplies are fairly easy - if a bit dangerous - to work on. As long as you make sure you're unplugged and all terminals have zero volts on them, you should be fine. Check the diodes first with a DMM with a diode check function. These usually have a schematic symbol for a diode somewhere (Flukes usually have them in the 2k resistance range). Anything that's shorted or open needs replacement. If there are any bad ones, I'd just replace them all. Just mind the polarity. It's the same song with the electrolytics. If they're original, consider replacing all of them. There are a couple of kits available in the US (Heathkit Shop and Hayseed Hamfest) but not sure if the prices and shipping would be prohibitive to you. Check them out - they're both small outfits where you're talking with the owner. Those kits have the advantage of having instructions. If you go your own way, keep in mind that new electrolytics are quite a bit smaller than the 40-something ones you're replacing. I've been able to sneak most of them on the underside of the chassis and leave the old caps up top for appearance. Remember to completely disconnect the old caps if you do that. Good luck... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Damien Mannix Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 12:03 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Exploding cap's ??? Wow, thank you so much to all for the most useful information. Yes the AC4 is wired for 240 v. Hoped to string up some sort of temporary antenna this weekend and get on the air but I now know I will be busy doing something else! Just hope I have the technical abilty to sort it out. Years ago I built a Heathkit scope but that is about my only experience with components, soldering etc. I do not suppose any Drake enthusiast will have any doubt as to why a TR4 but in case anybody has, in the late 60's and early 70's when I was active I had three receivers in a row, the last being a R4A. I thought it was magnificent and way ahead of any receiver I had tried at the time. Wish I still had it today. It is only natural that I want to return to Drake. Thanks again everyone. Damien G3XER ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] TR4C recapping
Hey, Francis - It's not quite as daunting as it sounds. Only the electrolytic caps need to be changed, and it's mostly in the interest of preventive maintenance. The electrolyte in these types of capacitors eventually dries out and the caps usually start losing capacitance and becoming more like high-value resistors instead. With most of the circuits, it's not a catastrophic event: one merely replaces the cap when it fails. In the case of the negative bias supply in the AC-4, however, it's critical enough to warrant replacing those two caps (they're actually inside the same can: C5a and b), if nothing else. There's only one multi-section can on the TR-4 itself (C145), on the right side at the front, near the PTO. The area underneath it is nice and clear compared to the receivers. Short answer is that Hayseed will send you all the electrolytics that will need to be changed in the TR-4 itself. I haven't worked inside a TR-4 in years, so will defer to those in the group who have as far as where the other caps are located. The AC-4 is a separate kit and you have the option of Hayseed or Heathkit Shop if you don't want to replace them yourself. You should also definitely recap the AC-4 or at the very least the bias cap (C5). If you replace the components with modern, non-can parts yourself, be sure to disconnect the old caps from the circuit. 73, .Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Francis Surovec fsuro...@gmail.com Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 8:45 AM To: Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] TR4C recapping I have been reading various threads and sites concerning the need to recap these great old rigs. I see at the hayseedhamfest.com site they have a recap package for the TR4C that is composed of four can electrolytic capacitors. I have read the to recap this or any of the older rigs that all of the caps should be replaced. Can someone point me in the right direction to obtain this information? Thanks. 73, Francis WA3GGV ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R4C BFO Leakage
Check and make sure that all the shielding underneath for the 3rd mixer is intact. That circuit is very sensitive to stray signals and noise. You might also want to try a different 6EJ7 in there to see if it changes anything. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Bill Becky Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 7:20 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] R4C BFO Leakage A few weeks back I wrote about PBT levels in SSB/AM modes. It would change S-Meter levels depending on adjustment of the PBT. I ruled out the 4NB board by removing it..no change. However when I removed the bottom cover almost 6 S-Units of PB feedthrough were reduced and performance was enhanced with less white noise. Interesting to know the interference is being conducted by the metal bottom cover to key area's of the bottom chassis. Next I will attempt adding metal shields to isolate internal RF from conducting to nearby by circuits that are prone. Best 73 Bill KB9IV ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Copper chassis refurb problems
Al - The best way will be to let it retone naturally: any attempts at putting a false patina on it will look fake. The retoning will always look a little pinker than the original. Cleaning and retoning copper is a big issue with coin collectors - especially with small cents. I know a fair amount about this and know that cleaned copper coins are worth but a fraction of ones with their original toning -even if brown. Yes - technically pennies from 1864 - 1982 (excepting some war production) were brass/bronze, but the same principles apply: the retoning will ALWAYS look different from the original and will be detectable by a purist looking for a pristine example. Experts recommend that cleaned coins be allowed to retone naturally. It will take longer than your lifetime for them to return to their original tone. Luckily, in our case, people aren't as rabid about cleaning radios as coin collectors are about cleaning coins. You won't be losing hundreds of dollars in value and you may have actually made the radio worth more - if that's your concern. It takes more than a shiny chassis to make a radio mint, and very few available today are truly mint. They justifiable command what appear to be ridiculous prices to folks who just want a nice example to play with. One way that you can darken it a bit is to re-lacquer it. Spray polyurethane will help seal the plating from further moisture problems and will definitely darken it. I usually use copper-colored model paint to touch up any really bad areas (I.e., pitting), because it helps seal the chassis and is easily removable if a subsequent owner wishes to remove it. YMMV... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Al Schichler aschich...@gmail.com Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 11:17 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Copper chassis refurb problems I recently acquired an R-4A that has some tarnishing and corrosion on the copper chassis. Not real bad, but it's kind of spotted like a lot of Drake chassis. Anyway, the back panel was kind of black along the bottom edge, maybe the bottom 1/4 width or so. The only thing that would remove the black was steel wool, probably because it was under the lacquer, and it only came off after removing the lacquer. Now the black discoloration is gone, but the bottom 3/8 or so of the back panel is brighter and shinier than the upper part. It's a little pinkish and bright, kind of like a polished penny. The rest of the chassis is a little more orangy, for lack of a better description. Does anyone know of a good way to darken the brighter and shinier part of the chassis without having to wait years? I plan on clear-coating the whole back panel after I get the whole thing to look more even. I found several articles online with methods to darken and tarnish copper, but none of them did anything when testing them on a piece of copper sheet metal. Thanks, Al, WA2S ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Copper chassis refurb problems
I might add the following duh! warning: IF you're spraying the chassis, be sure to put some blue painter's tape over all the tube sockets :) Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Steve Wedge w1es1...@triad.rr.com Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 12:02 PM To: Al Schichler aschich...@gmail.com; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Copper chassis refurb problems Al - The best way will be to let it retone naturally: any attempts at putting a false patina on it will look fake. The retoning will always look a little pinker than the original. Cleaning and retoning copper is a big issue with coin collectors - especially with small cents. I know a fair amount about this and know that cleaned copper coins are worth but a fraction of ones with their original toning -even if brown. Yes - technically pennies from 1864 - 1982 (excepting some war production) were brass/bronze, but the same principles apply: the retoning will ALWAYS look different from the original and will be detectable by a purist looking for a pristine example. Experts recommend that cleaned coins be allowed to retone naturally. It will take longer than your lifetime for them to return to their original tone. Luckily, in our case, people aren't as rabid about cleaning radios as coin collectors are about cleaning coins. You won't be losing hundreds of dollars in value and you may have actually made the radio worth more - if that's your concern. It takes more than a shiny chassis to make a radio mint, and very few available today are truly mint. They justifiable command what appear to be ridiculous prices to folks who just want a nice example to play with. One way that you can darken it a bit is to re-lacquer it. Spray polyurethane will help seal the plating from further moisture problems and will definitely darken it. I usually use copper-colored model paint to touch up any really bad areas (I.e., pitting), because it helps seal the chassis and is easily removable if a subsequent owner wishes to remove it. YMMV... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Al Schichler aschich...@gmail.com Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 11:17 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Copper chassis refurb problems I recently acquired an R-4A that has some tarnishing and corrosion on the copper chassis. Not real bad, but it's kind of spotted like a lot of Drake chassis. Anyway, the back panel was kind of black along the bottom edge, maybe the bottom 1/4 width or so. The only thing that would remove the black was steel wool, probably because it was under the lacquer, and it only came off after removing the lacquer. Now the black discoloration is gone, but the bottom 3/8 or so of the back panel is brighter and shinier than the upper part. It's a little pinkish and bright, kind of like a polished penny. The rest of the chassis is a little more orangy, for lack of a better description. Does anyone know of a good way to darken the brighter and shinier part of the chassis without having to wait years? I plan on clear-coating the whole back panel after I get the whole thing to look more even. I found several articles online with methods to darken and tarnish copper, but none of them did anything when testing them on a piece of copper sheet metal. Thanks, Al, WA2S ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drake 2B Capacitor value
I have ordered a new crystal and lets hope this fixes the problem. If not then there is something else wrong. Steve On 6/3/2012 8:44 PM, Steve wrote: I am working on bringing back to life a 2B and am find that someone removed a capacitor in the crystal oscillator section. It is C76 and I am unable to read it's value from the schematic that I have. Can anyone take a look at a there good schematic and let me know its value please.. thanks Steve NU0P ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Drake 2B Capacitor value
I am working on bringing back to life a 2B and am find that someone removed a capacitor in the crystal oscillator section. It is C76 and I am unable to read it's value from the schematic that I have. Can anyone take a look at a there good schematic and let me know its value please.. thanks Steve NU0P ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] 6AH6 tube availability
6AH6's are still pretty common and can be had for two or three bucks apiece. AFAIK, nobody is making new sweep tubes anymore. Many years down the road, a lot of us will probably have to convert our transmitters to use 6146's which are still being made. I've seen a couple of links off 'HFN's website for instructions and pictures on how to do it. It IS a tight fit in the cage but it can be done without lowering the deck. For the time being, the 6JB6's are still fairly available, albeit at a somewhat steep price ($60-75/pair, last time I checked). Compared to the price of RF transistors, they're about on a par. We're all just sticker-shocked because we remember getting them at hamfests for eight bucks each :) 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Terrell Hamilton hamil...@nwi.net Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 11:56 AM To: 'Eugene Balinski' euge...@nni.com; 'Steve Wedge' w1es1...@earthlink.net; pony...@aol.com; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: RE: [Drakelist] 6AH6 tube availability Gene, et. al Is it beyond the realm of possibility that some small tube company might be convinced to do a limited (Sylvania quality) run of 6JB6's and 6AH6's? If a hundred hams signed up to buy several sets each, would that be enough, I wonder? Anyone know an exec/owner of a tube company? Terry K7WLD Wenatchee, wA -Original Message- From: drakelist-boun...@zerobeat.net [mailto:drakelist-boun...@zerobeat.net] On Behalf Of Eugene Balinski Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 2:40 PM To: Steve Wedge; pony...@aol.com; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] 6AH6 tube availability Hmmm Maybe we could convince Rob Sherwood to do a series of tests in the spirit of keeping the old one alive. I do know that he is a big fan of the R4C. Maybe he is a fan of the B-lins as well.. 73 Gene K1NR On Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:08:07 -0400 Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net wrote: Yep - and I've found 6AH6's for $3 locally. I fully understand that there are a lot of folks who want to keep their sets original. It's especially important with mint-condition sets. The two tube types are not 100% identical: that's why the two types exist. The Drake engineers intentionally picked this tube for a reason, and there may likely be changes in performance when you sub. But many times those changes may need precise equipment to measure them. I've pulled in some hamfest-fresh R-4B's that were using 6AU6's in place of V2 and V8. Yes, the receivers were working - it's the same pinout, but a 6AU6 has very different characteristics out at the edges of performance. I've replaced 6HS6's with 6HS6's until recently, but they're getting increasingly difficult to find and expensive. I've done some work for others, too, so I make them aware of the sub and ask which they want now. It would be interesting to do some full-blown testing on an R-4B with each tube type so that we could have hard data. Tests identical to what the ARRL Lab uses would be quite informative, I'm sure. I don't have the equipment necessary for testing 3-order response, intercept points, etc. Anyone got access to a decent lab? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: pony...@aol.com Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 1:21 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] 6AH6 tube availability hi gang After reading the farakus about getting 6AH6 tubes, I checked one of my favorite sites, and viola 4 Bucks The web site is radioera.com/tubes.asp. Enjoy them Drakes Tom, WD8JPP ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist - Web mail provided by NuNet, Inc. The Premier National provider. http://www.nni.com/ ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] 4-Line PRESELECTOR drive vs RF TUNE drive
Well, I thought I had a use for my junker T-4XB the other day when I removed the reduction drive from its RF TUNE control to transplant into my project R-4B's PRESELECTOR control (whose reduction drive has snuffed it). I made hasty assumptions about wanting to keep common parts in manufacturing stock that have not panned out in this case: not only does the offset differ substantially (such that the pointer can't be mounted to the outer shaft), but the ratios are also different! Does anybody have an extra receiver PRESELECTOR reduction control or a junker receiver that they'd be willing to sell me? I'm getting that sinking feeling that the TR-3 I sold last month probably has the correct ratio, but I'll wait for someone who has measured it to chime in with that. Otherwise, the chassis looks splendid! This R-4B is definitely NOT a junker and deserves to be refurbed. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] 6AH6 tube availability
Yep - and I've found 6AH6's for $3 locally. I fully understand that there are a lot of folks who want to keep their sets original. It's especially important with mint-condition sets. The two tube types are not 100% identical: that's why the two types exist. The Drake engineers intentionally picked this tube for a reason, and there may likely be changes in performance when you sub. But many times those changes may need precise equipment to measure them. I've pulled in some hamfest-fresh R-4B's that were using 6AU6's in place of V2 and V8. Yes, the receivers were working - it's the same pinout, but a 6AU6 has very different characteristics out at the edges of performance. I've replaced 6HS6's with 6HS6's until recently, but they're getting increasingly difficult to find and expensive. I've done some work for others, too, so I make them aware of the sub and ask which they want now. It would be interesting to do some full-blown testing on an R-4B with each tube type so that we could have hard data. Tests identical to what the ARRL Lab uses would be quite informative, I'm sure. I don't have the equipment necessary for testing 3-order response, intercept points, etc. Anyone got access to a decent lab? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: pony...@aol.com Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 1:21 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] 6AH6 tube availability hi gang After reading the farakus about getting 6AH6 tubes, I checked one of my favorite sites, and viola 4 Bucks The web site is radioera.com/tubes.asp. Enjoy them Drakes Tom, WD8JPP ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4C
Cliff - Unfortunately, if the gears have swollen, the only cure I've heard of is to disassemble the geartrain and gradually sand or ream the holes back out. As you can imagine, it's a finicky job and you can't go back if you go too far. If this is your first R-4C, and it's an earlier one (with no brass gears), be aware that the PTO's never turned as freely as the A-Line or B-Line. Drake did address the issue in their later C-Line with the brass gears - which to me says that they heard enough comments or complaints about the feel of the all-Nylon geartrain to make a change to it. Whatever you do, never lubricate the Nylon surfaces with any petroleum-based product. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: kc9...@aol.com Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 2:18 PM To: fofi...@shaw.ca; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R-4C Take a look to see if anyone LUBRICATED the gears...if so, that's your problem. They must run dry. They swell with oiling and bind (Nylon) 73, Lee -Original Message- From: fofield fofi...@shaw.ca To: drakelist drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Mon, Apr 30, 2012 2:14 pm Subject: [Drakelist] R-4C My tuning dial is not easy to turn..Not freewheeling by any means. Any suggestions what to try before I take the PTO cover and everything else off if I dont have to? Thanks 73 Cliff ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] 6HS6 SOURCES?
Hey, Raleigh - If you can't find the 6HS6 (and they ARE pricey!), you can use a 6AH6. They're much easier to find and a lot less expensive! 6AU6 will work but is substantially different in gain characteristics and you will have degraded performance. BTW, there's a great tube sub webpage: www.nj7p.org Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Raleigh Stelle Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2012 4:43 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] 6HS6 SOURCES? Have a couple of R4B that are getting prettier up and aligned. I could use some 6HS6's. Anyone have stock or source?? Thanks NY0Y Raleigh Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] B-Line Spinner Knob
I just received an R-4B, s/n 13300, that has what appears to be a normal B-Line knob, but with a spinner. It's not a C-Line knob, as the ridges are correct for the B-Line. Was this an accessory from Drake, or aftermarket? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Touching up front panels on 4-Lines
This R-4B I've acquired has a few nicks and scrapes on the front panel. Knowing that you can probably never touch it up so that it's absolutely invisible, have any of you found any touch-ups that seem to hide the scrapes? I also seem to have a PRESELECTOR reduction drive that's slipping. Have any of you come across any fixes? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] T-4X - No sidetone
I'm scratching my head on this one. V9a is oscillating at an audio rate, as it should. Pin 1 is about 150V pk-pk at about 800 Hz. ANTI VOX/SIDETONE is maxed. I get a distorted signal at the grid of V9b (pin 7) of about 5 V pk-pk. Cathode (pin 8) is not a strong signal, has lots of distortion (looks like it might be FM'ing) - only a couple of volts pk-pk. The static voltages per the chart are approximately right (plate voltages are present and other voltages are within what I'd consider normal). There is no signal at the ANTIVOX/SIDETONE jack - with or without the R-4B connected. Needless to say, there's no sidetone. CW is otherwise keying normally. The can cap was replaced with an 80 uf above the 330k plate resistor (C132) and 10uf at C144. This thing's got me stumped. It does look like someone worked on it before me - I see a 2-position terminal strip next to the sidetone board that has had a piece of coax clipped from it, but I haven't found any missing connections yet. Any ideas? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Sounds like soft finals to me...
I played around some more with WA1HZK's T-4X this afternoon and found a few interesting things: No output on 15m: swapped a crystal and got about 60W out. Very low (10W) on 10m. Receives fine on TX and RX. Tried peaking the RF TUNE and got a little more but not much. No output on 40: receive works fine on TX or RX, tried peaking the RF TUNE circuits and found the rear (driver plate) doesn't peak. Probably a bad capacitor but haven't confirmed. No output on 80m: exercised the bandswitch some more and got well over 100W out. Chalking this up to a dirty switch contact. No sidetone: I can hear a faint drone all the time, so I'm suspecting a dried-up electrolytic can. BTW, I can key it on CW just fine and the meter responds to mic inputs on SSB mode. The meter seems to be erratic. The finals definitely need to be neutralized: peak output even on 20m doesn't correspond to the dip. I've not had a rig to fix with this many problems in quite a while. There are no apparent hacks - just the effects of humidity and no use for years, I guess. I can get well over 100W on 80 and over 100W on 20, but the output drops to 60W on 15 and about 10W on 10. This looks like a soft final amp to me - any opinions? Is it worth my trying to neutralize it first, or will I be wasting my time? I've never really had one of these with worn-out finals before but this sounds like what I've heard. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] FS: T-4X in decent working shape.
When I got my T-4XB to go with my R-4B, my perfectly-functioning T-4X was sidelined in case I found another R-4A to pair up with it. This transmitter has full output on 80-10 (Never tried it on 160) and works like it should. Cabinet is straight but has some of the usual scratches. No extra holes, and it even has the original, smaller jack for the mic. Chassis is decent, but needs cleaning. No major corrosion but there are the usual dark spots. Has the A-Line PTO knob and scale. I'm going to take some pics this evening and will send them upon request. $135 plus shipping from a shipping store in 27302. Canada and some international OK. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] T-4X is SOLD.
The T-4X is sold. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Just so the wealth of the country, its capital, its credit, must be saved from the predatory poor as well as the predatory rich, but above all from the predatory politician. - James Jerome Hill All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Changing B-Line sidetone
Yup - shoulda looked at the schematic first. For some reason, I was thinking about that network in the sidetone circuit. Though the sidetone is annoyingly high for me, it's how it was designed and I'll leave it (I use a pitch of 440 Hz on rigs that have variable pitch). If I can even get this to 800, I'd be okay with it. Looks like I need less capacitance than what's in there and the value's small enough that I could use a gimmick, couldn't I? Off to look for some 10 pf caps or a trimmer... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 10:22 PM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Changing B-Line sidetone Why not just replace C1 and correct the offset?? C1 needs to move the CO up about 800 Hz to put it within the passband of the LSB, anywhere from about 800 to 2000 will work. The frequency of the SIDETONE has nothing to do with the offset. It should be about 800 Hz, to approximate the frequency offset in CW, but this frequency is set by the phase shift network at V9a. This same tone is also used for the TUNE function so must be in the range of 350 - 2400 Hz. 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: I know this has been gone over before, but my B-Twins seem to be out of kilter: the usual assumption is the offset is 800 Hz, but my set seems to be off by over a kHz (the offset seems to be about 1.8 kHz). I know there are three r/c combos in the T-4X. Has anyone ever changed these successfully? ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Changing B-Line sidetone
I know this has been gone over before, but my B-Twins seem to be out of kilter: the usual assumption is the offset is 800 Hz, but my set seems to be off by over a kHz (the offset seems to be about 1.8 kHz). I know there are three r/c combos in the T-4X. Has anyone ever changed these successfully? Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T-4XC T/R relay
Paul - I don't think they're interchangeable, but I'm somewhat surprised that I can't find any information about the relay in either the T-4X manual or Garey's CD. I might just be tired. The coil of that relay goes from the +250V supply to plate of the VOX control tube V10. It may need to drop a fair amount of voltage across that coil. I've also heard of some folks modifying the circuit so that they can use a relay with a lower-voltage coil. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Paul draked...@comcast.net Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 5:18 PM To: drakel...@.zerobeat.net drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] T-4XC T/R relay I recently acquired a parts unit T4XClooks to good to be a parts rig so I am going to make an attempt at saving it. Somewhere along the line someone hijacked the T/R relay. Is the relay for a TR7 the same relay,or is it a different part number? I have one in the junkbox,but want to make certain before I plug it in possibly smoke something in the T4XC by putting in wrong relay Thanks Paul ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Wanted R4C 18.1 crystal 40m
Hey, Doug - I ordered one from International Crystal in Oklahoma. They'll take your order over the phone and will take plastic but you can't order on the web. The good part about that is that you tell the person on the phone you need a Drake crystal and they know exactly what you need. They'll give you a delivery estimate that has to be absolute worst-case scenario, as I had my rock in about 4 days (I think they tell you two weeks). It was dead-on. Costs about 20 bucks with the shipping. Worth it over trolling eBay and possibly getting someone else's headache. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: douglas nyman Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 8:39 PM To: Drake group Subject: [Drakelist] Wanted R4C 18.1 crystal 40m I am in need of a 18.1 Mc (40m) crystal for my R4C. Doug in Minn. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] FS - TR-3 Parts Rig
I've got a TR-3 that I've been threatening to sell. I've just joined the ranks of the folks who hang out on their computers all day, trolling monster.com and have to start generating cash. This is a pretty rough TR-3, but it has most of its parts, including a front panel that's nicotine-yellow but unscratched and un-holed. The meter looks okay aside from a gouge that could be buffed out and the PTO bearings are nice and free. Most of the tubes are missing, but the ones unique to the transceivers are mostly there - as are all three 12JB6's. The chassis is pretty corroded and will never shine again. There are a couple of extra holes on the side. The cabinet is straight but has been re-painted by someone who just wanted to make it shiny. As I said, there appear to be a lot of good parts still on this rig. If nobody wants this for their parts-donor, I'm going to part it out on Fleabay. I figured I'd give all you Drakesters a first-whack at it. $75 + actual shipping. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Question regarding the Drake TR-4
Kevin - I'd say that style two is the newer one. When Drake went from the A- to the B-Line Twins, the B's also have the skirted dial. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Kevin Elliott Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 12:09 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Question regarding the Drake TR-4 I have three TR-4's and tow of them have flat metal dial piece behind the main tuning dial, one other has the metal dial which has a bend on the outer edge. Which of these designs is from the newest version of the TR-4? | | | style one | | \ | | | style two | | / ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Article by Garey K4OAH
Tom, I had the same problem. Some websites are really obtuse. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: w7...@mtaonline.net Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 12:56 PM To: Tom Evans, AG9X Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Article by Garey K4OAH I Subscribed but still don't see a way to download ...I did get an email confirming my subscription saying when future issues come out I would get an email with a link to downloading the new issue. I was looking forward to reading Garey's story... --- tom.a...@gmail.com wrote: From: Tom Evans, AG9X tom.a...@gmail.com To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Article by Garey K4OAH Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 17:22:16 -0500 I downloaded my April issue of The K9YA Telegraph today and was happy to find an article by Garey Barrell. Titled 'Genesis,' part 1 tells of his getting started in ham radio. The publication is available as a downloadable pdf that you can sign up for here: http://www.k9ya.org/k9ya_telegraph1.htm Just click the 'Subscribe' button on the bottom left. The article includes a photo of Garey's station today with a TR7 and R7 combo. -Tom, AG9X ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R4B Audio Distortion
Yep - wound up being lucky this time - didn't even have to buy another tube! Someone else had mentioned the Sherwood audio amp, and this particular R-4C has that mod. Overall, it sounds good now. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2012 11:20 AM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Mike Bryce proso...@sssnet.com; Randy WB4SPB wb4...@earthlink.net; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4B Audio Distortion Steve - Yes, the tube noise only seems to be a problem in the 3rd Mixer, and 'noisy' tubes can often be used in the IF with no problem. I guess it has something to do with the way the stages are biased, but I've never really investigated it. I'm lazy, I'll just select a good tube, and it usually outlasts the radio. I've had a couple (three?) guys who doubted me on this, and all three replaced every component in the AF Output stage. All three eventually ended up selecting a 6EH5! :-) It's a tough sell, cause 'I put in a NEW tube'.. :-) It's kinda like the IDLE current in a PA. If the supply voltages are there, the PA tubes WILL draw current. The only question is how much, and there you have an adjustable bias to take care of minor differences. Except in this case you don't have 'easily' adjustable bias. If you have the right cathode resistor, and the voltages are present, the tube WILL draw ~30 mA. However, (there's always a however',) when the tube gets _hot_ if the grid starts emitting electrons, or there are gas particles in the 'vacuum', the 'natural order of things' is screwed up and the tube starts drawing a little more current. Which gets a little more grid current, which gets the tube a little hotter, which 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: I just wound up fixing an R-4C - and one of the things I did was to swap V4 and V6. That single exchange did more to reduce the noise in the receiver than anyting else I could have done. I did go on and convert the third mixer to cathode-feed, and that improved things a bit more, but you're on to something with respect to the audio output. OTOH, I still sit here and wonder. At audio frequencies, is everything as designed by Drake really that critical? It might be a good time to replace components to find out... Yeah - I'm a troublemaker... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com To: Mike Bryce proso...@sssnet.com Cc: Randy WB4SPB wb4...@earthlink.net; drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 10:21 PM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4B Audio Distortion Mike - I think the problem is that 'new' tubes are 50 years old.. Even a few molecules of air a day adds up after that long. When Drake assembled the radios, the tubes were _really_ new!! The 6EH5 gets 'really' hot in normal operation, and perhaps the heat/cool cycles are harder on the metal/glass seals at the pins. Some tubes definitely are more prone to 'gas' (grid emission), the 12BA6 comes to mind. That one shows as a 'drifting' S-Meter as the tubes heat up. The 6EJ7 is prone to noise in 3rd Mixer service, probably for a similar reason. The only answer I have come up with is to keep trying tubes until you get a 'good' one. 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 Mike Bryce wrote: I wonder. when drake assembled the radios, did they go through three or fours tubes per radio to get one that worked correctly? dosen't seem logical. And although you can't argue with the fact that the subing out the tube fixed the problem, I wonder if there is something hidden down someplace in the design that causes the problem just a thought Mike, wb8vge On Mar 9, 2012, at 4:25 PM, Randy WB4SPB wrote: Altogether, I bought two 6EH5s and one 6CA5. I already had a spare 6EH5, so, considering those alone, I had to try three to get one. If I count the 6CA5 that I bought, I had to try four to get one. The 6CA5 IS very similar. Some sources do not even have the 6EH5 and refer you to 6CA5. The tube that originally manifested the problem was a 6CA5 that had been in the radio for many years before these symptoms appeared. Whether the difference in 6EH5 and 6CA5 is important here, I cannot say. I'll stick with 6EH5s in the future, while I can get them. For sources I've seen that have both, the price is the same. 73, Randy WB4SPB - Original Message - *From:*Al Al
Re: [Drakelist] Help in identify a Mod in my R-4C
Sounds like an early mod. I've seen them and mods to the C-Line were quite common back in the late '70s and early '80's. I'm thinking that it's actually harder to find an R-4C that doesn't have any changes. The folks who bought Drakes were generally more willing to go inside and soup them up. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Robb Urie Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2012 11:52 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Help in identify a Mod in my R-4C Howdy, While installing 4 of the Sherwood mods in my R-4C, I came across a pre-existing circuit board that turned-out to be a replacement product detector. I removed it to make way for the new PD-4, but am curious is this could be one of the early Sherwood ones or maybe a Santori version. It is on a small perf board and uses a Motorola HEP C6050G IC. I don’t have any of the HR magazines that described the DIY mods, maybe it’s time to get the CDs. I’m just wondering what it is...I’ve had this set since 1995 and have only installed the Inrad GUF-1 up to now. I've also done the LED lamp kits and they look great. For those who maybe considering doing any mods, be aware that wayward soldering irons love s-meter pots. For the folks who despise any Mods, sorry for the offense. Thanks for any info. 73, Robb N0RU Woodland Park, CO ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R4B Audio Distortion
I just wound up fixing an R-4C - and one of the things I did was to swap V4 and V6. That single exchange did more to reduce the noise in the receiver than anyting else I could have done. I did go on and convert the third mixer to cathode-feed, and that improved things a bit more, but you're on to something with respect to the audio output. OTOH, I still sit here and wonder. At audio frequencies, is everything as designed by Drake really that critical? It might be a good time to replace components to find out... Yeah - I'm a troublemaker... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com To: Mike Bryce proso...@sssnet.com Cc: Randy WB4SPB wb4...@earthlink.net; drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 10:21 PM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4B Audio Distortion Mike - I think the problem is that 'new' tubes are 50 years old.. Even a few molecules of air a day adds up after that long. When Drake assembled the radios, the tubes were _really_ new!! The 6EH5 gets 'really' hot in normal operation, and perhaps the heat/cool cycles are harder on the metal/glass seals at the pins. Some tubes definitely are more prone to 'gas' (grid emission), the 12BA6 comes to mind. That one shows as a 'drifting' S-Meter as the tubes heat up. The 6EJ7 is prone to noise in 3rd Mixer service, probably for a similar reason. The only answer I have come up with is to keep trying tubes until you get a 'good' one. 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 Mike Bryce wrote: I wonder. when drake assembled the radios, did they go through three or fours tubes per radio to get one that worked correctly? dosen't seem logical. And although you can't argue with the fact that the subing out the tube fixed the problem, I wonder if there is something hidden down someplace in the design that causes the problem just a thought Mike, wb8vge On Mar 9, 2012, at 4:25 PM, Randy WB4SPB wrote: Altogether, I bought two 6EH5s and one 6CA5. I already had a spare 6EH5, so, considering those alone, I had to try three to get one. If I count the 6CA5 that I bought, I had to try four to get one. The 6CA5 IS very similar. Some sources do not even have the 6EH5 and refer you to 6CA5. The tube that originally manifested the problem was a 6CA5 that had been in the radio for many years before these symptoms appeared. Whether the difference in 6EH5 and 6CA5 is important here, I cannot say. I'll stick with 6EH5s in the future, while I can get them. For sources I've seen that have both, the price is the same. 73, Randy WB4SPB - Original Message - *From:*Al Al mailto:wenj...@gmail.com Out of curiosity, how many 6EH5 tubes did you have to go through to find a good one? Al, n7ioh Payson, Arizona, USA _ ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Trouble with TR4 ?
I still have my 20-year-old 2 oz bottle of Cramolin (the precursor to deoxit) and it's 3/4 full :) A toothpick works for switch contacts. I do use a Q-tip on the tube pins when needed. Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Dennis Monticelli dennis.montice...@gmail.com Sent: Mar 5, 2012 11:52 PM To: Richard Knoppow 1oldle...@ix.netcom.com Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net, m coffey r79b...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Trouble with TR4 ? FYI. After the DeOxit treatment I usually follow with ProGold. The latter is a preservative for precious metal surfaces, but also leaves a lubricating film. If the switch contact plating is worn through or lightly touching, I can see where leaving some lubrication behind may help. After DeOxit dries there isn't much lubricating action. As with DeOxit, use it sparingly. In fact, it takes even less ProGold to do the job. My tiny costly bottle will probably last a lifetime. Dennis AE6C On 3/5/12, Richard Knoppow 1oldle...@ix.netcom.com wrote: - Original Message - From: m coffey r79b...@gmail.com To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 4:16 PM Subject: [Drakelist] Trouble with TR4 ? First, I would like to thanks those who p osted info on whitening pointer knobs and the TR4 tube shields. Now, after having cleaned the switches and cleaned/reseated all the tubes, etc., I am trying out receive side on the radio with a 75ft. random wire. 20 and 80 have signals, but thats about it. Fairly low volume and no movement on the S meter ( S meter zero works fine). Also when switching between 20, 40, 80M, the sideband switches everytime and I have to correct it with the sideband switch ( normal?). When the calibratetor is used, I have it fine on 80 and 20 (with a constant low tone in background) but not on 40. Also no indication of calibrate on S meter. I got spare tubes with the radio (boxed but unchecked) and went through and subbed all the tubes in the receive line one by one, no change. Thoughts, suggestions? Mike. I found the some positions of the bandswitch on my TR-4 were persistently intermittant. I would clean them with Deoxit and work them and all would be fine. Then, the next day all 10 meter bands were dead. I finally cleanded the switch and coated it lightly with Tuner-Lub. That resulted in a pretty much permanent fix. I am not sure what happens to these switches but suspect the pressure of the contacts against the sliding part becomes weak. Rotary switches are _supposed_ to be self cleaning because of the sliding action. I suppose it works better if switches are constantly in use. I had a similar thing in an SP-600-JX where the IF bandwidth switch became intermittant. Cleaned several times with Deoxit but it became noisy and intermittant again in a few days. Here again Tuner-Lub seems to have given a long term fix. Of course, there may be other problems with the TR-4 but I suggest that even if you have gone through and worked the screws and cleaned the switches to do it again. Its simple and might fix the problem. Its also possible that the thing is way out of alignment. If the above voodoo doesn't fix it I suggest going through the alignment procedure. Its normal for the side band indicator to switch with the band. Its set up for the most commonly used sideband on each band. -- Richard Knoppow Los Angeles WB6KBL dickb...@ix.netcom.com ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Etek with a TR4C
IIRC, the signal to the Etec is picked off the INJ signal from one of the Twins. I recall using a simple Y-adaptor for one of these when I used it with my C-Line. I also seem to recall that the TR-4 uses different frequencies in its crystal oscillator from what the Twins use, so I'm doubtful that you could use it to get an accurate reading from the TR-4 even if you did pick off the signal. The INJ frequency is the combination of the xtal band oscillatorminus the PTO frequency. The way they get the readout, IIRC (again) is to subtract the 5595 kHz LO frequency from the INJ frequency to come up with the frequency you see on the readout. Example: 18.100 (40m band osc freq) - 5.450 (PTO) - 5.595 (car or LO) = 7.055 kHz. I'm sure I'll get corrected here if I'm wrong... 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Woody <ko4...@gmail.com>Sent: Feb 29, 2012 11:42 AM To: Drake List <DRAKELIST@ZEROBEAT.NET>Subject: [Drakelist] Etek with a TR4C I didn't get any reply to my first post of this so I will try again: Hello, I have a question that I asked on the Drake Tech Net today (Sunday) and I may have misunderstood the answer. I have the Etek digital readout. Can the Etek be used with the TR4C, by hooking up on the plug for the RV4C on the bottom of the rig? If it can what pins do you hook up too? Jeff told me but I think I didn't have my brain engaged at the time. Which is not uncommon for me anymore.* *Thanks* *"Woody" -- Ofall the things I've Lost, I miss my Mind the Most~~~ If you forward this e-mail, please delete the forwarding historyThanks "Woody" ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Etek with a TR4C
Thanks, Ron! I forgot you could do that. You can convert to other rigs - because the transceivers' PTO goes backwards on some bands, you'll have to make some allowances. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Ron Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 5:20 PM To: Drake List ; Woody Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Etek with a TR4C Woody, In case you are unaware, there is an etek manual here: http://bama.edebris.com/manuals/drake/ not sure if it's your model or not. 73, Ron WD8SBB --- On Wed, 2/29/12, Woody ko4...@gmail.com wrote: From: Woody ko4...@gmail.com Subject: [Drakelist] Etek with a TR4C To: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 11:42 AM I didn't get any reply to my first post of this so I will try again: Hello, I have a question that I asked on the Drake Tech Net today (Sunday) and I mayhave misunderstood the answer. I have the Etek digital readout. Can theEtek be used with the TR4C, by hooking up on the plug for the RV4C on thebottom of the rig? If it can what pins do you hook up too? Jeff told me butI think I didn't have my brain engaged at the time. Which is not uncommonfor me anymore.**Thanks**Woody -- Of all the things I've Lost, I miss my Mind the Most~~~ If you forward this e-mail, please delete the forwarding history Thanks Woody -Inline Attachment Follows- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Microphone for 4 line
John, I believe you can get high-Z elements from Heil, if you want to keep the old 444. I use a stone-stock, no preamp D-104 and get excellent reports. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: ko1h To: Drakelist@zerobeat.net ; drakera...@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 5:55 AM Subject: [Drakelist] Microphone for 4 line HI all, I just got my R4/t4 pair back from restoration and well my old shure444 isn't getting good reports. I was wondering what microphone currently in production is the consensus to use now? I see replacement elements for the 444 but I'm not sure I want to go that route. Heil used to make a high impedance mic but I don't they do do any longer? What are ya'll using? What do you recommend? Thanks for opinion etc de John ko1h PS if anyone is looking to sell a TR4 in need of slight tlc or just cosmetics please contact me k...@cox.net -- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R4B preselector alignment
Garey, that' sinteresting about the different slug colors. I seem to remember seeing reference to that and had completely forgotten about that. With respect to setting the pointers, I have discovered, in my disassembly of these rigs, that if your pointer is off (on all bands) from where it should be that you can carefully move it on the shaft. The keyword is carefully - after all, the only way you'll get a replacement is from a donor rig! I've found that if I peak on 20CW, the pointer should be at the bottom of the 20 zone. I use 20m as the starting point only because it's somewhere in the middle of the preselector's range and the sensitivity of peaking adjustments are about midrange as well. Of course, if everything else is off, check elsewhere first. I always run the rigs through a quick evaluation before I start changing or replacing anything :) 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Feb 13, 2012 5:03 PM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4B preselector alignment Steve - One exception. The R-4 had different slug heights, and a different alignment procedure. Other than that, all slugs should be at the same height. There is no reason for the relationship to change over time, so as long as the glyptol is unbroken, leave 'em alone. The other situation is the slug height specified for the various 'colors' described in the T-4XC manuals. Over time, the length of the slugs received from the manufacturer changed, shifting where they were in the coil in relation to the top of the form. They were color coded with paint on top of the slugs, around the spring shaft. I don't know what percentage of each 'color' (length) were used, but I've seen very few with color dots. Again, you should just run the RF TUNE to maximum clockwise and check the measurement from the top of the coil to the top of the coil form. If it is one of the three measurements in the manual, leave the slugs alone and align to the appropriate dimensions for that color. Essentially, the trick is to have the RF TUNE control cover the entire range from 1.8 to 30 MHz, and have the pointer to be somewhere in the selected BAND segment of the dial. If your unit won't cover the entire range, then you might want to try starting with another 'colors' dimension. 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: I've found the same thing with respect to using the detuning resistor - it hasn't really made anything easier or more accurate for me. I suppose, when they were building and testing these sets that it shaved a few minutes off the technician's test time - which is significant for production testing but less so when you're the owner. The other thing I learned long ago - after speaking with a Drake tech on the phone probably 25 years ago - was that the absolute height of the slugs is less important (as Garey mentioned) and there should almost NEVER be any reason to change the individual slug heights in the rack. If nobody has messed with them over the years, they should all be in the same positions they were in when the set left the factory. I find the easiest way to see if someone has been fiddling is to adjust the preselector so that all the front slug is level with the cardboard tube top. All the other slugs should also be level with their tube tops. If you see a discrepancy, look to see if it looks like the glyptol (the substance that keeps them from moving) has been disturbed. Other than that, just peak them and be done. 80 is quite sharp and 10 is quite broad, with everything else somewhere in between. 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrellk4...@mindspring.com Sent: Feb 13, 2012 2:30 PM To: Peter Ravnfas...@privat.dk Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4B preselector alignment Peter - The setting of the Passband tuner is not significant when doing the Preselector alignment. All you're looking for is an amplitude peak. Sometimes the Calibrator signal is too strong, especially on the low bands, driving the AVC too far and making it difficult to see the peak as you tune. Alternate Calibrator signals vary in strength, so you can pick a lower one on either side (+/- 25 kHz). You can also put a smaller resistor on the ANT jack to reduce the level. Use FAST AVC to better see the peak. The resistive loads are to spoil the Q of either T3 and T4 while tuning the other to minimize interaction of the adjustments. I have found that it really isn't necessary, that you can do just as good an alignment by going through 3-4 iterations of the adjustments without the loads, as the interaction refines out. 73, Garey - K4OAH Glen Allen, VA Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
Re: [Drakelist] R4B preselector alignment
I've found the same thing with respect to using the detuning resistor - it hasn't really made anything easier or more accurate for me. I suppose, when they were building and testing these sets that it shaved a few minutes off the technician's test time - which is significant for production testing but less so when you're the owner. The other thing I learned long ago - after speaking with a Drake tech on the phone probably 25 years ago - was that the absolute height of the slugs is less important (as Garey mentioned) and there should almost NEVER be any reason to change the individual slug heights in the rack. If nobody has messed with them over the years, they should all be in the same positions they were in when the set left the factory. I find the easiest way to see if someone has been fiddling is to adjust the preselector so that all the front slug is level with the cardboard tube top. All the other slugs should also be level with their tube tops. If you see a discrepancy, look to see if it looks like the glyptol (the substance that keeps them from moving) has been disturbed. Other than that, just peak them and be done. 80 is quite sharp and 10 is quite broad, with everything else somewhere in between. 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Feb 13, 2012 2:30 PM To: Peter Ravn fas...@privat.dk Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4B preselector alignment Peter - The setting of the Passband tuner is not significant when doing the Preselector alignment. All you're looking for is an amplitude peak. Sometimes the Calibrator signal is too strong, especially on the low bands, driving the AVC too far and making it difficult to see the peak as you tune. Alternate Calibrator signals vary in strength, so you can pick a lower one on either side (+/- 25 kHz). You can also put a smaller resistor on the ANT jack to reduce the level. Use FAST AVC to better see the peak. The resistive loads are to spoil the Q of either T3 and T4 while tuning the other to minimize interaction of the adjustments. I have found that it really isn't necessary, that you can do just as good an alignment by going through 3-4 iterations of the adjustments without the loads, as the interaction refines out. 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 Peter Ravn wrote: The otherwise comprehensive R4B preselector alignment instruction does not mention the position of the passband selector during alignment. Should it be in the same position as during passband tuner alignment, i.e. with the passband selector to .4, and the passband tuning knob to the shortest of the curved lines on the panel. Or does it matter at all? The manual suggests to use the S-meter when adjusting the preselector trimmers for maximum. I find it much better to use an VTM. Finally the idea of using alignment resistors on S5C and S5D escapes my understanding. Thanks OZ8CTH, Peter ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Some advice needed with R4-A
Kai, it does sound like you need to re-peak the preselector trimmers - I am assuming that your response on all the other bands is okay. The meter should be close to S9 on 20 with the calibrator, but it has been normal from what I have seen for the level to fall off with increasing frequency. With the A-Line, only getting around S5 on 10m has been pretty typical for me. Check your signals on each band against what you can receive with your other rig(s). The calibrator sometimes isn't as strong as it should be, but the received signals are fine. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Kai Nilakari kai.nilak...@gmail.com Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 3:34 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Some advice needed with R4-A Hi I own a second-hand R4-A which I seldom use with its pair T4-XB. Being unused for some time I noticed that the R4-A lacks sensitivity on 20 metres. Perhaps on 15, too. I used the calibrator as reference to make sure that the rx is not completely dead. The calibrator makes the s-meter deflect to say, about three or four S-units, on 80 m it is well above S9. Another rig, FT-920 picks up signals equally well on 80 m band but beats Drake on 20 m. Drake doesn't hear anything except the calibrator. I went thru the ganged wafer switches with a cotton swab and DeOxit (red fluid). No go. I also replaced the rf amp valve, the one with spring loaded shield on it with no luck. Please help me if you can. I simply love my Drake line and won't give up. Kai Nilakari OH3WE Lahti, Finland ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T-4XB Power Switch
Hey, Kevin, Until you can find a parts rig with a good contact, jumper the power switch and switch the AC-4 with a power strip or other external means. From what I've heard, the switches are made of Unobtanium. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Kevin LaHaie klah...@centricata.com To: drakelist drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 10:30 PM Subject: [Drakelist] T-4XB Power Switch Well, it happens to all of us eventually! Took the T-4XB off the shelf for a little dusting off and warming up, and when I turned on, only heard a slight little 'thump' from the AC4 and then nothing. Upon closer examination (AC4 supply had just powered one of my TR-4C's so knew it was good) it turns out the on/off switch 'layer' of the 3 section pot has failed. I took it apart, I see how it works - a little 'wishbone' looking copper strap that gets shoved against 2 contacts to turn on the radio. One end had broken off. SO. Anybody out there successfully repaired (or rebuilt) the little copper wishbone, or grafted a new switch to the back of the dual potentiometer plus switch stack? I feel like a watchmaker of late - last week was soldering the spring to the internal movement of a Swan Mark II amplifier meter, now this? I can put a switch in a 'SPARE' hole in the back of the transmitter for on/off, but sure hate to lose the total ORIGINAL function of this transmitter - other wise in really nice shape! Any ideas boys and girls?? 73 Kevin K7ZS ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes
I'm considering it, Lee. This receiver is nowhere near stock as it is, so I'm not wrecking a museum piece. It already has the Sherwood audio amp and a homebrewed version of the power supply mods. I'm going to try the simple mod first to see what I think. The experimenting is half the fun. Thanks for the input - Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: kc9...@aol.com To: henry.vredeg...@gmail.com; Drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 11:36 AM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes While some of the mods may not be that complex...some certainly are. Considering the quality, components used and all the design work...they are a bargain. Also, installation is not in all cases a walk in the park...and will take a lot of time. The roofing filter setup is complex and the parts are not cheap to buy. Also, the AGC/filter selection switch fits nicely into the rx and is a specially designed switch. Have you guys really looked at what these several kits are?? So. I have a nice stock line for rag chew original Drake design..And I have a DX killing, contest capable C line that works as well or better in some cases as a modern DSP high end rig. (less all the bells, whistles and some neat interface features) If, all you care about is fixing the 3rd mixer...issues..maybe you could roll your ownor $59.00 a couple hours and it's done? Just Call Rob and ask him about the 3rd mixer...he can explain all the issues and how he solved them. Also...the power supply and audio amp mod gets lots of heat out of there and I the stability is superb then. IMHO, I still think a Hot Rod C line and a comletely stock B line is the best of the Drake world 73, Lee -Original Message- From: Henry Vredegoor henry.vredeg...@gmail.com To: Drakelist Drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thu, Feb 9, 2012 6:18 am Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes Hi Don, All, Yes, that's probably the reason why I did not want to buy the kits. It may be even more fun figuring out something like that myself.. ;-) 73's, Henry - PA0HJA On 2/8/2012 8:04 PM, Don Cunningham wrote: Henry, If we saw the schematics, we probably wouldn't pay the price for the kit, hi. That's his way of selling more. 73, Don, WB5HAK ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes
I'm not that C100 is still in this set. It has the Sherwood audio board in it already. The hiss definitely decreases when the RF GAIN is reduced and is affected by the NOTCH. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: henry.vredeg...@gmail.com; Drakelist@zerobeat.net; kc9...@aol.com Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 2:35 PM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes Steve - I found the 'C100 mod' to be more effective than the Schottky diode mod in reducing 'hiss'. 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: I'm considering it, Lee. This receiver is nowhere near stock as it is, so I'm not wrecking a museum piece. It already has the Sherwood audio amp and a homebrewed version of the power supply mods. I'm going to try the simple mod first to see what I think. The experimenting is half the fun. Thanks for the input - Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: kc9...@aol.com To: henry.vredeg...@gmail.com; Drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 11:36 AM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes While some of the mods may not be that complex...some certainly are. Considering the quality, components used and all the design work...they are a bargain. Also, installation is not in all cases a walk in the park...and will take a lot of time. The roofing filter setup is complex and the parts are not cheap to buy. Also, the AGC/filter selection switch fits nicely into the rx and is a specially designed switch. Have you guys really looked at what these several kits are?? So. I have a nice stock line for rag chew original Drake design..And I have a DX killing, contest capable C line that works as well or better in some cases as a modern DSP high end rig. (less all the bells, whistles and some neat interface features) If, all you care about is fixing the 3rd mixer...issues..maybe you could roll your ownor $59.00 a couple hours and it's done? Just Call Rob and ask him about the 3rd mixer...he can explain all the issues and how he solved them. Also...the power supply and audio amp mod gets lots of heat out of there and I the stability is superb then. IMHO, I still think a Hot Rod C line and a comletely stock B line is the best of the Drake world 73, Lee -Original Message- From: Henry Vredegoor henry.vredeg...@gmail.com To: Drakelist Drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thu, Feb 9, 2012 6:18 am Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes Hi Don, All, Yes, that's probably the reason why I did not want to buy the kits. It may be even more fun figuring out something like that myself.. ;-) 73's, Henry - PA0HJA On 2/8/2012 8:04 PM, Don Cunningham wrote: Henry, If we saw the schematics, we probably wouldn't pay the price for the kit, hi. That's his way of selling more. 73, Don, WB5HAK ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 kHz filter
Garey, you were right, as usual. I pulled the 2.4k filter out of the R-4C (late prod). I am hoping I can get it back in, as it's definitely microsurgery! After liberating the filter, I checked the continuity of the wiring - connectivity is fine through both switch wafers. So I wired up the filter with some short hook-up wire (you can't just plug into any of the accessory sockets due to the studs for the GND connections) and plugged it into the .25 filter bay. The additional insertion loss is gone! Getting this back in its place is going to be a workout. I'm figuring at this point that we had a bad connection - but I've got a nagging feeling the problem will be back when I reinstall the filter. Still - this is a better place to be right now than holding a $100+ replacement and discovering I didn't need it. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop!___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 kHz filter
Update: I just got the 2.4 filter back in its little niche, soldered and tightened lugs, and the original problem is gone. Calibrator level is the same now on all three filters :) Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Steve Wedge To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 4:35 PM Subject: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 kHz filter Garey, you were right, as usual. I pulled the 2.4k filter out of the R-4C (late prod). I am hoping I can get it back in, as it's definitely microsurgery! After liberating the filter, I checked the continuity of the wiring - connectivity is fine through both switch wafers. So I wired up the filter with some short hook-up wire (you can't just plug into any of the accessory sockets due to the studs for the GND connections) and plugged it into the .25 filter bay. The additional insertion loss is gone! Getting this back in its place is going to be a workout. I'm figuring at this point that we had a bad connection - but I've got a nagging feeling the problem will be back when I reinstall the filter. Still - this is a better place to be right now than holding a $100+ replacement and discovering I didn't need it. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! -- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd Mixer Changes
Anyone who has had a late-production R-4C has heard the hiss when listening to a quiet band or a weak signal. Some folks say it sounds like bacon frying (Yum!) but to me it sounds more like the rain setting of one of those noise generators they sell at Brookstone that are supposed to put you to sleep at night. Searching through a lot of stuff, I've located two changes that do fairly similar things on the large scale, but require differing numbers of parts and time in which to do them. I knew there was a Sartori mod and - sure enough - I finally found www.archive.org and found the June 1979 issue of 73 Magazine. This is the change I remember doing back in the '80's. I remember that it helped quite a bit, but the receiver still was never really quiet. It changes the LO feed from the grid of V6 to the cathode. It also adds a series-resonant circuit at the plate to eliminate any excess 50 kHz crud from the output. I've wondered whether or not one could hear this but I suppose there can be products from all that crud that could get into the audible range. There's also another mod that's described on http://www.zerobeat.net/drakelist/drakemod/drmod40.html that involves fewer added parts and looks like an easier change, overall. It does the same overall feed change in that it moves the LO feed from the grid to the cathode, but doesn't use the resonant circuit. It also changes the limiting diodes to 1N4148's removes some capacitors and replaces them with either different values or jumpers. Besides erroneously calling out pin 1 of V6 as the old connection point, it's easy enough to follow. Has anyone out there tried both of these changes and, if so, which one worked better? 73 enjoy those Drakes... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T4XB tune and load problem
Peter - A sudden change strongly suggests failure of a component. Your idle current at 70 mA suggests that something before the finals is off and that the finals are probably okay. Do you get the same output regardless of whether you use the receiver or the transmitter to control the frequency? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Peter Ravn Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 7:03 AM To: Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] T4XB tune and load problem Although I strictly follow the tuning procedure described in section B on p. 14 in the instruction manual, my T4XB has suddenly changed behavoiur. The output power on all bands has gone down from on average of 100 watts to 45 watts. The AC-4 bias reads .07 on the plate meter when the gain is fully CCW, and the mode switch is on TUNE. With the GAIN at app. 9 o'clock, the reading is 0.15 A, and with the PLATE control the plate current is dipped - more distinctly on some bands than others. Increasing the GAIN to maximum the reading is 0.2 A. Alternately adjusting the PLATE and LOAD controls for maximum RF output, the result is 45 Watts. As before SWR is low, so apparently the T4XB is able to tune the antenna. But the LOADING control on 80 meters has to be turned fully CCW to achieve the best result, whereas it before was between 3 and 4, which might indicate that the tuner doesn't work as it should. Add to that the finals get hotter than before. So there must be a mismatch. The question is where? 73 de Peter OZ8CTH ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] sick T4X
With an A Line, I'd check to see if the problem is on all bands first. The rotary switch contacts seem to more susceptible on the A-Line for some reason (silver-plated?). If you're getting full output on some bands and not on others, I'd check the switch contacts. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: kc9...@aol.com Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 5:06 PM To: y...@aol.com; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] sick T4X Dale, Are you getting any drive? All bands? Preselector makes a peak? Try diffent bands? Can you hear the signal in a close by rcvr? If so...does the plate tune make a diffence in the signal level? All the tubes correct? and all glowing? Move the band switch all the way through all bands 20 times. We'll get her squared away for you... Just a start... 73, Lee -Original Message- From: yash y...@aol.com To: drakelist drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Sun, Feb 5, 2012 4:50 pm Subject: [Drakelist] sick T4X I now have my R4A back ,thanks to Lees Kc9cdt, fine work its doing a great job. Now the T4X, Rebuilt the supply AC-4 ,heath kit board, came out fine. Fired up the T4x today,set the bias current then followed the tune up procedure ,function switch to TUNE, advanced the gain to .15 amps , turned the plate control to dip the meter . nothing happens, meter stays same. There is a TINY dip when the plate is turned fully clockwise ,but VERY small dip. Have not had the case off the t4x yet,but of course the seller said it worked fine the last time he used it. sure could use some guidance on this. only other facts, supply is 100% on all voltages, t4x going into a dummy load and testing is done with the t4x not connected to the r4a. thanks dale wt4t ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad?
Glad I had both you and the list in my reply - seems zerobeat is now sending my messages to Spam Purgatory for some reason. I shouldn't be surprised: my whole week has been like that. I am with you, though, that there's probably an issue with the connections. The filter seems to be behaving properly aside from the tremendous insertion loss. The receiver itself has seen a bunch of modifications, so there well could be something that got disturbed. I'll be working to get it working as best it can - including trying to exorcise the tremendous amount of hiss in the audio. The weather is entirely too nice right now for me to be in the house when I get home, so this will probably wait until the weekend - when the temps are supposed to drop and it's supposed to rain some more. I am still trying to remember why I saw a 150 resistor on the back panel of my first R-4C, under the filter cover... 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Feb 2, 2012 11:54 AM To: w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drakelist drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad? Steve - Well, I'm 0 for 2. The 2.4 kHz filter has a pin and a stud at each end, while the SSB/CW filters have two pins at each end. Sorry. You can probably hold the filter in place on one of the sockets to check it, but ... I still suspect the coax from the filter or the switch 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 Bob Loving wrote: Steve, I think Garey meant that the 2nd IF filters in the R-4C, like the filters in the TR-7, are all designed for 50-Ohm terminations. That makes them quite easy to test outside of the receiver or transceiver (or test the antenna to filter input or the filter output to speaker paths). The 8-kHz wide roofing filter and any of the Sherwood or Inrad substitute roofing filters are designed for the 1-kilohm terminations mentioned by Garey. Any substitute 2nd IF filters are 50-Ohm designs. Bob K9JU ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] stoopid question on transformer wiring
The smoke test is always the most exciting part :) Just make sure you bring it up with nothing connected to it until you're sure. I like using a variac with the switch in the 1 1/2A fused position. I still have an AC3 and AC4 to check out that have been sitting around. Steve, W1ES -Original Message- From: Larry Sack <n8...@yahoo.com>Sent: Feb 1, 2012 8:29 AM To: "Drakelist@zerobeat.net" <DRAKELIST@ZEROBEAT.NET>Subject: Re: [Drakelist] stoopid question on transformer wiring Thanks all for the replies, I guess I have it wired correctly and can test my handiwork! Larry, N8QNM ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad?
'Twas looking at it this evening, and this is going to take some disassembly. I wish it had the same form factor as the optional filters so I could try moving/swapping it. Am I correct in assuming that I could jumper this filter with a 150 ohm resistor to check the signal level? I'm just wanting to be sure that the filter really is bad before going through the time and expense of replacing it (after all, it could be a switch contact). The case is making good contact with the chassis and GND. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 11:00 PM To: kc9...@aol.com Cc: w1es1...@earthlink.net; drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad? Lee - No, the 2.4 kHz filter is under the chassis, along the back wall. I know all about that 'memory' stuff! :-) 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 kc9...@aol.com wrote: Steve, The 2.4 filter plugs into the backas does the 1.5, .5 or whatever you want in those slots. The 2.4's are pretty available. There is a front end filter and I think it is 8khz on the chassis. I'm going from memory here...whaich may be ok. most of the time-:) 73, Lee -Original Message- From: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net To: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Tue, Jan 31, 2012 7:11 pm Subject: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad? I haven't dug into this receiver yet, but it seems to me that the 2.4 kHz SSB filter is bad. R-4C, late serial number. * Using the S-meter, the signal strength of the calibrator is lower in 2.4 by 10 dB, than the reading in both 1.5 and .5. * The decrease in gain is solid and not intermittent. Rocking the MODE switch doesn't reveal any changes. * It's also a noticeable loss listening on-the-air. I see what appears to be the filter on the top side of the chassis, under where the two carrier oscillator crystals are. Has anyone had any grounding issues with this filter that have fixed a similar problem? I figure if there's a bad ground, it could affect the insertion loss of this filter. If it's bad, then comes the pain of finding a replacement. If anyone has an extra one for sale, let me know. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad?
I haven't dug into this receiver yet, but it seems to me that the 2.4 kHz SSB filter is bad. R-4C, late serial number. * Using the S-meter, the signal strength of the calibrator is lower in 2.4 by 10 dB, than the reading in both 1.5 and .5. * The decrease in gain is solid and not intermittent. Rocking the MODE switch doesn't reveal any changes. * It's also a noticeable loss listening on-the-air. I see what appears to be the filter on the top side of the chassis, under where the two carrier oscillator crystals are. Has anyone had any grounding issues with this filter that have fixed a similar problem? I figure if there's a bad ground, it could affect the insertion loss of this filter. If it's bad, then comes the pain of finding a replacement. If anyone has an extra one for sale, let me know. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad?
Haven't torn in yet, but I thought all the filters in the back are the optional ones - AM, 1.5, .5, .25. These are all wired with coax. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Robert Ladden To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 7:45 PM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad? At least in the later R-4Cs, the 2.4 filter is mounted inside under the chassis in the rear. The external mounted filters are 1500, 500, 250. 73, Bob WW3QB -- Steve, The 2.4 filter plugs into the backas does the 1.5, .5 or whatever you want in those slots. The 2.4's are pretty available. There is a front end filter and I think it is 8khz on the chassis. I'm going from memory here...whaich may be ok. most of the time-:) 73, Lee -Original Message- From: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net To: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Tue, Jan 31, 2012 7:11 pm Subject: [Drakelist] R-4C 2.4 filter bad? I haven't dug into this receiver yet, but it seems to me that the 2.4 kHz SSB filter is bad. R-4C, late serial number. * Using the S-meter, the signal strength of the calibrator is lower in 2.4 by 10 dB, than the reading in both 1.5 and .5. * The decrease in gain is solid and not intermittent. Rocking the MODE switch doesn't reveal any changes. * It's also a noticeable loss listening on-the-air. I see what appears to be the filter on the top side of the chassis, under where the two carrier oscillator crystals are. Has anyone had any grounding issues with this filter that have fixed a similar problem? I figure if there's a bad ground, it could affect the insertion loss of this filter. If it's bad, then comes the pain of finding a replacement. If anyone has an extra one for sale, let me know. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist -- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Late R-4C 3rd mixer changes
I'm working on a decent, late-production R-4C and it has the usual noise from the 3rd mixer. I seem to recall a change to the cathode circuit that involved an RF choke - anyone remember this one? I found something similar that removes some capacitors and changes the feed from G1 to the cathode. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop!___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Source for pushbutton switches C-4
I've seen them come up on eBay from time to time. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: wayne.smith oilie...@cox.net Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 5:00 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Source for pushbutton switches C-4 Anyone have a source (and/or part number) for the on/off push button switches controlling the C-4 Console Power? Wayne WB5FEX, Oklahoma City -Original Message- From: drakelist-boun...@zerobeat.net [mailto:drakelist-boun...@zerobeat.net] On Behalf Of drakelist-requ...@zerobeat.net Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:00 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Drakelist Digest, Vol 43, Issue 76 Send Drakelist mailing list submissions to drakelist@zerobeat.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to drakelist-requ...@zerobeat.net You can reach the person managing the list at drakelist-ow...@zerobeat.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of Drakelist digest... Today's Topics: 1. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Jim Shorney) 2. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Jim Shorney) 3. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Garey Barrell) 4. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Ron) 5. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Ron) 6. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Garey Barrell) 7. Re: TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 (Ron) -- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:56:43 -0600 From: Jim Shorney jshor...@inebraska.com To: drakelist@zerobeat.net drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 Message-ID: 20120128155639.2a1093b2...@mail02.inebraska.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 On Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:36:20 -0500, Garey Barrell wrote: Oh, and the VOX relay contact is right next to it on Pin 8. A REAL relay contact too, none of this wimpy reed relay stuff. :-) Or surface mount transistors. 73 -Jim -- Ham Radio NU0C Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.S.A. TR7/RV7/R7A/L7, TR6/RV6, T4XC/R4C/L4B, NCL2000, SB104A, R390A, GT550A/RV550A, HyGain 3750, IBM PS/2 - all vintage, all the time! Give a man a URL, and he will learn for an hour; teach him to Google, and he will learn for a lifetime. HyGain 3750 User's Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HyGain_3750/ http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney http://www.nebraskaghosts.org -- Message: 2 Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:01:47 -0600 From: Jim Shorney jshor...@inebraska.com To: drakelist@zerobeat.net drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 Message-ID: 20120128160142.e28a83b2...@mail02.inebraska.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 On Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:32:36 -0500 (EST), K9sqg wrote: Curious as to why the VOX and ALC come from the power supply rather than the rig itself. I always thought that was a strange arrangement. Perhaps they though the rear panel of the radio was getting too cluttered. More puzzling/annoying to me is why some of the asian rigs use a hard to source mega-DIN connector for these connections. 73 -Jim -- Ham Radio NU0C Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.S.A. TR7/RV7/R7A/L7, TR6/RV6, T4XC/R4C/L4B, NCL2000, SB104A, R390A, GT550A/RV550A, HyGain 3750, IBM PS/2 - all vintage, all the time! Give a man a URL, and he will learn for an hour; teach him to Google, and he will learn for a lifetime. HyGain 3750 User's Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HyGain_3750/ http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney http://www.nebraskaghosts.org -- Message: 3 Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:26:34 -0500 From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com To: drakelist Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] TR7 ALC access when not using PS7 Message-ID: 4f2421ba.6030...@mindspring.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Hi Evan - Simple!! The TR-3 was designed for mobile use, no amplifiers and minimum number of connectors to undo. This is the reason for the speaker connector coming out of the back of the power connector. The AC-3 had no VOX or ALC connections either. Then, here comes the Twins. My first T-4X came with an AC-3, so no provision for VOX or ALC. I, and no doubt many others, merely rewired the pigtail coming out of the back of the power connector from the speaker leads (no longer needed, since the receiver had a speaker jack) to the VOX relay connector. Then the AC-4 came along, and to keep everything compatible (and avoid multiple pigtails coming out of the back of the power connector!) the appropriate connectors were put on the AC-4. Simple
Re: [Drakelist] T4XB output
The specs show input power. Output is much less, and 120 watts is good output from a T-4Xanything. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Peter Ravn Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 7:18 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] T4XB output Acccording to the factory specifications the T4XB should run 200 watts on all bands. My recent acquired T4XB runs 120 watts on 80 and 40 meters, 140 watts on 20 meters, 100 watts on 10 meters and 75 watts on 15 meters. SWR is low on all the antennas used. After some 30-45 minutes of operation the output will fall app. 10 watts. Any idea why? Thanks in advance. 73 OZ8CTH, Peter ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] AC-4
AFAIK, all modern line cords follow the same convention: Green or Green/Yellow is GND, white or blue is neutral, black or brown is hot. Most computer cords I've seen in the last 20 years are GRN/YEL - BLU - BRN - it's an international standard. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Charles Ring Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 7:08 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] AC-4 Not sure what you mean by round third plug. The wider blade is neutral, not ground. The round blade is ground 73 de W3NU. On 1/19/2012 1525, Kris Merschrod wrote: On the last AC-4 that I upgraded I bought an extension cord with molded three pronged male end about 10 feet long and #12 wire. Then I cut off the female end and carefully tested each wire to see which was the ground (Round third plug); The wider blade is the ground and the narrower blade is the hotwire. I put the main ground to the chassis by a bolt through one of the old Can Capacitor slots. The length of the cord should be to suit your situation to avoid extension cords! Good luck with it, Kris KM2KM - Original Message - From: John Gartman To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 11:20 AM Subject: [Drakelist] AC-4 My power cord from power supply to radio is a little poor looking at the strain relief, and is more than likely a little brittle. Should I try just cutting it off or replacing it? If I was to replace it any recommendations on where to get this type of cord? Thanks John Gartman AG6GL ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] My New 4 - Line....Issues but I'm loving it
Welcome to the World-O-Drakes, Rick. My first gut would be to put a scope on the band oscillator to see if anything's happening. Crystals can and do go bad. If you don't have a scope, try taking out the 32.1 MHz crystal near the back (on top of the chassis) and reinserting it. Other than that, try wiggling the BAND switch a bit back and forth off the detent. I'm bettin' on the crystal... 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Rick Gunderman Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 6:49 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] My New 4 - LineIssues but I'm loving it Ok, connected up the AC-4, fired up the transmitter (sorry, poor choice of words) and tried to tune it up on 40 after adjusting AC-4 bias. It seems my peak when adjusting RF-Tune was down in the 80M range...I'm not sure if that is normal. Anyway, I need to clean the switches before I proceed on the transmitter. On the R-4B, I received the 6CA5 to replace the tube that was broken when I received the equipment. The receiver seems to work like a charm on all bands but 15, absolutely nothing on 15. Without an antenna I can adjust the pre-selector for a noise rush on all bands but 15. Where do I begin? The audio sure sounds sweet from the MS-4 on the other bands, great audio! Tnx, Rick - WA4RG Test equipment on-hand for troubleshooting: DMM 100Mhz Scope ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes - uhh, it was a tube...
Yes, I reset the SENS, as it had increased to -1.45V. I now have much better spread between min and max settings of RG GAIN as well, and can almost get it to 60-over (it hits about 50-over). Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2012 9:15 PM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes - uhh, it was a tube... Steve - Did you reset RCVR SENS to -1.35 VDC at TP2 AFTER changing V1?? The bridge should balance well within range with about 800 ohms in the two resistive legs. 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: It just wasn't one of the tubes in the bridge. Garey's recommendation to change V1 did the trick. My tube tester had passed this, but the minimum transconductance allowable bu the tester chart does NOT get you optimum performance! As an example here, the 6BZ6 has a minimum Gm of 1575 uMhos in the tester rollchart, but a new one is spec'ed with a Gm of 6100 uMhos. Obviously, there's a major difference here, and it's apparent that the RF amp that was in this receiver wasn't performing to new specs. In fact, even before re-doing the S-meter calibration again, I could hear and see (on the meter) the difference in performance. The meter's calibration is still near the edge, but it's no longer at the edge. The receiver is also hotter now and the meter is certainly more lively. I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me that if I had less signal coming in that this could affect the meter's calibration. Thanks for setting my head straight. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 9:55 PM To: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes. Couple more possibilities Since 'someone' has been 'fixing' the meter, is it still ~ 3mA full scale ~ 700 ohms resistance? Also, try a new 6BZ6. I have seen cases where a gassy 6BZ6 will drag down the AGC2 buss, screwing up the RCVR SENS (R87), which screws up the AGC buss, which ... you get the picture. Each time you swap the 6BZ6 recheck for -1.35V at TP2. It may take a couple of iterations. 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: R-4B, s/n in the 9000's (I'm too lazy to peek around the back). Had previously fried R89 and the S-METER ZERO pot and had to replace the pot with a 200-ohm padded with a 390-ohm CC. It barely reaches S-1 with the pot maxed still. The S-METER SENSITIVITY pot which is supposed to be 1k was reading 600 ohms, so I padded it with 390 ohms. I can't get the needle to reach 60-over with the RF GAIN fully CCW. I tried replacing V4 an V5 with NOS tubes and there was no change. V2 and V3 were likewise replaced with no improvement. (V2 was already a new 6HS6 anyway but I swapped to be sure). Put all the original tubes back in. It's a simple bridge, fercryinoutloud! What am I not seeing? ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] AC-4 Voltages
Hey, Rick - Welcome to the World-O-Drake. Those voltages sound about right for an unloaded supply. They do drop once you connect a transmitter to the supply. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Rick Gunderman Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 12:34 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] AC-4 Voltages Hello All, I'm a newbie to Drake equipment, I just recently purchased a 4-line. When the equipment arrived one of the tubes had come out of the socket in the R-4B and it was broken so I'm waiting for a new tube. Everything looked good in the transmitter but I thought I would look at the voltages from the AC-4 before connecting things up. The voltages seem a bit high to me, but you're the experts. B+ high 769 VDC (checked at orange wire) B+ low313 VDC (checked at yellow wire) BIAS -76 VDC (checked at green wire) 15 VAC filament voltage (checked between black and white wires) All ripple .004 VAC Too high? v/r Rick Gunderman - WA4RG ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] 2B Fix, Can It be this simple?
Curt, with stuff this old, it's not a surprise. I use Cramolin on my tube pins and it helps a lot. An old war story: I bought a nice-looking NC-300 for $15 (!) at a hamfest in the 90's (that was a steal even back then!). The seller said it was intermittent. Some Cramolin on the tube pins solved the problem - I used the RX for a number of years before selling it at market price. Sometimes it really is THAT simple :) Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: rhule...@comcast.net Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 1:53 PM To: Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] 2B Fix, Can It be this simple? Finally found the intermittent static in my R4A by poking around with a plastic tuning tool, revealing the problem was on Board 3, with a (second) bad solder connection, this time at Q8. This was the second bad solder joint on that board, so removed the board and reflowed ALL of the joints. All is good now. So, decided to try the same drill with my 2B which has exhibited a frequency instability of about 200 hz until it has been on for about an hour. While changing out V4 and V3 had no effect, moving V3 a little seemed to cause the warble. Then, I pushed on the T3 can and that seemed focus of the problem. All I did was loosen and then retighten the nuts holding the can to the chassis, and use a tiny amount of deoxit on V3 pins. Now the instability seems to have disappeared. Can it be this simple? Seems strange that this would have solved the problem. 73, Curt KB5JO ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] FS - T-4X
I've got a decently-performing, but somewhat dusty, T-4X that I'm going to offer to the Drakelist before I consider refurbing it - in case anyone on the Drakelist needs a working transmitter. The transmitter works fine on 80 - 10: I bought it with my R-4B that I'm currently using and now that I've got a T-4XB to go with it, it's an extra transmitter. No real problems, no holes, decent cosmetically. Please email me if interested. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] T4XB audio
I'll endorse that - sometimes a microphone just doesn't work with a rig - for whatever reason. If, however, you are sounding better on 80 and 40 than on 20 through 10 (or vice versa), check your carrier balance alignment and lastly your sideband filters. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Ron Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2012 6:40 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net ; Peter Ravn Subject: Re: [Drakelist] T4XB audio Peter, Does it happen in both sidebands? If so, I would try a different mic first. See if you can borrow as opposed to buy a different mic. I never had good audio reports (distorted, tinny, etc) on my B twins or the TR7 until I found the right mic for my voice. I must have bought, tried and sold 20 or so different mics. BTW my final mic cost me about $5. I built it out of PVC pipe and an electret mic recovered from an old trimline phone. Cheapest and best mic I've ever owned. 73, Ron WD8SBB --- On Sat, 1/14/12, Peter Ravn fas...@privat.dk wrote: From: Peter Ravn fas...@privat.dk Subject: [Drakelist] T4XB audio To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Date: Saturday, January 14, 2012, 5:20 AM After more than forty years I have finally got what I was dreaming of when I was young: a Drake R4B with a Drake T4XB. The receive audio is second to none, but the tx audio is repeatedly reported to be flat, sharp or tinny. I am using a Turner +3B microphone with the gain control at 2 o'clock. All comments appreciated. 73 de OZ8CTH, Peter -Inline Attachment Follows- ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes - uhh, it was a tube...
It just wasn't one of the tubes in the bridge. Garey's recommendation to change V1 did the trick. My tube tester had passed this, but the minimum transconductance allowable bu the tester chart does NOT get you optimum performance! As an example here, the 6BZ6 has a minimum Gm of 1575 uMhos in the tester rollchart, but a new one is spec'ed with a Gm of 6100 uMhos. Obviously, there's a major difference here, and it's apparent that the RF amp that was in this receiver wasn't performing to new specs. In fact, even before re-doing the S-meter calibration again, I could hear and see (on the meter) the difference in performance. The meter's calibration is still near the edge, but it's no longer at the edge. The receiver is also hotter now and the meter is certainly more lively. I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me that if I had less signal coming in that this could affect the meter's calibration. Thanks for setting my head straight. 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 9:55 PM To: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes. Couple more possibilities Since 'someone' has been 'fixing' the meter, is it still ~ 3mA full scale ~ 700 ohms resistance? Also, try a new 6BZ6. I have seen cases where a gassy 6BZ6 will drag down the AGC2 buss, screwing up the RCVR SENS (R87), which screws up the AGC buss, which ... you get the picture. Each time you swap the 6BZ6 recheck for -1.35V at TP2. It may take a couple of iterations. 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: R-4B, s/n in the 9000's (I'm too lazy to peek around the back). Had previously fried R89 and the S-METER ZERO pot and had to replace the pot with a 200-ohm padded with a 390-ohm CC. It barely reaches S-1 with the pot maxed still. The S-METER SENSITIVITY pot which is supposed to be 1k was reading 600 ohms, so I padded it with 390 ohms. I can't get the needle to reach 60-over with the RF GAIN fully CCW. I tried replacing V4 an V5 with NOS tubes and there was no change. V2 and V3 were likewise replaced with no improvement. (V2 was already a new 6HS6 anyway but I swapped to be sure). Put all the original tubes back in. It's a simple bridge, fercryinoutloud! What am I not seeing? ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes.
It looks like I'll be doing some quick comparisons with the CD this weekend. The previous owner was sort of known for doing odd changes to the AGC circuit, so I'm still thinking that I've missed a change in a grid resistor somewhere. It's interesting that I can juss get it to 40-over-9 with the AGC at -15V, but continuing the RF GAIN to full CCW doesn't really advance the meter any more than that - even though the voltage continues to go more negative. Looks like I've got to go through every resistor in the bridge first. 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 12, 2012 9:25 PM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes. Steve - Well, a couple of choices. 1. The bridge is not balanced. One or more of the 'legs' is not what it has to be. 2. The current being drawn by the Plates of V4 and V5 is NOT equal to the Plate and Screen current drawn by V2 and V3. Have you measured element voltages on the four tubes in question? Value of Cathode resistors? Value of larger decoupling resistors? Did you determine what fried R89 R42? The two bridge legs design value looks to be 820 per leg, so the two currents in question should be equal for the bridge to balance, resulting in zero delta, ergo (always wanted to use that word!) 0 Volts on the meter. 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: R-4B, s/n in the 9000's (I'm too lazy to peek around the back). Had previously fried R89 and the S-METER ZERO pot and had to replace the pot with a 200-ohm padded with a 390-ohm CC. It barely reaches S-1 with the pot maxed still. The S-METER SENSITIVITY pot which is supposed to be 1k was reading 600 ohms, so I padded it with 390 ohms. I can't get the needle to reach 60-over with the RF GAIN fully CCW. I tried replacing V4 an V5 with NOS tubes and there was no change. V2 and V3 were likewise replaced with no improvement. (V2 was already a new 6HS6 anyway but I swapped to be sure). Put all the original tubes back in. It's a simple bridge, fercryinoutloud! What am I not seeing? ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] S-meter balance: ain't the tubes.
R-4B, s/n in the 9000's (I'm too lazy to peek around the back). Had previously fried R89 and the S-METER ZERO pot and had to replace the pot with a 200-ohm padded with a 390-ohm CC. It barely reaches S-1 with the pot maxed still. The S-METER SENSITIVITY pot which is supposed to be 1k was reading 600 ohms, so I padded it with 390 ohms. I can't get the needle to reach 60-over with the RF GAIN fully CCW. I tried replacing V4 an V5 with NOS tubes and there was no change. V2 and V3 were likewise replaced with no improvement. (V2 was already a new 6HS6 anyway but I swapped to be sure). Put all the original tubes back in. It's a simple bridge, fercryinoutloud! What am I not seeing? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Drake B Line No Output
Time for a scope. I still think you've got a contact problem somewhere. The switch wafers in the B's are a big improvement over the A's, but they can still get crudded up. The fact that you can receive on either the transmitter or receiver suggests a problem in either the FUNCTION switch, gain control, or contacts in the tube sockets. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: fjmel...@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 3:34 PM To: w1es1...@earthlink.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Drake B Line No Output In a message dated 1/11/2012 12:49:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, w1es1...@earthlink.net writes: There's a signal not getting to the final or even the driver, more than likely. You have to break it down: There's the 5595 crystal oscillator that runs regardless of band, the band oscillator that runs at the frequency determined by the band crystal and the PTO output. If you have the transmitter hooked to a receiver, can you receive signals when you turn the control over to the transmitter? If you can, it eliminates the band oscillator and the PTO circuits as the culprits (as well as the premixer). Given that it's intermittent, I'm betting on a dirty contact somewhere - including tube sockets. Steve -Original Message- From: fjmel...@aol.com Sent: Jan 11, 2012 12:13 PM To: w1es1...@earthlink.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Drake B Line No Output In a message dated 1/11/2012 11:34:32 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, w1es1...@earthlink.net writes: Fred, when you run in SPOT, do you have the GAIN turned up at all? How about in CW? Steve, W1ES -Original Message- From: fjmel...@aol.com Sent: Jan 11, 2012 12:27 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Drakelist Digest, Drake B Line No Output Well, the problem continues. It worked for a short time but is not working again. Replaced V-1 and V2 with tested used tubes. V1 was N.O.S. I did substitution of all the tubes with used and tested tubes without any change in output. The spot position does not put out a signal either. Even when put into AM and using the spot function, I can hardly hear that tone in the receiver either Both VFO's will work the receiver. I have idle current when in tune position or when PTT on mic. no other output. No output when speaking or whistling into the mic either Any other ideas? Where to look next? Sprayed the wafer switches with Deoxit and another plastic safe contact cleaner even though the wafers are phenolic and not plastic. Band switch is not any stiffer than it was when I bought the twins 5 years ago so I don't think that is the problem. I tried 75 meters and 40 meter both with the same results. No output. Where should I start to look for the problem? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks 73 de Fred WD8ADG Steve: In spot I don't hear the birdy sound on SSB setting. On the AM setting the sound is very low compared to how it should sound and with the gain advanced I usually hear the mic. but very little mic sound with gain advanced now. Fred WD8ADG Steve: Both Transmitter and Receiver VFO will receive a signal. Fred WD8ADG___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Fan for T-4XC
There never was an official fan. I can remember using a 120V muffin fan, slowed down with a huge, honkin' wire-wound resistor, the first time I used a fan over the finals 25 years ago. Today, we've got a plethora of 12VDC fans - some with thermistor control like the one I got at a hamfest for $4. You can run these off a wall wart or put a little half-wave rectified supply inside the transmitter or receiver - off the filament supply. The 12V fans typically draw about 250 mA. Fans over the receiver transformer also help a lot at keeping heat down! 73, Enjoy Those Drakes but be cool... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Adrian P. van Bloois adr...@pa0rda.nl Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 3:48 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Fan for T-4XC Hi, I never saw a fan as an accessory for the T-4XC. Is there any offical one? If not, what what you recommend? Size, diamater, where to put it??? TNX 73 -- Adrin P. van Bloois Antonlaan 104 email: adr...@pa0rda.nl 3701 VG Zeist voice: +31-(0)-30-6912741 The Netherlands fax: NONE 52 05'15.77N 5 4'44.56E QTH-locater JO 22 OC The whole point of cooking is to get as much flavour out of the ingredients as possible. -- Delia Smith -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Shure 444D Microphone wiring question
I am trying to wire up my old Shure 444D, and find something strange. According to the manual, there are supposed to be red, white, black, and shield wires in the coiled cable. That is what shows coming out of the cable inside the mic base. Red is mic element, shield is also for the mic element, white is PTT, and black is PTT ground. At the plug end of the coiled cable, there is the shield, the black lead which connects to the PTT ground, a red wire which seems to be the switched PTT, blue and yellow wires. What sort of magic is going on in this cable? Any pointers would be appreciated! Steve WA9JML ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Need a fan for my T-4XC Transmitter?
I've done all which-ways. I once used a 120V fan and used a big, honkin' wire-wound resistor to slow it down. I currently use a 12V fan with a thermistor over my finals, running off a 12V wall wart. the fan runs really slow until the temp gets to the point where the thermistor lets it go for full-speed. This fan cost me $5 at a hamfest. I've worked on a couple of R-4B's where the previous owner tapped off the filament supply with a diode and cap (half-wave rectifier). The fans he used are a little louder than my Xmitter fan. If you opt for using on-board power, you can tap off the filament supply for 12V and feed it to an RCA jack in the SPARE location, or just feed wires through that hole. I like just setting the fan on top, using rubber feet. No holes get drilled that way... YMMV, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: Michael Sue Trussell Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 5:33 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Need a fan for my T-4XC Transmitter? I need to replace my old 30 year old 110 volt fan on my transmitter. I know a few of you have used the twelve 12 volt fans and some have used the 110 volt version. What I would like to know where I can get power so I don't have to plug the fan in every time I turn the rig on. I would like the fan to come on when I turn on the power to the transmitter, any suggestions? Thank you in advance Michael J Trussell KA8ASN ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R-4B PTO calibration
Yes, I was thinking in terms of uH of inductance vs. the capacitance. Because it will be so easy to so, I'll start by un-tacking the compensating cap just to see what that does. I'm basing this on my seeing all original components in there - which I can't guarantee. I only took a cursory glance at the innards when I was adjusting the Allen screw. Maybe this weekend - though the wx is supposed to be way too nice for me to be inside! Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 5, 2012 10:02 PM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net, drakelist Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R-4B PTO calibration Steve - I'm not sure, and it's too late tonight to think about it cogently, but keep in mind that you are NOT trying to change the resonance, merely 'slide' the range along the length of the coil. Sorta like passband tuning. You may indeed need a little more capacitance to 'move' the range DOWN to get it in the right place. Think about it, you are not only changing the 'top' end of the range by adding capacitance, you are moving the entire range 'down'. I'd say add about 5 pF and see what your plot looks like. The coil has widely spaced turns in the center and close wound on either end. I think you want your 250 kHz dial point to fall near the center of the wide spaced turns at 5.025 MHz. 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: I set the zero point at 0 on the dial scale. My calibrator is spot-on, but I did rely on also spotting it with my K3 at the upper end, due to the discrepancy and the calibrator's 25 kHz spacing. Actual Indicated 0 0 100k 105.5k 200k 210k 300k 314k 400k 420k 500k 524k I don't have any 90 pf SM's around (I thought I did...), so I'm going to take the night off here while I check my friends' junkboxes over the weekend. From what I can gather, plugging in different values of inductance against different fixed values of capacitance, it appears that, to get a larger frequency excursion from the same change in inductance, I need less capacitance. That would eliminate my theory of the missing compensating cap. Who knows - maybe I'll find some wild-a__ type of cap in there when I open 'er up! That's what I'm hoping Smile emoticon ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] 6JB6A
Agree. I had C-Lines for 5 or years and contested the whee! out of them. I never replaced any. And, yes - I did keep a set of spares. Now, I just keep a spare transmitter. But I do contest with the K3, when I do contest. It has more to do with the computer... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. From: abqco...@aol.com Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 9:21 PM To: Drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] 6JB6A Greetings to the list, I just had to toss in my 2 cents on the 6JB6A finals. One post recently stated that if the tubes are properly cared for. 'quick tune ups, slight muffin fan pulling air up out of the cage, always dip the plate as a last check' then the tubes should last many many years. When I got my first twins over 10 years back I had heard many cautions (from non-Drake owners) about how fragile sweep tubes were and how I better lay in lots of spare finals. So spares I got but guess what? The same Sylvania finals that came used with the T4XC are still at full output after all those years of very regular use on CW. So I have run them at around 120w out regularly for well over a decade. Maybe its the muffin fan, maybe I've just been lucky, but I have to say that they have held up way better than the naysayers predicted. Sweep tubes are turning out to be more rugged than I am in the long run. Hi ! Jim N5KY ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] S-Meter Drift and PTO Nonlinearity
An interesting thing I've found in the S-meter circuit is that the sensitivity adjustment (the one on the board) is listed as being 1k and I'm measuring about 600 ohms. A wee bit out of tolerance, methinks, or - the PO changed it. I can't see any markings on it to ascertain its intended value. After just putting the front panel back on, it breaks my heart to have to remove it again, but I'm getting darned good at it. since I now have a counter and power supply, hooking it up on the bench should be easy. Garey, in your experience, does the linearity change when the cover is removed? I know that the frequency overall sure does. Most PTO's I've seen have two glass compensating caps on the solder side of the board and this one only had one. It could well be that it only had one to begin with, but I know for a fact that the original owner was in there, so everything is suspect. One step forward, one step back... 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 4, 2012 11:10 PM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-Meter Drift and PTO Nonlinearity Steve - Don't forget that the S-Meter is a bridge that compares the current drawn by V2 and V3 with that drawn by V4 and V5. So anything that alters these two currents _differently_ can cause what you are seeing, usually 'weak' tubes. Of course ZERO drift is usually caused by gassy tubes, usually V4, 5. You know what I think of tube testers!! You can of course change R41 and/or R89 to 'balance' the bridge near the center of the pot range. Not likely that the meter has changed. You could connect it to a power supply via a series resistor and see if it follows the supply voltage linearly. It's a 3 mA movement. From what I have seen, it looks to me like the linearity adjustment is the exact value of C194. The coil is precisely wound, so linearity (especially end-to-end), would be determined in setting resonance over the 'precise' (Linear) area of the coil. Shifting C194 either way would tend to move the range along the length of the coil to find that spot. It takes some cranking from end to end to check, but If there are padder caps on C194 (usually the small tubular ones under the PC board) try removing one. The are just 'tacked' in place, and are usually less than 10 pf each (3 - 7 pF). Be sure to count exactly 10 turns with some sort of accurate dial. I bend up a piece of solid wire to register against the knob skirt. 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: I'm trying to finish this R-4B - it's one of the ones that was extensively modified, and I've brought it back - mostly. You've heard that I had to replace a fixed resistor and a pot in the S-meter bridge circuit. After getting the S METER ZERO pot to its expected range, it seems that I have to go beyond 500 ohms to zero it. Likewise the S METER SENS pot on the board underneath seems to have gone down in value to 600 ohms. Could it also be possible that the meter characteristics could have drifted over time as well? I have worked on other 4-line receivers where it seems I'm at the end of travel with the pots. Tubes are all tested good on a military tester. Now I've got a show-stopper: The PTO on this receiver is off by 6 kHz/100 kHz! I know that the PO was in there, as the can was not fully on and there was evidence of prior entry. He had also soldered the end of the coil rod (the part that sticks out) to some solder braid and had that going to a lug that was anchored to GND at one of the audio XFORMER screws. I removed that and tightened the shaft tension to kill the warble. Which caps affect the linearity, or am I setting myself up for a lot of frustration in not having Drake's fixtures and setup procedures? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] S-Meter Drift and PTO Nonlinearity
It will be interesting to closely examine it once I get it back out of the receiver. I didn't measure end-to-end, but did find that it is off by 6 kHz over a 100 kHz (indicated) transition - such that an indicated 100 kHz has actually moved the frequency only 96 kHz. That difference implies that it should be off by 30 kHz end-to-end. I suspect that if it's consistently off like that, there should be a bad or missing cap that's responsible for it. This operation will allow me first use of my new camera and extension tubes. I'll gather evidence that I'll make available. 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 5, 2012 11:14 AM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drake List drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-Meter Drift and PTO Nonlinearity Steve - I don't recall ever seeing one of those pots changing that much, but I guess it's possible. It may have been fried and the 600 ohm is what he could find. Not a major problem as the two resistors can be changed to center up the pot. I don't know about the linearity with the shield can off, but I suspect it would be affected. Those glass caps are the 'trimmers' for C194. I have seen two, one, or none on various PTOs. NP0 ceramics are probably the best available today for replacement. Dur-Micas woud probably work fine, although they DO have a slight T/C. If you have a small air variable trimcap it might be interesting to see what happens as you vary the capacitance. The 'sweet spot' seems to be about 92.5 pF. The nominal value of C194 could be anywhere from 85.5 - to 94.5 pF. I think they may have selected 90 pF caps that were 92.5 or less, and then used small trim caps to bring it up to 92.5 pf. Most that I have seen have had one or two small value (2 - 7 pF) caps. Remember that end-to-end specification is +/- 3 kHz. LInearity between those two points is determined by the precision of the coil, which is apparently pretty good. 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: An interesting thing I've found in the S-meter circuit is that the sensitivity adjustment (the one on the board) is listed as being 1k and I'm measuring about 600 ohms. A wee bit out of tolerance, methinks, or - the PO changed it. I can't see any markings on it to ascertain its intended value. After just putting the front panel back on, it breaks my heart to have to remove it again, but I'm getting darned good at it. since I now have a counter and power supply, hooking it up on the bench should be easy. Garey, in your experience, does the linearity change when the cover is removed? I know that the frequency overall sure does. Most PTO's I've seen have two glass compensating caps on the solder side of the board and this one only had one. It could well be that it only had one to begin with, but I know for a fact that the original owner was in there, so everything is suspect. One step forward, one step back... 73, Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrellk4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 4, 2012 11:10 PM To: Steve Wedgew1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: Drake Listdrakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] S-Meter Drift and PTO Nonlinearity Steve - Don't forget that the S-Meter is a bridge that compares the current drawn by V2 and V3 with that drawn by V4 and V5. So anything that alters these two currents _differently_ can cause what you are seeing, usually 'weak' tubes. Of course ZERO drift is usually caused by gassy tubes, usually V4, 5. You know what I think of tube testers!! You can of course change R41 and/or R89 to 'balance' the bridge near the center of the pot range. Not likely that the meter has changed. You could connect it to a power supply via a series resistor and see if it follows the supply voltage linearly. It's a 3 mA movement. From what I have seen, it looks to me like the linearity adjustment is the exact value of C194. The coil is precisely wound, so linearity (especially end-to-end), would be determined in setting resonance over the 'precise' (Linear) area of the coil. Shifting C194 either way would tend to move the range along the length of the coil to find that spot. It takes some cranking from end to end to check, but If there are padder caps on C194 (usually the small tubular ones under the PC board) try removing one. The are just 'tacked' in place, and are usually less than 10 pf each (3 - 7 pF). Be sure to count exactly 10 turns with some sort of accurate dial. I bend up a piece of solid wire to register against the knob skirt. 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: I'm trying to finish this R-4B - it's one of the ones
Re: [Drakelist] FS: R-4B and a T-4XB
I had a Ranger and it was nice. Sold it last fall, though, as I hadn't used it in quite some time. It and my SX-101 were taking up too much precious space, so I sold them and used part of the money towards some of my current Drake stuff. The Rangers sound great on AM and mine was hi-fi'ed by WA1HZK to a lot of the Timtron mods plus a few special ones that Keith had been working on. The problem is that it turned it into a Johnny One-Note in that you could only use it on AM (CW had been removed to make room for PTT circuits and the like). I wanted some old rigs that could be used on - and do a respectable job on - CW. I've thought about doing the K1JJ mod to the AM modulator and will probably do it first in Keith's T-4X, once I have it up on my bench again. I believe that mod is the one Garey was referring to in that it turns the transmitter more into a normal screen-modulated configuration. We'll see. Now that the thread has been hijacked, I wonder if the B-Line has sold ;-) I'd be interested but am holding out for some C's. That is a good price - especially for anyone looking for a T-4XB! 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Curt rhule...@comcast.net Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 4:06 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net; kc9...@aol.com Subject: Re: [Drakelist] FS: R-4B and a T-4XB FWIW, I've been having lot of fun with a Globe Scout 40A (Heising plate modulation) at about 20W out on 40M. Use the T-4X (controlled carrier) also, believe it puts out about 25W and has worked fine for me. Would love to own a Ranger but they've become too expensive lately. Routinely have QSOs during the day on 40M over 100-300 miles. Some of the folks drive linears with their 25W, but I don't own one. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] r4c pto drift observation
Lee - Could be an issue specific to your rig. Either that or my set is an anomaly: I have no trouble being on-freq on SSB with my B's and I haven't touched C61 in several months. On CW, I still have trouble getting stations to hear me calling, and I'm starting to wonder if it's more than just my preference for a low beat-note. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Kihwal Lee kih...@yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 4:17 PM To: k4...@mindspring.com; Larry Mccabe lmccabe...@aol.com Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] r4c pto drift obsevation I once fed my R-4A (the 11 tube version) a premix signal from a stable modern signal source to see exactly that. I don't know which, but the BFO and/or the 5995 Kc LO was drifting at least couple of hundred Hz over the testing period. I personally do not care too much about the PTO drifting as long as it is usable after proper warm up. But carrier/LO/BFO going out of sync between T-4X and R-4A is inconvenient to say the least. I do have a color-matched pair, but they still tend to go separate ways even after hours of warm up. Even with this issue, I have no plan to upgrade to T-4XC/R-4C. hi. 73s, Kihwal, K9SUL - Original Message From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com To: Larry Mccabe lmccabe...@aol.com Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Thu, January 5, 2012 1:59:37 PM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] r4c pto drift obsevation Larry - That is interesting I've never experienced it, as my shack has always been air conditioned. The PTO coil is pretty well sealed, and I wouldn't expect it to be susceptible to humidity. The only other sources would be the BAND oscillator, crystal controlled with a lacquered transformer, the 3rd Mixer LO, also crystal controlled, and the BFO. The BFO is just an 'IF Can' style coil, and would be the most likely suspect. Would be interesting to see which of these oscillators is actually the one(s) moving.!! 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 Larry Mccabe wrote: i've noticed some interesting drift characteristics on my r4c. i live in florida.. shack in the garage.. during the summer months , with 80-90 deg temps and high humidity, the r4c drifts approx 50 hz per hour. during the winter with 50-60 deg temps and reduced humidity the drift is reduced to 10 hz per hour . in both cases these measurements were observed after a lengthy warm-up period using a digital display counter. i have no internal fan or aux cooling in the radio. only significant change in the vacinity of the pto is the sherwood audio amp mod . temp and humidity obviously a significant factor in dealing with drift. i know this is no big revelation.. thought the differences were interesting though. Larry WA0QHF Sent from my iPhone ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] R-4B PTO calibration
I set the zero point at 0 on the dial scale. My calibrator is spot-on, but I did rely on also spotting it with my K3 at the upper end, due to the discrepancy and the calibrator's 25 kHz spacing. Actual Indicated 0 0 100k 105.5k 200k 210k 300k 314k 400k 420k 500k 524k I don't have any 90 pf SM's around (I thought I did...), so I'm going to take the night off here while I check my friends' junkboxes over the weekend. From what I can gather, plugging in different values of inductance against different fixed values of capacitance, it appears that, to get a larger frequency excursion from the same change in inductance, I need less capacitance. That would eliminate my theory of the missing compensating cap. Who knows - maybe I'll find some wild-a__ type of cap in there when I open 'er up! That's what I'm hoping 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. Emoticon1.gif___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] L4B oddity
My question would now be (since you're assuming you'll have to drop a bunch of money on it anyway...) - what's the power out with it as it is, and how does it compare to how it was before you noticed the problem? Jim's right about the resistance: at 15A or thereabouts per filament @ 5V, milliohms make a difference! Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Jim Shorney jshor...@inebraska.com Sent: Jan 3, 2012 11:26 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] L4B oddity Do you ever run with color on the plates? It's required that they get a little bit red in operation for the gettering to work. Also, just a tiny bit of extra resistance in the filament pin is all it takes to dim a tube. An ordinary Ohmmeter won't register the difference. 73 -Jim On Tue, 3 Jan 2012 22:00:06 -0600, richard radke wrote: All, Thanks to everyone who made suggestions. Solder on the pins all look ok. .5½'s on each filament. I'm guessing a grid to filament short/ leak when it gets hot. I did notice a slight bit of clouding near the top of the envelope that wasn't there before. Maybe from running the filament with way less than 5V. Thoughts ? At any rate, a replacement 3-400Z is gonna be hard to find (out of production for years) so I'll probably just get a new 3-500 to go with the one I already have. Rick W9WS -- Ham Radio NU0C Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.S.A. TR7/RV7/R7A/L7, TR6/RV6, T4XC/R4C/L4B, NCL2000, SB104A, R390A, GT550A/RV550A, HyGain 3750, IBM PS/2 - all vintage, all the time! Give a man a URL, and he will learn for an hour; teach him to Google, and he will learn for a lifetime. HyGain 3750 User's Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HyGain_3750/ http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney http://www.nebraskaghosts.org ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Meter interchangeability
Folks - I see lots of TR-7 parts floating around the auction sites - including the S-meter. Are the guts of the TR-7 meter compatible with the 4-Twins? I'm just thinking ahead, in case I every have another close call where the meter doesn't survive! 73, Steve, W1ES/4 ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Meter interchangeability
Thanks, Garey. I suspected as much, but wanted to be sure the movements weren't the same. That R-4B I'm working on didn't fry the meter, but there's still something out of sorts with the bridge circuit, as I can't get the meter to zero when the AGC bus is adjusted to -1.35V. Looks like I'll be checking all the other resistors that didn't look like they smoked... Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 4, 2012 9:20 AM To: Steve Wedge w1es1...@earthlink.net Cc: drakelist@zerobeat.net drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Meter interchangeability Nope The TR-7 is ALL new. The R-4/T-4 meters are all the same basic movement. The S-Meter is the same from the 2-A through the R-4B. The PLATE meter is the same movement, but the early scale was 0-400 mA and the later ones, (early to mid T4-XB,) changed to 0-500 mA. The TC-2 meter is 0-400 mA and the TC-6 is 0-600 mA. They all 'can' be opened and scales changed, but with a fairly high failure rate in the process. 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: Folks - I see lots of TR-7 parts floating around the auction sites - including the S-meter. Are the guts of the TR-7 meter compatible with the 4-Twins? I'm just thinking ahead, in case I every have another close call where the meter doesn't survive! 73, Steve, W1ES/4 ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] S-Meter Drift and PTO Nonlinearity
I'm trying to finish this R-4B - it's one of the ones that was extensively modified, and I've brought it back - mostly. You've heard that I had to replace a fixed resistor and a pot in the S-meter bridge circuit. After getting the S METER ZERO pot to its expected range, it seems that I have to go beyond 500 ohms to zero it. Likewise the S METER SENS pot on the board underneath seems to have gone down in value to 600 ohms. Could it also be possible that the meter characteristics could have drifted over time as well? I have worked on other 4-line receivers where it seems I'm at the end of travel with the pots. Tubes are all tested good on a military tester. Now I've got a show-stopper: The PTO on this receiver is off by 6 kHz/100 kHz! I know that the PO was in there, as the can was not fully on and there was evidence of prior entry. He had also soldered the end of the coil rod (the part that sticks out) to some solder braid and had that going to a lug that was anchored to GND at one of the audio XFORMER screws. I removed that and tightened the shaft tension to kill the warble. Which caps affect the linearity, or am I setting myself up for a lot of frustration in not having Drake's fixtures and setup procedures? 73, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] R4C Sherwood mods
Yeah, but Klinger had more style... Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. - Joe Walsh If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop! - Original Message - From: Jim Shorney jshor...@inebraska.com To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 11:58 PM Subject: Re: [Drakelist] R4C Sherwood mods On Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:04:07 -0500 (EST), kc9...@aol.com wrote: Why invent the wheel...but as they say...go for it if it trips your trigger. By the time you buy all the parts...you won't save much. Maybe you missed the part about FUN! And the sense of accomplishment. Parts are cheap. Especially if you went to the Radar O'Rielly school of procurement. 73 -Jim -- Ham Radio NU0C Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.S.A. TR7/RV7/R7A/L7, TR6/RV6, T4XC/R4C/L4B, NCL2000, SB104A, R390A, GT550A/RV550A, HyGain 3750, IBM PS/2 - all vintage, all the time! Give a man a URL, and he will learn for an hour; teach him to Google, and he will learn for a lifetime. HyGain 3750 User's Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HyGain_3750/ http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney http://www.nebraskaghosts.org ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] L4B Oddity
I remember those little rolls well, as well as working on those old Tek room-heaters. The CRT's had the most wonderfully sharp traces, though - especially the 547 :) Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: Garey Barrell k4...@mindspring.com Sent: Jan 2, 2012 10:26 PM To: Don Cunningham d...@martineer.net Cc: richard radke rar...@excite.com, drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] L4B Oddity Don - There seems to be a lot of confusion over 'silver solder' and 'silver-bearing solder'. Silver solder melts at around 1300 degree F, and is typically applied with a small torch. It's primarily used for jewelry and other tasks needing a 'hard' solder. I doubt if the glass metal seals around the filament pins of the 3-500Z would withstand that heat without fracturing. I could be wrong... Silver-bearing solder melts at around 700 degrees F, and is applied using our more familiar soldering irons. This solder is used for soldering parts that have metalization 'flashed' onto ceramic or other insulator, such as SMD parts and the famous Tektronix ceramic tie strips used in their scopes. Plain Lead/Tin 63/37% solder will 'leach' the silver out of the flashed metalization, loosening and finally breaking the bond. This is why Tek included small rolls of silver-bearing solder inside their products. 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 Don Cunningham wrote: On the first question, I have heard of the solder melting out of the pins on the filaments of both the 3-500Z and the 3-400's. If that has happened to your tube, you might be able to just re-solder it and be okay. Some have said to silver solder it, but it seems to me that silver solder requires an awful lot of heat and I would be careful doing that. Second question: I wouldn't think that was a good idea, but then I'm no expert, so hope Evan is out there, hi. 73, Don, WB5HAK ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Sherwood Mods
I think there's enough room on here for everyone, and I certainly wouldn't want to dilute what is already a small subset (Drake Folks) of a small subset of folks (hams). If a post isn't of interest, one can always use the "delete" key. 73 enjoy those Drakes however you like... Steve, W1ES/4 -Original Message- From: lee <pulsa...@embarqmail.com>Sent: Jan 2, 2012 11:21 PM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: Re: [Drakelist] Sherwood Mods This may be true but I can tell you I purchased a lot of new Drake gear from Drake dealers and when I ever talked to the factory regarding them, without naming names, it was expressed very clearly each and every time their/his disfavor of those mods. I happen to agree with those remarks. I would never consider them. In fact, I am thinking of starting a new Drake reflector or wish someone else would open one where it would be forbidden to discuss foreign mods except for those really needed because of lack of old parts. I personally consider the mods offensive and consider a radio with these mods no longer a Drake product. I know not everyone agrees with me, but I know some may agree with me. Don’t get me wrong. If you own a radio, I believe you can do anything you want with it and you can believe anything you want about your mods. I just don’t agree with this philosophy at all. I am not trying to start a war here or call someone stupid for altering his Drake gear. I am not telling you you are nuts for doing this but I would consider myself foolish for installing them in my Drake radios. Those are my thoughts. If I was going to buy a radio with them, I would discount the value before making an offer. If my offer would be accepted, I would remove the mods and if they were too extensive, I’d refuse to buy the radio in the first place. Again, these are my feelings and I don’t expect someone else with other ideas to have to conform to my standards. Just do what you want to do. I also enjoy using my unmodified C lines more then my B line. Again, I know some don’t agree with this. Thaty’s OK with me. I just know my thoughts do not agree with a lot of things I read on here. There is a British Paraset Group which is really radical, even for me. You are not expected to join unless you agree to only use the built in hand key rather then using an external hand key, bug, or paddle with memory. You also are expected to only use a long wire as operatives used with this transceiver during WW2. Now these are really extreme rules! I could not live up to them so declined membership. But getting back to a real Drake reflector for unmodified Drakes for guys wanting the experience of using a Drake rig as it was offered by Drake without discussion of major mods, is there any interest in a group for guys wanting to discuss their unmodified radios and want to keep them that way? Or am I just a peculiarity among Drake owners? (Easy to set up on Yahoo. I’m really interested in hearing from guys thinking as I do rather then from those saying they would not join a group as I described. Anyone not liking the idea needs not join the new group. Simple enough). I have a lot on my plate and would prefer someone else open such a group, but I’d be willing to do it if nobody else would step up to the plate. If I’m the only guy feeling this way, the idea can just then die and I’ll just keep using my delete key . Again, this is not intended to flame anyone. Lee, w0vt ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drake Tec Net Sunday
Paul, the TR PTO's are different from the T-4/R-4 ones. They cover 600 kHz and their dial calibrations are different. Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils. John Stark. All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended thereto. -- From: Paul Gerhardt phgerha...@gmail.com Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:03 AM To: drakelist@zerobeat.net Subject: [Drakelist] Drake Tec Net Sunday Was great to check into the Drake Tech Net on Sunday PM on 7238 at 2000Z, thanks to all the stations who offered some insights to the PTO and Filter questions I had. With the cold WX and the INRAD sale I thought I would consider buying a new filter but will keep looking for a used one to replace the Bad Tedford 8 pole in the TR-4. I did buy some matched crystals and may try a homebrew 4 pole and see how it 'plays' I recently received a nice little 4 plole circuit board from kits and parts unfortunately it is just a bit too wide to fit in the original holder. While continuing to look for a 'stock' unit I have collected some parts to try to make one but have not gotten one to sound good yet. I put some of my notes on my blog http://pgerhardt.blogspot.com. Several mentioned the problem of having to get two filters an equal distance from the carrier freq and the cost of two INRAD is not justified (to me anyway). Did some more reading on the PTO and it seems like the T4Xb PTO should work well in the TR-4. After redoing the T4 PTO I will probably try to clean the TR-4 PTO bearing and maybe add the braid to the 'fork' on it. These two issues are on my winter list for the Drake radios. Paul Gerhardt K3PG http://pgerhardt.blogspot.com QRP ARCI 6674 FP 274 You must do this work with love or you fail. -- John Muir, from How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
