For one thing it probably would have been way too expensive for the price point of the rigs. Phase locked loops had been around decades before that but it was only cheap IC technology that brought them to the forefront. The CB radio craze helped with that. How do you build a cheap 40 channel consumer radio good enough to meet FCC specs without a raft of crystals? The PLL01 chip of course. It was a game changer. I was told a story by a Hy-Gain engineer once that suggested that chip may have been based on one of their designs which was essentially the same generation of tech that was used in the 7-Line.
73
-Jim
NU0C
On Sat, 27 Mar 2021 21:12:27 -0700
"Steve Beaman" <beamanator@...> wrote:
Hi Gary,
I have the Drake C-line twins as well as a Drake FS-4 synthesizer.
The FS-4 is as stable as a rock regardless of temperature swings, so I know that Drake had the ability to build driftless gear way back when. I just don¡¯t understand why they didn¡¯t apply that frequency and phase locking technology to the C-line.
At any rate, I would love to be able to apply that technology to my R-4C, but don¡¯t know where to begin.
¡ª Steve, W?PZ
On Mar 27, 2021, at 4:03 PM, Tony Deprato <tony.deprato@...> wrote:
?
Better yet call cq and not Be on 3.657.5.and not 3.657.000.
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S? 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: "kq2q via groups.io" <kq2q@...>
Date: 3/27/21 18:59 (GMT-05:00)
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [DRAKE-RADIO] Drake Transmitting Convertors
Peter
I can remember when I would CQ on 40 meters and tune at least +\- 25 kHz up and down for a response.
Frequency was not that important as long as inbounds.
Drift was not too important- just retune the RX. Walk around a bit.
Nowadays if you are 73 cycles off; oh boy!
?
Bob KQ2Q
On Mar 27, 2021, at 6:34 PM, wb6ogd <garywinblad@...> wrote:
?
?Hi Peter,
Ok, I just have to comment...
I was going to when you said you were
going to build my cheap FS-4.. I might be
able to actually push you over the edge..
The Drake¡¯s were very stable by 1964
standards but today, they are really drift
monsters....
What i am running here is an advanced
version I call my FS-5 with advanced
stability.
If you build Bernie and my FS-4B hardware (with
digital dial) you could have a Drake that is
comparable to most new rigs in stability.
Simple theory is, measure the PTO
frequency and if it drifts, you offset the
band oscillator (Si5351 crystal based
synthesizer) by the opposite amount to
cancel the PTO drift. I am doing this now
and it is terrific, turn the Drake on cold,
tune in the net, then listen all day without
changing the PTO, it is crystal locked!
I also have a mode I call channel lock...
Most operation nowadays is on even KHz
frequencies, so I only lock to the KHz.
Instant exactly ¡°on frequency¡±, no
complaints from the new guys?
Real easy tuning, my Kenwood can¡¯t even do
this!
Parts cost can be as low as $11, I think.
Plus, you have all bands with NO old drifted
crystals needed.
My FS-5 design is still being developed but if anyone wants something like the above,
maybe I can get Bernie to help me release
it.
73,
Gary
WB6OGD
On Mar 27, 2021, at 2:45 PM, VE7PS <ve7ps@...:
? Rick:
I am not currently on the air with my TC-2/6 but I have in the past used them.
While not too bad for casual VHF operating on CW/SSB, they are not stable enough as is for any of the digital modes. I was getting drift complaints on occasion from the SSB guys at times. My answer...."do you have big knob on the front of your radio for tuning?" OK - not really....but I did think that! Indeed some of that drift could be from the R-4/T-4 that was running the xverters at the time. Need to check that out further one day.
The receivers are not all that hot and would benefit from a good low noise preamp ahead of them. I did some simple comparison testing a few years ago against my SSB Electronics xverters and they were not as sensitive, though I did not go as far as quantifying that difference.
I like to operate them just for fun, because I can. I just wish I lived in an area that some VHF DX was possible...this after almost 40 years of VHF/UHF DX'ing when I Iived in EN86 and FN02. I am almost surrounded by mountains where I am now in DN09, though I do have a good shot at the moon most of the time and am planning to get back into EME again. I won't be using the Drakes!
I also have a P & H 6-150 100 watt 6 meter transmitting converter that is fun to play with too. Brings back memories from using one of these in our 6m station at VE3ONT during the VHF contests in the mid-70's.
73
Peter
VE7PS
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