Hello from a new Drake owner (with a problem, of course :-)
Hello all!
I'm the proud new owner of a Drake 2-C, plus a 2-NT and a 2-CW. I figured I'd start with the receiver and gingerly powered it up. I got some audio, lots of hum, and no discernible signals. I promptly powered it off and recapped it. The hum is gone, but the other problem remains. I set my waveform generator to 3.525 and got a lousy-sounding signal on 80M but nothing on the other bands. I ordered a set of tubes and replaced them one by one. I started with V2, the first mixer. I figured it was the most likely cuplrit and afterward I got a nice tone from the signal generator on 3.525. The preselector has a definite sweet spot on the 80M band, and it moves when I tune up and down. I suspect I will hear CW and SSB activity after dark tonight.?
Still, no signal on the other bands. I replaced the other tubes one by one except the 12BZ6 RF Amp. The box was right, but there was a 6JH6 inside. I don't think that's it anyway. I'm learning to troubleshoot older gear and would greatly appreciate any guidance on where to start. My gut feeling is the IF circuit, but that's not an informed guess by any means. I have not yet done voltage and resistance measurements. I have a V7A VTVM that needs repair so I'm hoping my Fluke DMM will suffice.?
Thanks in advance!
--
73 de Steve K9NUD ..
Nothing happens until someone calls CQ!
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Hi Rich
Welcome to the group.
Carl WD4IDA
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Hi Peter, thanks for the info on other users of this noise blanker. It opens the possibly For locating a NB for my receiver. It looks like a fairly complicated piece of gear and one that I won¡¯t try to build from scratch using the SPR-4 schematic.
Have a great weekend,
Tom N5AMA
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Re: TR7 volume knob / AF gain
Thank you guys,
what a relief..
well done and thank you all for your time..
Mark
73
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Tom:
That noise blanker was used in the Drake commercial versions of the SPR-4 as well, including the RR-1 and RR-2 receivers. These receivers were often branded under many other names including Hagenuk, SAIT, McKay Marine and several more. The 5-NB usually gets stripped and sold separately so rare to find a receiver with one in it.
Good luck!
73
Peter
VE7PS
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On Jun 24, 2022, at 7:18 PM, Tom Smith <n5ama@...> wrote:
?
Is there a bone yard somewhere that might have a noise blanker for a SPR-4 solid state receiver? I¡¯m not sure if the noise blanker is used on another model receiver but if so it might increase the odds of finding this piece of unobtainium.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Tom. N5AMA
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Is there a bone yard somewhere that might have a noise blanker for a SPR-4 solid state receiver? I¡¯m not sure if the noise blanker is used on another model receiver but if so it might increase the odds of finding this piece of unobtainium.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Tom. N5AMA
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On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 6:25 PM Jim Shorney < jimNU0C@...> wrote:
Do you have +10R on the feeder trace on the bottom of the parent board? If not check Q307 on the Transmit Exciter board. These little guys are like three legged fuses. T/R switching of the +10 is handled by Q306 Q307, and Q308.
73
-Jim
NU0C
On Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:34:36 -0700
"Don Humphrey" <dscc1947@...> wrote:
> Hello,
> All of the sudden I have lost 10R . I have traced it to the mode switch.
> However my copy of the mode switch wiring on my schematic is not very clear.
> I even took the wafer off the switch bank. I still can not figure out . Of course
> if jump +10 to 10R it will receive. But I am not going to try to xmit this way.
> Any help would be appreciated.
> TNX
> Don WA4NIZ
>
>
>
>
>
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Let me know if you have one for sale.
Pictures required.
Thanks!
73, Jim W7RY
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Re: TR7 volume knob / AF gain
In some commercial gear this is a feature, not a bug. You don't want your police dispatchers accidentally turning the volume down all the way... 73 -Jim NU0C On Fri, 24 Jun 2022 13:30:48 -0700 "Richard Knoppow" <1oldlens1@...> wrote: FWIW, the effect is called "play through". It is common in
some old receivers using self biased detectors. This is not the
cause in the TR-7.
On 6/24/2022 10:30 AM, Gary Follett wrote:
That is very common in the TR7. The reason is that the pot does
not go to zero ohms until the off position is reached. Later
versions seemed to overcome this, likely by a change in the pot.
Gary
W0DVN
On Jun 24, 2022, at 11:51 AM, Mark Feltham via groups.io
<> <dodacarem@...
<mailto:dodacarem@...>> wrote:
Hello Guys,
When turning volume of my TR7 down full ccw I still have audio
, in other words, the volume goes down but not to silent, has
anyone else experienced this?
is it norm?
Mark
73
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I forgot I did this one. Sample of output from Hugin. I also did a fair amount of cleanup on it post-production because I am kind of OCD that way but that was just for noise and crud. Stitching was perfect. /g/DRAKE-RADIO/files/Drake%201A%20Rev%202%20Schematic%20Complete.pdf73 -Jim NU0C On Fri, 24 Jun 2022 17:40:57 -0500 "Jim Shorney via groups.io" <jimNU0C@...> wrote: For those that do not have Photoshop the Hugin photo stitcher works very well. I have a some of hi-rez schematics that I have done that I will challenge anyone to find where they were stitched. :) It is cross platform and you will also want to grab the tutorial on stitching flat scanned documents (also found here: /g/DRAKE-RADIO/files/Hugin%20tutorial%20_%20Stitching%20flat%20scanned%20images%20%28New%29.pdf ).
There is a bit of a learning curve but it's not terrible.
73
-Jim
NU0C
On Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:48:51 -0500
"Gary Follett" <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
I put schematics into Photoshop and stitch them together into one large readable page
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For those that do not have Photoshop the Hugin photo stitcher works very well. I have a some of hi-rez schematics that I have done that I will challenge anyone to find where they were stitched. :) It is cross platform and you will also want to grab the tutorial on stitching flat scanned documents (also found here: /g/DRAKE-RADIO/files/Hugin%20tutorial%20_%20Stitching%20flat%20scanned%20images%20%28New%29.pdf ). There is a bit of a learning curve but it's not terrible. 73 -Jim NU0C On Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:48:51 -0500 "Gary Follett" <xntrick1948@...> wrote: I put schematics into Photoshop and stitch them together into one large readable page
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Do you have +10R on the feeder trace on the bottom of the parent board? If not check Q307 on the Transmit Exciter board. These little guys are like three legged fuses. T/R switching of the +10 is handled by Q306 Q307, and Q308. 73 -Jim NU0C On Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:34:36 -0700 "Don Humphrey" <dscc1947@...> wrote: Hello,
All of the sudden I have lost 10R . I have traced it to the mode switch.
However my copy of the mode switch wiring on my schematic is not very clear.
I even took the wafer off the switch bank. I still can not figure out . Of course
if jump +10 to 10R it will receive. But I am not going to try to xmit this way.
Any help would be appreciated.
TNX
Don WA4NIZ
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Re: Need a AC-4 Power Supply
I have one
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On Jun 24, 2022, at 4:30 PM, Jim W7RY via groups.io <jimw7ry@...> wrote:
?I'm looking for a Drake AC4 Power Supply.
Working or not. Just as long as the transformer is good.
Price shipped to me, and your payment preference.
Thanks, 73, Jim W7RY
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The power definitely gets switched properly. I actually needed a pull-down resistor. The whole low side of the oscillator circuit looks like it needs a pull-down.?
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent from Proton Mail for iOS
On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 6:15 PM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 via groups.io < w1es@...> wrote: Yes, that's how I interpreted the numbering.
I soldered in a 1k resistor from the switch lug to the "ground" etch.? The receiver is working great.? I'll do an alignment on it next week and revisit why it makes the BFO function again.? It's weird.
73 & thanks,
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow.? Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent with secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 4:25 PM, wb6ogd <garywinblad@...> wrote:
On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 12:29 PM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 wrote:
If I am interpreting the dating of the schematics correctly, Garey's is later. (mine is 919664054 and the CD is 1026665400 and my C168 agrees with the CD.
I think you are interpreting it correctly.? This is what I think it means:
919664054 means 9/19/1966 at serial number 4054
1026665400 means 10/26/1966 at serial number 5400
So Drake discovered the error in the BFO schematic in about a month.
73,
Gary
WB6OGD
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I¡¯d try a 0.1 cap like Drake used. 73, Gary? WB6OGD?
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On Jun 24, 2022, at 3:15 PM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 via groups.io <w1es@...> wrote:
? Yes, that's how I interpreted the numbering.
I soldered in a 1k resistor from the switch lug to the "ground" etch.? The receiver is working great.? I'll do an alignment on it next week and revisit why it makes the BFO function again.? It's weird.
73 & thanks,
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow.? Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent with secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 4:25 PM, wb6ogd <garywinblad@...> wrote:
On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 12:29 PM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 wrote:
If I am interpreting the dating of the schematics correctly, Garey's is later. (mine is 919664054 and the CD is 1026665400 and my C168 agrees with the CD.
I think you are interpreting it correctly.? This is what I think it means:
919664054 means 9/19/1966 at serial number 4054
1026665400 means 10/26/1966 at serial number 5400
So Drake discovered the error in the BFO schematic in about a month.
73,
Gary
WB6OGD
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Yes, that's how I interpreted the numbering.
I soldered in a 1k resistor from the switch lug to the "ground" etch.? The receiver is working great.? I'll do an alignment on it next week and revisit why it makes the BFO function again.? It's weird.
73 & thanks,
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow.? Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent with secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 4:25 PM, wb6ogd <garywinblad@...> wrote:
On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 12:29 PM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 wrote:
If I am interpreting the dating of the schematics correctly, Garey's is later. (mine is 919664054 and the CD is 1026665400 and my C168 agrees with the CD.
I think you are interpreting it correctly.? This is what I think it means:
919664054 means 9/19/1966 at serial number 4054
1026665400 means 10/26/1966 at serial number 5400
So Drake discovered the error in the BFO schematic in about a month.
73,
Gary
WB6OGD
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Hi Guys, thanks for the welcome. I¡¯ll send another message when Ron Baker finishes the work. I only wish I picked the radio up in the winter as it get my upstairs shack even hotter during these hot summer nights! Thanks again.
Rich
Kq9l
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I have a family function tomorrow, then travelling to Asheville Sunday and so will likely not be doing any FD this year.? My club decided to not do an in-person FD this year so I'm not going to lose sleep, though I usually have kept things away from FD weekend.
I did run my TR7 and B Line last year, running 1E.
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow.? Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent with secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 5:48 PM, Steve Bookout, NR4M <steve@...> wrote:
If properly used, it will
secure a 48 foot sailboat, in category II winds.
A DX-100 is only good for a
small Boston Whaler in a mild breeze.
Seriously, I think it weighs
660 pounds. I re-assembled the three drawers into the
housing, using a automotive engine hoist.
73 de Steve, NR4M
Will be doing FD as NR4M in
class D, work us all bands. We be using one of my C-lines;
all CW.
On 6/24/2022 4:36 PM, Richard Knoppow wrote:
This was the successor to the Hallicrafters BC-610. The TMC
GPT-750 is really the sucessor to this, at least the AM version.
The RCA AR-88, CRM R6A, Racal M-17, MacKay 3010C all weigh in
at 100 lbs, the drake is a featherweight.
On 6/24/2022 11:32 AM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 via groups.io wrote:
Now THAT is a boat anchor!
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 12:52 PM, Steve Bookout, NR4M
<steve@...> wrote:
Like this one, John?image0.jpeg
73 de Steve, NR4M
On Jun 24, 2022, at 10:46 AM, John
<johnk5mo@...> wrote:
?
These are just canoe anchors. A DX100 or a T368 is indeed
a boat anchor! :-)
Enjoy your Drake!
73
John K5MO
On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 10:44 AM Joseph Nicholas Graif -
K4JNG <jgraif1@...
<mailto:jgraif1@...>> wrote:
hello, rich and welcome! be careful with that word ¡°boat
anchor¡±. these are our children of whom you speak!____
__
image002.png
____ __
__ __
__ __
__ __
__ __
__ __
my cw is rusty but i have always loved it. contact me
directly and we can try setting up a sked.____
__ __
best regards,____
joe____
__ __
joseph n. graif____
k4jng____
__ __
*From:* [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
<[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> *On Behalf Of
*richlim11
via groups.io
*Sent:* Friday, June 24, 2022 9:12 AM
*To:* [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
*Subject:* [DRAKE-RADIO] Good Day All____
__ __
Good Day all, I'm new here and just wanted to say Hi!
I have always wanted an old boat anchor radio since
getting first licensed about 20yrs ago. I found an old
Drake TR4C at an acceptable price on ebay and purchased
it
and have made a few contacts CW with the rig. The radio
is very nice and all that I had expected it to be. She
is
going off for a "full service" tune up and having a new
faceplate put on since the prior owner drilled a hole it
it. When it's back, I hope to work some of you Drake to
Drake CW. Do you guys have a favored calling frequency
on 40?
Thanks again.
Rich
KQ9L ____
__
|
If properly used, it will
secure a 48 foot sailboat, in category II winds.
A DX-100 is only good for a
small Boston Whaler in a mild breeze.
Seriously, I think it weighs
660 pounds.? I re-assembled the three drawers into the
housing, using a automotive engine hoist.
73 de Steve, NR4M
Will be doing FD as NR4M in
class D, work us all bands.? We be using one of my C-lines;
all CW.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 6/24/2022 4:36 PM, Richard Knoppow wrote:
??
This was the successor to the Hallicrafters BC-610. The TMC
GPT-750 is really the sucessor to this, at least the AM version.
?? The RCA AR-88, CRM R6A, Racal M-17, MacKay 3010C all weigh in
at 100 lbs, the drake is a featherweight.
On 6/24/2022 11:32 AM, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 via groups.io wrote:
Now THAT is a boat anchor!
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
Time flies like an arrow.? Fruit flies like a banana.
Sent with Proton Mail secure email.?
------- Original Message -------
On Friday, June 24th, 2022 at 12:52 PM, Steve Bookout, NR4M
<steve@...> wrote:
Like this one, John?image0.jpeg
73 de Steve, NR4M
On Jun 24, 2022, at 10:46 AM, John
<johnk5mo@...> wrote:
?
These are just? canoe anchors.?? A DX100 or a T368 is indeed
a boat anchor!? :-)
Enjoy your Drake!
73
John K5MO
On Fri, Jun 24, 2022 at 10:44 AM Joseph Nicholas Graif -
K4JNG <jgraif1@...
<mailto:jgraif1@...>> wrote:
??? hello, rich and welcome! be careful with that word ¡°boat
??? anchor¡±. these are our children of whom you speak!____
??? __
??????? image002.png
??? ____ __
??? __ __
??? __ __
??? __ __
??? __ __
??? __ __
??? my cw is rusty but i have always loved it. contact me
??? directly and we can try setting up a sked.____
??? __ __
??? best regards,____
??? joe____
??? __ __
??? joseph n. graif____
??? k4jng____
??? __ __
??? *From:* [email protected]
??? <mailto:[email protected]>
<[email protected]
??? <mailto:[email protected]>> *On Behalf Of
*richlim11
??? via groups.io
??? *Sent:* Friday, June 24, 2022 9:12 AM
??? *To:* [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
??? *Subject:* [DRAKE-RADIO] Good Day All____
??? __ __
??? Good Day all, I'm new here and just wanted to say Hi!
??? I have always wanted an old boat anchor radio since
??? getting first licensed about 20yrs ago. I found an old
??? Drake TR4C at an acceptable price on ebay and purchased
it
??? and have made a few contacts? CW with the rig. The radio
??? is very nice and all that I had expected it to be. She
is
??? going off for a "full service" tune up and having a new
??? faceplate put on since the prior owner drilled a hole it
??? it.? When it's back, I hope to work some of you Drake to
??? Drake CW. Do you guys have a favored calling frequency
on 40?
??? Thanks again.
??? Rich
??? KQ9L ____
??? __
|
Seems to me there is a free ware drawing program for Windows that does the same thing. I may have it on this machine, will look.
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On 6/24/2022 1:48 PM, Gary Follett wrote: I put schematics into Photoshop and stitch them together into one large readable page. I then use the ¡°Select Rectangle¡± tool to follow a given line in the schematic and highlight various lines in different colors. However, the schematic needs to be straight for this to work and there is no simple way to do diagonal traces.
Once I have a circuit fully mapped out, I upload it to my iPad and take that to the bench for circuit tracing.
This works REALLY well because I have the full circuit, zoomable at very high resolution, with the offending circuit fully traced out in color!
If I had Visio on the MAC I would use that instead because that is a drawing program, not a photo editing program so you can follow any angle and highlight any trace in any color. You simply import the stitched schematic into Visio as an image and you are good to go. You can just draw right over the image.
Gary
W0DVN
On Jun 24, 2022, at 3:40 PM, Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1@...> wrote:
I have the same problem with the way rotary switches are presented on Drake schematics. If possible have a large size print made of the schematic and use colored pencils or a hi-liter to trace through the connections. I use the same technique on other schematics that look like maps of a freight yard.
On 6/24/2022 1:04 PM, wb6ogd wrote:
Steve,
Sorry, I was looking at my R-4B schematic.
Disclaimer.. I am somewhat "Drake rotary switch" challenged...
The way I think it works is...
Power for the BFO or the AM detector comes from R130.
When the BFO should be on, this power is switched to T11/C163.
When in AM, power from R130 gets switched to R116.
So, I would check for voltage at T11 with the switch rotated.
C188 seems to be added to the same BFO circuit in the R-4B.
It decouples the exact node you propose to put a 1K to ground!!
Might be something Drake discovered in later models??
Also, schematic 919664054 seems to have a big error in the BFO, my downloaded from somewhere
copy has the correction marked in, that makes it like the R-4B schematic (the emitter connects to C163).
73,
Gary
WB6OGD --
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1@...
WB6KBL
--
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1@...
WB6KBL
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Steve K9NUD
Carl Pennington Jr
Jim Shorney
Gary WB6OGD