Re: More Literary Drake Fun
I'm a poet And I know it My feet show it They're Longfellows
(author unknown)
As an epic limerick.
Steve Wedge, W1ES
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM, jerry-KF6VB < jerry@...> wrote: On 2025-01-18 14:09, Frank Barnes via groups.io wrote:
> The demons have been released from Pandora's box, I see.
*** Oh, yeah. "Do it again in iambic pentameter" :).
..as an epic poem in Russian.
.. in the style of the "Art of War" by Sun Tzu.
.. in the style of Chairman Mao's "Little Red Book".
This is fun.
- Jerry, KF6VB
> ?
>
> On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 4:36?PM Tony Sokol via groups.io [1]
> <tony.sokol@...> wrote:
>
>> OMG! This will become a literary classic for sure.
>>
>> Tony - W9JXN
>>> On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:16?PM, jerry-KF6VB via groups.io [1]
>> <jerry@...> wrote:
>>>
>>> ?Write about fixing a Drake TR4 in the style of a Raymond
>> Chandler detective novel:
>>>
>>> --------------- snip --------------------
>>> It was one of those nights when the air¡¯s so thick you could
>> slice it with a knife, and I was nursing a glass of bourbon that¡¯d
>> gone flat with the sorrow of too many repairs. The city hummed
>> outside like a broken circuit, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I was
>> looking at the old Drake TR4 sitting on the bench in front of
>> me¡ªits knobs shiny but its heart hollow. She had problems, all
>> right, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I had the patience for her lies.
>>>
>>> The TR4 had a voice once, a smooth, steady hum, sending out
>> signals like a well-dressed man at a party. But now it was
>> sputtering, skipping like a broken record. It was the kind of
>> problem only a desperate man would tackle¡ªtangled wires, faulty
>> resistors, a power supply that couldn¡¯t keep up with its promises.
>> She was a dame who had seen too many miles and wanted too many
>> fixes, but she was mine for the night.
>>>
>>> I reached for the schematic¡ªthose crumpled blueprints always
>> looked like something out of a pulp novel, scribbled on paper that
>> was more coffee stains than diagram. I needed to find the problem,
>> and fast. The Drake had a nasty habit of throwing a tantrum when it
>> wasn¡¯t happy. And lately, she¡¯d been spitting out signals like a
>> jealous lover, overdriving the AGC and messing with the detector
>> like it was a dirty secret.
>>>
>>> I knew this rig better than I knew my own skin. I¡¯d taken the
>> back off her before, stared into her guts, felt the burn of her
>> circuits as they shorted out. But tonight? Tonight was different. I
>> could feel it in my bones. Something was off¡ªsomething deep inside
>> her. The audio was off, too. No low-end warmth, just a harsh,
>> clipped sound that gnawed at your nerves like a cat on a tin roof.
>>>
>>> I rolled up my sleeves and dove in. The first thing that caught my
>> eye was R19, the resistor on the AGC/Detector board. She was
>> supposed to be regulating the signal, keeping everything in check.
>> But her resistance was out of whack, and that was making the whole
>> rig run hot. The signals came in too strong, pushing Q6, the poor
>> transistor, to its breaking point. I¡¯ve seen radios burn out from
>> less. This was no different.
>>>
>>> I cracked open my toolbox and pulled out the right resistor¡ªone
>> with a little more resistance, a bit more subtlety. Nothing too
>> flashy, just the kind of part that would keep Q6 from popping its
>> top. I unsoldered the old R19, careful not to disturb any other
>> connections, like a gentleman lifting a dame¡¯s veil for the first
>> time. The new one slid in smooth, just like it belonged. I put
>> everything back together, not giving her a second thought.
>>>
>>> I powered her up. The lights blinked on, the tubes warmed up, and
>> the receiver hummed. But it wasn¡¯t the same hum. It was richer,
>> deeper, like she¡¯d found her voice again. The signals were steady
>> now, no more distortion, no more hiss. She was singing like a
>> soprano in a smoky bar, smooth and clear.
>>>
>>> The job was done. But fixing this radio wasn¡¯t just about
>> resistors and wiring. It was about something deeper¡ªmaybe
>> something even I didn¡¯t understand. She was alive again, and for
>> tonight, that was enough. I could hear her whispering through the
>> speakers, telling me everything was going to be all right.
>>>
>>> But I knew better. In this town, things were never all right. You
>> could fix a radio, but you couldn¡¯t fix the world. Not for long,
>> anyway.
>>> --------------- endsnip -----------------
>>>
>>> - Jerry, KF6VB
>>>
>>> p.s. "R19" and "Q6" apparently crept in from an earlier question
>> about my Signal/One...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
> --
>
> Frank Barnes
> W4NPN
> Chapel Hill, NC
> Grid Square FM05
> Cell 919.260.7955
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] http://groups.io
> [2] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/message/82054
> [3] /mt/110689660/243852
> [4] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/post
> [5] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/editsub/243852
> [6]
> /g/DRAKE-RADIO/leave/12260778/243852/767576506/xyzzy
|
Re: TR-7 Odd 40M Parasitic
Strange coincidence. ?I had the same problem. ?Turned out to be the contacts on my TUG-7 (?) mic stand for a D-104 or dynamic cartridge. ?I forget what was the preferred or non-preferred sequencing of the contacts (mic circuit and PTT circuit). ?Let's see what the experts say so we all can learn.
I have a couple of HF loops too.
Thought I would ping the collective intelligence on this one for this TR-7A.?
?
On 40M if I transmit into a dummy load, I can get full power, 150W or so. No issues.?
?
When I transmit into my HF loop (fed with ladder line in shack off of xmatch) I get a strange oscillation when I let off the key; I can see this on a wattmeter, the power actually INCREASES for a second after I stop transmitting. I don't know what frequency this spurious transmission is on. I also see ALC kick in (green light) very low on the carrier control, like 11 o'clock or so.?
?
Everything grounded. Put a bunch of those snap-on ferrite chokes on all cables into TR-7.?
?
Obviously an RF issue but never saw one like this before. Curious if this is a common thing.?
?
thanks...
--
Craig/W8CS
Greenville, SC
|
Thought I would ping the collective intelligence on this one for this TR-7A.?
?
On 40M if I transmit into a dummy load, I can get full power, 150W or so. No issues.?
?
When I transmit into my HF loop (fed with ladder line in shack off of xmatch) I get a strange oscillation when I let off the key; I can see this on a wattmeter, the power actually INCREASES for a second after I stop transmitting. I don't know what frequency this spurious transmission is on. I also see ALC kick in (green light) very low on the carrier control, like 11 o'clock or so.?
?
Everything grounded. Put a bunch of those snap-on ferrite chokes on all cables into TR-7.?
?
Obviously an RF issue but never saw one like this before. Curious if this is a common thing.?
?
thanks...
--
Craig/W8CS
Greenville, SC
|
Re: TR-4C Problems with 28.0 and 28.5 bands
Despite the switch test resulted ok, did
you tried to put the 28 and 28.5 xtals at the 29.1 position?
73 Marcus PY2PLL
Em 18/01/2025 17:24, Dave KD5FX via
groups.io escreveu:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
OK, more work done today! I did check and double check all
the contacts on the band switch, especially those around the
Xtal area. They are all good and tested good for continuity.
There's a big contest going on today and I was able to hear some
signals on the 28.5 band and the 28.0 band too! BUT they are
very distorted, you can tell it's SSB but can't understand a
thing (and yes, I tried both LSB and USB). Even the CAL signal
is distorted. Not a pure tone, almost a buzz sound. All the
other bands are working OK including the 29.1 band, I can hear
the CAL signal fine there. Oh yeah,? I swapped another 6EA in
there for V1, no change.?
Thanks for everyone's help so far, any other ideas??
73, Dave KD5FX
?
|
Re: More Literary Drake Fun
On 2025-01-18 15:21, Steve Wedge, W1ES/4 via groups.io wrote: As an epic limerick. A Drake TR4 was quite still, Its signal no longer could fill. But a craftsman with care, Replaced parts with flair, And now it hums strong with new thrill! - Jerry, KF6VB
|
Re: More Literary Drake Fun
As an epic limerick.
Steve Wedge, W1ES
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM, jerry-KF6VB < jerry@...> wrote: On 2025-01-18 14:09, Frank Barnes via groups.io wrote:
> The demons have been released from Pandora's box, I see.
*** Oh, yeah. "Do it again in iambic pentameter" :).
..as an epic poem in Russian.
.. in the style of the "Art of War" by Sun Tzu.
.. in the style of Chairman Mao's "Little Red Book".
This is fun.
- Jerry, KF6VB
> ?
>
> On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 4:36?PM Tony Sokol via groups.io [1]
> <tony.sokol@...> wrote:
>
>> OMG! This will become a literary classic for sure.
>>
>> Tony - W9JXN
>>> On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:16?PM, jerry-KF6VB via groups.io [1]
>> <jerry@...> wrote:
>>>
>>> ?Write about fixing a Drake TR4 in the style of a Raymond
>> Chandler detective novel:
>>>
>>> --------------- snip --------------------
>>> It was one of those nights when the air¡¯s so thick you could
>> slice it with a knife, and I was nursing a glass of bourbon that¡¯d
>> gone flat with the sorrow of too many repairs. The city hummed
>> outside like a broken circuit, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I was
>> looking at the old Drake TR4 sitting on the bench in front of
>> me¡ªits knobs shiny but its heart hollow. She had problems, all
>> right, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I had the patience for her lies.
>>>
>>> The TR4 had a voice once, a smooth, steady hum, sending out
>> signals like a well-dressed man at a party. But now it was
>> sputtering, skipping like a broken record. It was the kind of
>> problem only a desperate man would tackle¡ªtangled wires, faulty
>> resistors, a power supply that couldn¡¯t keep up with its promises.
>> She was a dame who had seen too many miles and wanted too many
>> fixes, but she was mine for the night.
>>>
>>> I reached for the schematic¡ªthose crumpled blueprints always
>> looked like something out of a pulp novel, scribbled on paper that
>> was more coffee stains than diagram. I needed to find the problem,
>> and fast. The Drake had a nasty habit of throwing a tantrum when it
>> wasn¡¯t happy. And lately, she¡¯d been spitting out signals like a
>> jealous lover, overdriving the AGC and messing with the detector
>> like it was a dirty secret.
>>>
>>> I knew this rig better than I knew my own skin. I¡¯d taken the
>> back off her before, stared into her guts, felt the burn of her
>> circuits as they shorted out. But tonight? Tonight was different. I
>> could feel it in my bones. Something was off¡ªsomething deep inside
>> her. The audio was off, too. No low-end warmth, just a harsh,
>> clipped sound that gnawed at your nerves like a cat on a tin roof.
>>>
>>> I rolled up my sleeves and dove in. The first thing that caught my
>> eye was R19, the resistor on the AGC/Detector board. She was
>> supposed to be regulating the signal, keeping everything in check.
>> But her resistance was out of whack, and that was making the whole
>> rig run hot. The signals came in too strong, pushing Q6, the poor
>> transistor, to its breaking point. I¡¯ve seen radios burn out from
>> less. This was no different.
>>>
>>> I cracked open my toolbox and pulled out the right resistor¡ªone
>> with a little more resistance, a bit more subtlety. Nothing too
>> flashy, just the kind of part that would keep Q6 from popping its
>> top. I unsoldered the old R19, careful not to disturb any other
>> connections, like a gentleman lifting a dame¡¯s veil for the first
>> time. The new one slid in smooth, just like it belonged. I put
>> everything back together, not giving her a second thought.
>>>
>>> I powered her up. The lights blinked on, the tubes warmed up, and
>> the receiver hummed. But it wasn¡¯t the same hum. It was richer,
>> deeper, like she¡¯d found her voice again. The signals were steady
>> now, no more distortion, no more hiss. She was singing like a
>> soprano in a smoky bar, smooth and clear.
>>>
>>> The job was done. But fixing this radio wasn¡¯t just about
>> resistors and wiring. It was about something deeper¡ªmaybe
>> something even I didn¡¯t understand. She was alive again, and for
>> tonight, that was enough. I could hear her whispering through the
>> speakers, telling me everything was going to be all right.
>>>
>>> But I knew better. In this town, things were never all right. You
>> could fix a radio, but you couldn¡¯t fix the world. Not for long,
>> anyway.
>>> --------------- endsnip -----------------
>>>
>>> - Jerry, KF6VB
>>>
>>> p.s. "R19" and "Q6" apparently crept in from an earlier question
>> about my Signal/One...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
> --
>
> Frank Barnes
> W4NPN
> Chapel Hill, NC
> Grid Square FM05
> Cell 919.260.7955
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] http://groups.io
> [2] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/message/82054
> [3] /mt/110689660/243852
> [4] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/post
> [5] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/editsub/243852
> [6]
> /g/DRAKE-RADIO/leave/12260778/243852/767576506/xyzzy
|
List of Restorers/repairers? ??
Group, Please post the contact info for Gary W0DVN, Scott? (??) and any others who repair/restore Drake? (or other vintage gear)
Thanks & 73 from the LA dystopia? ??? Jay W6CJ
|
Re: PS-7 Troubleshooting Tips
Mine had a bad zener diode.
|
Re: More Literary Drake Fun
On 2025-01-18 14:09, Frank Barnes via groups.io wrote: The demons have been released from Pandora's box, I see. *** Oh, yeah. "Do it again in iambic pentameter" :). ..as an epic poem in Russian. .. in the style of the "Art of War" by Sun Tzu. .. in the style of Chairman Mao's "Little Red Book". This is fun. - Jerry, KF6VB ?
On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 4:36?PM Tony Sokol via groups.io [1]
<tony.sokol@...> wrote:
OMG! This will become a literary classic for sure.
Tony - W9JXN
On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:16?PM, jerry-KF6VB via groups.io [1] <jerry@...> wrote:
?Write about fixing a Drake TR4 in the style of a Raymond Chandler detective novel:
--------------- snip --------------------
It was one of those nights when the air¡¯s so thick you could slice it with a knife, and I was nursing a glass of bourbon that¡¯d
gone flat with the sorrow of too many repairs. The city hummed
outside like a broken circuit, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I was
looking at the old Drake TR4 sitting on the bench in front of
me¡ªits knobs shiny but its heart hollow. She had problems, all
right, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I had the patience for her lies.
The TR4 had a voice once, a smooth, steady hum, sending out signals like a well-dressed man at a party. But now it was
sputtering, skipping like a broken record. It was the kind of
problem only a desperate man would tackle¡ªtangled wires, faulty
resistors, a power supply that couldn¡¯t keep up with its promises.
She was a dame who had seen too many miles and wanted too many
fixes, but she was mine for the night.
I reached for the schematic¡ªthose crumpled blueprints always looked like something out of a pulp novel, scribbled on paper that
was more coffee stains than diagram. I needed to find the problem,
and fast. The Drake had a nasty habit of throwing a tantrum when it
wasn¡¯t happy. And lately, she¡¯d been spitting out signals like a
jealous lover, overdriving the AGC and messing with the detector
like it was a dirty secret.
I knew this rig better than I knew my own skin. I¡¯d taken the back off her before, stared into her guts, felt the burn of her
circuits as they shorted out. But tonight? Tonight was different. I
could feel it in my bones. Something was off¡ªsomething deep inside
her. The audio was off, too. No low-end warmth, just a harsh,
clipped sound that gnawed at your nerves like a cat on a tin roof.
I rolled up my sleeves and dove in. The first thing that caught my eye was R19, the resistor on the AGC/Detector board. She was
supposed to be regulating the signal, keeping everything in check.
But her resistance was out of whack, and that was making the whole
rig run hot. The signals came in too strong, pushing Q6, the poor
transistor, to its breaking point. I¡¯ve seen radios burn out from
less. This was no different.
I cracked open my toolbox and pulled out the right resistor¡ªone with a little more resistance, a bit more subtlety. Nothing too
flashy, just the kind of part that would keep Q6 from popping its
top. I unsoldered the old R19, careful not to disturb any other
connections, like a gentleman lifting a dame¡¯s veil for the first
time. The new one slid in smooth, just like it belonged. I put
everything back together, not giving her a second thought.
I powered her up. The lights blinked on, the tubes warmed up, and the receiver hummed. But it wasn¡¯t the same hum. It was richer,
deeper, like she¡¯d found her voice again. The signals were steady
now, no more distortion, no more hiss. She was singing like a
soprano in a smoky bar, smooth and clear.
The job was done. But fixing this radio wasn¡¯t just about resistors and wiring. It was about something deeper¡ªmaybe
something even I didn¡¯t understand. She was alive again, and for
tonight, that was enough. I could hear her whispering through the
speakers, telling me everything was going to be all right.
But I knew better. In this town, things were never all right. You could fix a radio, but you couldn¡¯t fix the world. Not for long,
anyway.
--------------- endsnip -----------------
- Jerry, KF6VB
p.s. "R19" and "Q6" apparently crept in from an earlier question about my Signal/One...
--
Frank Barnes
W4NPN
Chapel Hill, NC
Grid Square FM05
Cell 919.260.7955
Links:
------
[1]
[2] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/message/82054
[3] /mt/110689660/243852
[4] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/post
[5] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/editsub/243852
[6] /g/DRAKE-RADIO/leave/12260778/243852/767576506/xyzzy
|
Jim
I'm not familiar with Scott, what is his YouTube "name" so I can look at the L7 matter you noted.
Thanks Tim
On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 05:15:08 PM EST, Jim VE7RF via groups.io <jim.thom@...> wrote:
On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 07:18 PM, amfone wrote:
Jim Where did you read the negative reviews for Ron Baker?
?
Tim
Its all over the last 3 years on e-ham? repair reviews.? ?Dunno what has happened, but it has gone from really, really? good...to really bad.? ?Even w7ry posted a bad review.?
?
?Scott just got L4B's that were beyond a dog's breakfast.? ?The customer had previously sent? the amp to ron....who totally gutted the HV supply....and made a mess of the RF deck.? Said it was not repairable...and wanted to keep it for parts...which would pay for the shipping and initial diagnostic + attempted repair.? ?Customer said send it back.? Then it was sent to scott, who did a total rebuild job on the hv supply....and repaired the RF deck...... now it runs like a top.? ?The customer also got his money back from Ron.? ?That amp is on scotts? u tube site.
Dunno if ron's health is failing or something else is amiss.? All the items he deemed...'non repairable'? ?were all repairable.? ?I wish ron all the best.?
|
On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 07:18 PM, amfone wrote:
Jim Where did you read the negative reviews for Ron Baker?
?
Tim
Its all over the last 3 years on e-ham? repair reviews.? ?Dunno what has happened, but it has gone from really, really? good...to really bad.? ?Even w7ry posted a bad review.?
?
?Scott just got L4B's that were beyond a dog's breakfast.? ?The customer had previously sent? the amp to ron....who totally gutted the HV supply....and made a mess of the RF deck.? Said it was not repairable...and wanted to keep it for parts...which would pay for the shipping and initial diagnostic + attempted repair.? ?Customer said send it back.? Then it was sent to scott, who did a total rebuild job on the hv supply....and repaired the RF deck...... now it runs like a top.? ?The customer also got his money back from Ron.? ?That amp is on scotts? u tube site.
Dunno if ron's health is failing or something else is amiss.? All the items he deemed...'non repairable'? ?were all repairable.? ?I wish ron all the best.?
|
Re: More Literary Drake Fun
The demons have been released from Pandora's box, I see. ?
OMG!? This will become a literary classic for sure.
Tony - W9JXN
> On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:16?PM, jerry-KF6VB via <jerry=[email protected]> wrote:
>
> ?Write about fixing a Drake TR4 in the style of a Raymond Chandler detective novel:
>
> --------------- snip --------------------
> It was one of those nights when the air¡¯s so thick you could slice it with a knife, and I was nursing a glass of bourbon that¡¯d gone flat with the sorrow of too many repairs. The city hummed outside like a broken circuit, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I was looking at the old Drake TR4 sitting on the bench in front of me¡ªits knobs shiny but its heart hollow. She had problems, all right, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I had the patience for her lies.
>
> The TR4 had a voice once, a smooth, steady hum, sending out signals like a well-dressed man at a party. But now it was sputtering, skipping like a broken record. It was the kind of problem only a desperate man would tackle¡ªtangled wires, faulty resistors, a power supply that couldn¡¯t keep up with its promises. She was a dame who had seen too many miles and wanted too many fixes, but she was mine for the night.
>
> I reached for the schematic¡ªthose crumpled blueprints always looked like something out of a pulp novel, scribbled on paper that was more coffee stains than diagram. I needed to find the problem, and fast. The Drake had a nasty habit of throwing a tantrum when it wasn¡¯t happy. And lately, she¡¯d been spitting out signals like a jealous lover, overdriving the AGC and messing with the detector like it was a dirty secret.
>
> I knew this rig better than I knew my own skin. I¡¯d taken the back off her before, stared into her guts, felt the burn of her circuits as they shorted out. But tonight? Tonight was different. I could feel it in my bones. Something was off¡ªsomething deep inside her. The audio was off, too. No low-end warmth, just a harsh, clipped sound that gnawed at your nerves like a cat on a tin roof.
>
> I rolled up my sleeves and dove in. The first thing that caught my eye was R19, the resistor on the AGC/Detector board. She was supposed to be regulating the signal, keeping everything in check. But her resistance was out of whack, and that was making the whole rig run hot. The signals came in too strong, pushing Q6, the poor transistor, to its breaking point. I¡¯ve seen radios burn out from less. This was no different.
>
> I cracked open my toolbox and pulled out the right resistor¡ªone with a little more resistance, a bit more subtlety. Nothing too flashy, just the kind of part that would keep Q6 from popping its top. I unsoldered the old R19, careful not to disturb any other connections, like a gentleman lifting a dame¡¯s veil for the first time. The new one slid in smooth, just like it belonged. I put everything back together, not giving her a second thought.
>
> I powered her up. The lights blinked on, the tubes warmed up, and the receiver hummed. But it wasn¡¯t the same hum. It was richer, deeper, like she¡¯d found her voice again. The signals were steady now, no more distortion, no more hiss. She was singing like a soprano in a smoky bar, smooth and clear.
>
> The job was done. But fixing this radio wasn¡¯t just about resistors and wiring. It was about something deeper¡ªmaybe something even I didn¡¯t understand. She was alive again, and for tonight, that was enough. I could hear her whispering through the speakers, telling me everything was going to be all right.
>
> But I knew better. In this town, things were never all right. You could fix a radio, but you couldn¡¯t fix the world. Not for long, anyway.
> --------------- endsnip -----------------
>
>? ? ? ? ? ?- Jerry, KF6VB
>
> p.s.? "R19" and "Q6" apparently crept in from an earlier question about my Signal/One...
>
>
>
>
>
-- Frank Barnes
W4NPN
Chapel Hill, NC
Grid Square FM05
Cell 919.260.7955
|
A pity my video clip didn't work here because it would have been a perfect illustration of the problem.
During tuning up there is a hum in the speaker, but only on 40, 15 and 10 meters, i.e. only on the bands where the band oscillator is used. When increasing XMTR GAIN in X-CW there is midway a strange BLOP sound, which disappears when XMTR GAIN is increased even more, but the hum is still behind.
I did alignment of crystal oscillator injection and injection coupler alignment, replaced V1 and V3, checked groundings and voltages. Everything seemed fine. I pulled out the driver tube (V6) and measured drive on pin 2 with a scope and a 1:10 probe. Nothing unsual happened on any band when XMTR GAIN was turned slowly CW.
?
Peter OZ8CTH
|
Right Gary for sure you would get over loaded.
In the past I purchased some Parts from you but glad to know that if I get stuck I have back up.
Tim
On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 04:52:08 PM EST, Gary Follett via groups.io <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
I do not have a web page. I like doing work on radios (keeps me sharp) but I don¡¯t want a deluge. I think a webpage would bring about such a deluge because there are so few folks still working on this stuff.
Gary
On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:26?PM, amfone via groups.io <amfone20000@...> wrote:
Thanks Gary for the info on Drake repair, do you have a webpage?
Tim
On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 04:24:11 PM EST, Bill Blodgett. AI5RP via groups.io <whb5k@...> wrote:
Gary, it was about Ron Baker.
73, Bill AI5RP ++++++++++++++++ Bill Blodgett Arlington, Texas On Jan 18, 2025, at 12:01?PM, Gary Follett via groups.io <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
?
Jim!
I hope you are not talking about ME! I have NEVER told anyone an item was not repairable and then offered to take it from them for next-to-nothing.
In the case of SOME Ten Tec Orions and Omni¡¯s with bad CPU¡¯s I have bought radios for parts, but only because the CPU parts are not available for them. As of today, there are no unobtanium parts for Drake radios other than ones for which I do have spares.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 1:26?PM, W0DVN <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
I can surely fix your 2NT.
Estimate is $100 plus any shipping.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 12:45?PM, Peter K8PT via groups.io <k8pt@...> wrote:
I'm in need of a vintage repair service that is familiar with Drake radio's. I have a Drake 2-NT that has lost it's output. I have changed all the tubes but no joy. Looking for recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
|
I do not have a web page. I like doing work on radios (keeps me sharp) but I don¡¯t want a deluge. I think a webpage would bring about such a deluge because there are so few folks still working on this stuff.
Gary
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:26?PM, amfone via groups.io <amfone20000@...> wrote:
Thanks Gary for the info on Drake repair, do you have a webpage?
Tim
On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 04:24:11 PM EST, Bill Blodgett. AI5RP via groups.io <whb5k@...> wrote:
Gary, it was about Ron Baker.
73, Bill AI5RP ++++++++++++++++ Bill Blodgett Arlington, Texas On Jan 18, 2025, at 12:01?PM, Gary Follett via groups.io <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
?
Jim!
I hope you are not talking about ME! I have NEVER told anyone an item was not repairable and then offered to take it from them for next-to-nothing.
In the case of SOME Ten Tec Orions and Omni¡¯s with bad CPU¡¯s I have bought radios for parts, but only because the CPU parts are not available for them. As of today, there are no unobtanium parts for Drake radios other than ones for which I do have spares.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 1:26?PM, W0DVN <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
I can surely fix your 2NT.
Estimate is $100 plus any shipping.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 12:45?PM, Peter K8PT via groups.io <k8pt@...> wrote:
I'm in need of a vintage repair service that is familiar with Drake radio's. I have a Drake 2-NT that has lost it's output. I have changed all the tubes but no joy. Looking for recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
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Re: More Literary Drake Fun
OMG! This will become a literary classic for sure.
Tony - W9JXN
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On Jan 18, 2025, at 3:16?PM, jerry-KF6VB via groups.io <jerry@...> wrote:
?Write about fixing a Drake TR4 in the style of a Raymond Chandler detective novel:
--------------- snip --------------------
It was one of those nights when the air¡¯s so thick you could slice it with a knife, and I was nursing a glass of bourbon that¡¯d gone flat with the sorrow of too many repairs. The city hummed outside like a broken circuit, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I was looking at the old Drake TR4 sitting on the bench in front of me¡ªits knobs shiny but its heart hollow. She had problems, all right, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I had the patience for her lies.
The TR4 had a voice once, a smooth, steady hum, sending out signals like a well-dressed man at a party. But now it was sputtering, skipping like a broken record. It was the kind of problem only a desperate man would tackle¡ªtangled wires, faulty resistors, a power supply that couldn¡¯t keep up with its promises. She was a dame who had seen too many miles and wanted too many fixes, but she was mine for the night.
I reached for the schematic¡ªthose crumpled blueprints always looked like something out of a pulp novel, scribbled on paper that was more coffee stains than diagram. I needed to find the problem, and fast. The Drake had a nasty habit of throwing a tantrum when it wasn¡¯t happy. And lately, she¡¯d been spitting out signals like a jealous lover, overdriving the AGC and messing with the detector like it was a dirty secret.
I knew this rig better than I knew my own skin. I¡¯d taken the back off her before, stared into her guts, felt the burn of her circuits as they shorted out. But tonight? Tonight was different. I could feel it in my bones. Something was off¡ªsomething deep inside her. The audio was off, too. No low-end warmth, just a harsh, clipped sound that gnawed at your nerves like a cat on a tin roof.
I rolled up my sleeves and dove in. The first thing that caught my eye was R19, the resistor on the AGC/Detector board. She was supposed to be regulating the signal, keeping everything in check. But her resistance was out of whack, and that was making the whole rig run hot. The signals came in too strong, pushing Q6, the poor transistor, to its breaking point. I¡¯ve seen radios burn out from less. This was no different.
I cracked open my toolbox and pulled out the right resistor¡ªone with a little more resistance, a bit more subtlety. Nothing too flashy, just the kind of part that would keep Q6 from popping its top. I unsoldered the old R19, careful not to disturb any other connections, like a gentleman lifting a dame¡¯s veil for the first time. The new one slid in smooth, just like it belonged. I put everything back together, not giving her a second thought.
I powered her up. The lights blinked on, the tubes warmed up, and the receiver hummed. But it wasn¡¯t the same hum. It was richer, deeper, like she¡¯d found her voice again. The signals were steady now, no more distortion, no more hiss. She was singing like a soprano in a smoky bar, smooth and clear.
The job was done. But fixing this radio wasn¡¯t just about resistors and wiring. It was about something deeper¡ªmaybe something even I didn¡¯t understand. She was alive again, and for tonight, that was enough. I could hear her whispering through the speakers, telling me everything was going to be all right.
But I knew better. In this town, things were never all right. You could fix a radio, but you couldn¡¯t fix the world. Not for long, anyway.
--------------- endsnip -----------------
- Jerry, KF6VB
p.s. "R19" and "Q6" apparently crept in from an earlier question about my Signal/One...
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Re: PS-7 Troubleshooting Tips
Possibly dirty pots (I know it sounds strange but caused my PS-7 to fault) or something in the sensing circuitry for the crowbar.
Hi Drakey's I purchased an estate sale PS-7 that has no 13.8 v output. Both fuses are good, 120v on both fan plugs, no obvious burt components, transformer "thud" felt? when powered on by the TR-7 . Any hints on were to start or common failures ?
Tnx Bill KE7KK??
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Thanks Gary for the info on Drake repair, do you have a webpage?
Tim
On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 04:24:11 PM EST, Bill Blodgett. AI5RP via groups.io <whb5k@...> wrote:
Gary, it was about Ron Baker.
73, Bill AI5RP ++++++++++++++++ Bill Blodgett Arlington, Texas On Jan 18, 2025, at 12:01?PM, Gary Follett via groups.io <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
?
Jim!
I hope you are not talking about ME! I have NEVER told anyone an item was not repairable and then offered to take it from them for next-to-nothing.
In the case of SOME Ten Tec Orions and Omni¡¯s with bad CPU¡¯s I have bought radios for parts, but only because the CPU parts are not available for them. As of today, there are no unobtanium parts for Drake radios other than ones for which I do have spares.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 1:26?PM, W0DVN <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
I can surely fix your 2NT.
Estimate is $100 plus any shipping.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 12:45?PM, Peter K8PT via groups.io <k8pt@...> wrote:
I'm in need of a vintage repair service that is familiar with Drake radio's. I have a Drake 2-NT that has lost it's output. I have changed all the tubes but no joy. Looking for recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
|
Gary, it was about Ron Baker.
73, Bill AI5RP ++++++++++++++++ Bill Blodgett Arlington, Texas
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Show quoted text
On Jan 18, 2025, at 12:01?PM, Gary Follett via groups.io <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
? Jim!
I hope you are not talking about ME! I have NEVER told anyone an item was not repairable and then offered to take it from them for next-to-nothing.
In the case of SOME Ten Tec Orions and Omni¡¯s with bad CPU¡¯s I have bought radios for parts, but only because the CPU parts are not available for them. As of today, there are no unobtanium parts for Drake radios other than ones for which I do have spares.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 1:26?PM, W0DVN <xntrick1948@...> wrote:
I can surely fix your 2NT.
Estimate is $100 plus any shipping.
Gary
W0DVN On Jan 17, 2025, at 12:45?PM, Peter K8PT via groups.io <k8pt@...> wrote:
I'm in need of a vintage repair service that is familiar with Drake radio's. I have a Drake 2-NT that has lost it's output. I have changed all the tubes but no joy. Looking for recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
|
Re: PS-7 Troubleshooting Tips
I don¡¯t think I have ever seen. PS-7 with zero output¡
First check the voltages across the two big electrolytic cans. This voltage should be about 18 volts or so.
The most likely candidate for failure in this supply is the 723 regulator. These have not been made for many years but are plentiful on eBay.
Gary
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Show quoted text
On Jan 18, 2025, at 2:52?PM, bill KE7KK via groups.io <Wkipping@...> wrote:
Hi Drakey's I purchased an estate sale PS-7 that has no 13.8 v output. Both fuses are good, 120v on both fan plugs, no obvious burt components, transformer "thud" felt? when powered on by the TR-7 . Any hints on were to start or common failures ?
Tnx Bill KE7KK??
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Craig W8CS
Marcus PY2PLL
Jay W6CJ