Drake Collection
Drake 2B with 2B Q-Multiplier and 2B 100Khz Calibrator
Picked this 2B up on eBay. The seller said the audio was distorted. I’ve ordered the Drake 2B capacitor kit from hayseedhamfest.com. The 2B capacitor kit arrived so now I have to take the time and use it to replace the original filter capacitors.
The S meter was out of calibration so I adjusted the S meter zero and S meter adjustment on the rear, S meter works very well now. This receiver is very stable after a 1 minute warm up. The main tuning shaft is bent so I need a replacement. I found and purchased the parts from a ham in Texas. They arrived earlier this week.
The front panel RED slide switches can, over time, become difficult to slide. I used DeoXit F5 Fader cleaner / lubricant applied to the switches behind the front panel then applied same F5 cleaner/lubricant to each slide switch through the “front” panel. I placed the F5 spray can output tube pointed at the slide switch handle and gave it a shot of cleaner. I worked the switches and that made each slide switch moved freely.
I applied WD-40 Contact Cleaner to the Passband wafer switch and to each band switch wafer so the switches worked properly. I used DeoXit F5 Fader Cleaner/Lubricant to each pot making them rotate freely and without static noise. I notice that the Passband switch would intermittently stop working. I found a loose wire on the Passband wafer switch assembly that had never been soldered from the factory. Applied some solder fixed that intermittent Passband problem.
For a receiver that’s 65+ years old it works very well.
Drake R4A
I picked this R4A up on eBay. The power transformer was shorted so I had Hayboer Transformers in Grand Haven, Mich make me a new one, price $85 + shipping.
I ordered and install the Drake R4A capacitor kit from Hayseedhamfest. Receiver works great.
These are old pictures of my Drake collection prior to obtaining the above R4A and 2B receivers. The R4C sitting on top of the AC4 speaker enclosure has been sold since this picture was taken. The other R4C below is fully loaded with filters and Sherwood upgrades/mods.
T4XC / R4C Twins
The T4XC has a 12VDC small muffin fan mounted on the rear that blows air into the final amplifier. Power for the fan is obtained through a 1/2 wave rectifier mounted below the chassis and tapped off the 12VAC filament source. The fan runs continuously while the transmitter is powered ON. It’s very quiet and keeps the final amplifier and driver stages cool during transmit.
I picked up this R4C while I worked for General Dynamics in Vaihingen Germany. I found it at the Friedrichshafen Germany’s hamfest which is equal to Dayton Ohio’s Hamvention. I paid $125 for it and it was “like new”. I ordered and installed the following INRAD filters, and Sherwood mods/upgrades.
INRAD:
6Khz GUF-1, AM (6Khz), 2 SSB (one factory Drake SSB and one INRAD SSB 2.1Khz), and 2 CW (500hz and 250hz)
SHERWOOD:
Solid state 3rd Mixer, R4C Audio Amplifier, R4C New Replacement Power Supply Board
TR-3 80 to 10 meter transceiver
This is my recent acquired Drake TR-3 transceiver. It appears to be in very good condition. I had a Drake TR-3 many moons ago but sold it. The bottom right corner is bent. I’ll have to bend it back into shape. I have a Drake AC-3 power supply that will provide power for it. The AC-3 power supply capacitors have been re stuffed with new capacitors and all the diodes and resistors were replaced with new components. The one thing I need to do is add a 12VDC muffin fan on the rear of the final amplifier and build a simple half wave rectifier tap on the AC-3’s 12VAC filament on pin 4 of the power connector. This will power the fan continuously when the TR-3 is powered up. My T4XB and T4XC transmitters have the same type muffin fan mounted on the rear of the final amplifier and are powered by a simple 12VDC half wave power supply tap off the 12VAC filament on pin 4 of the power connector.
