Topband: Good Receivers for Top Band

[Phil Clements]

I have heard for years about  how good "tricked-up" Drake receivers are.
Nearly every picture of "Top-Gun" ham shacks feature one.
This sent me on a one year search and study on the subject.

During this study, I came into contact with Bill Moore, K4ZS; a true
Guru and craftsman in modifying Drake receivers into world-class
performers. He has a line of P.C. boards that are far superior to the
Sherwood mods in my opinion. Instead of a hand full of parts to
solder in, you get a complete, working board that mounts on existing
hardware in the R4-C, allowing complete restoration to stock, if future
circumstances dictate. My R4-C is in his shop now, getting all his mods.
It already had the Inrad 6000 khz first IF filter, and Drake 500hz 2nd IF
filters installed. He is adding a 250hz filter, and performing a complete
alignment. I will be able to report this winter on my findings The R4-C
will be compared to my Yaesu FT-ONE and Icom 706.
It is so refreshing to find such an honest, talented man to deal with.
He will not recommend things that you don't really need, even though
it costs him a sale. He does not repair broken Drakes....he just makes
world-class radios out of mediocre ones.

Here is what he says about the 75A4 vs R4-C thread:


From: "Bill" <k4zs@home.com>
To: "Phil Clements" <philk5pc@tyler.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2000 10:14 AM
Subject: Re: R-4C


> Easy One Phil,
>  The R-4C in its stock form is better than the 75A4...The CF600 filter is cw
> oinly and the 75A4 is not ever been known as a cw receiver,...the Collins
> stuff is mainly good for SSB because the Audio is good and its stable as a
> rock and durable...but test after test on lab benches show clearly that
> sensitivity and selectivity, as well as dynamic headroom and noise floor on
> the R4C is much much better...not even close...Remember, on 160 you got a
> lot of old timers using Collins and have never ever read a lab test report
> and spread that stuff around because its what they want to believe...
>  Now the Sherwood first IF CF600 is a great filter for cw...but honestly,
> with the GUF-1 that you have in there you will run rings around any Collins
> receiver ever made...thats a fact.....Thats why Sherwood and Sartori and
> many others will tell you right off that the R-4C is still the finest
> competition grade receiver ever made..IF you replace the first IF filter,
> which is a 4 pole one, with an 8 pole GUF-1...thats all you need Phil and
> you have one....
>  Save yourself some money and keep it the way you have it set up....
>  Now if you do want want one installed, I would be more than happy to order
> one and stick it in there, but you would also need the filter switch kit and
> you are talking some major bucks,,,all unnessary in my humble opinion..

> Bill K4ZS

Sort of restores one's faith in radio shops, doesn't it?

(((73)))
Phil, K5PC




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