Topband: Receivers

[Tom Rauch]

> Is the Drake R-4C still a preferred receiver for "topband"
and 80M?
> I've come across one that I am thinking of buying.  Serial
number is
> above 18000 and it has a few mods already done to it; PS-4
upgrade and
> TDA2003 based 7W amplifier stage.  Also comes with a 500
Hz CW filter
> and crystal calibrator.  It's also cosmetically very
clean.

The Drake will be better than the 706, but it really isn't
good compared to almost all "big" radios you can buy today.

The Drake has a severe second mixer problem. The FET 2nd
mixer (identified by the receiver not having a 6BE6 and from
the outside by having a two position CW setting of CW1 CW2
rather than CW 1.5 CW .5 and CW .25) is almost useless. The
tube mixer is about 10dB better, but still not good unless
you have the 600Hz roofing filter kit installed.

73 Tom