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| Reviews Summary for Drake 2B Receiver |
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Reviews: 21
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $$279
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Description: The DRAKE 2-B is an extremely versatile communication receiver designed to bring you top performance in reception of all modes of amateur transmission in a compact package. It is a triple conversion super heterodyne receiver employing crystal controlled high frequency oscillators, a highly stable variable oscillator tuning the same range on all bands, and for selectivity a steep-sided L-C filter at the 50 Kc I.F.
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More info: http://www.dproducts.be/DRAKE_MUSEUM/2-b.htm
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write your own review of the Drake 2B Receiver.
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W9CTY
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 8, 2006 18:37
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You never forget your first
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I think the classic early 60's system must have been the 2-B along with the HT-37 transmitter. What a terrific way to begin Ham Radio and SSB. Not a lot of knobs and switches....just solid performance.
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N6KYR
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 8, 2006 13:40
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A gotta have BA
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I owned several of these radios and regrettably, I let them all go except for my latest (and hopefully a keeper). Extremely sensitive and selective, this is one rx that can hold its own against many of Collins offerings at much less the price.
There have been complaints of over voltages taking out sections of the rare power supply filter cap but fear not! Replacements are available via www.wa9tgt.com. Don, TGT, offers a kit to replace that busted filter cap with a high quality offering that has stricter tolerances and reliability compared to the old can. I installed one in my nice 2B and quite frankly, it was a money well spent!
I won't comment on the performance as you can tell there are many satisfied Eham users and owners of this fine rig. I'll let their testimonies speak for themselves.
I intend to use my 2B primarily for CW operations along side my EFJ Navigator.
Now a bonus about this radio is that with accessory crystals, you can load one up on the auxiliary bands and receive the WARC and shortwave bands. Not too many BA rx's have this desirable feature!
If you find a 2B, you better hold onto it! They are probably among the best high performance BA receivers made to date and their loss can cause former owners tears of regret!
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AD5X
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 10, 2006 14:10
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Finally own one!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I wanted one of these SOOO bad when I was a kid, but no way this teenager in 1964 could afford it. But I have one now! Great receiver - very sensitive and quiet. Easy to work on and align if you ever need to. I put a 14.1 mHz crystal in the "C-band" position which adds coverage of 10-10.6 mHz (WWV and 30 meters) and 17.6-18.2 mHz (17 meters). Maybe when conditons improve, I'll add 12 meters as well.
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W4WLR
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 28, 2005 17:49
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Sweet Old Receiver!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Purchased this to replace an HR-10B. Runs circles around it. Had to replace the filter capacitors which cleared up a strange oscillation problem. A quick touchup on the tuning and it works quite well. Gives some modern rigs a run for the $$$. Paired it with a Heath QF-1 Q-multiplier for a FB boatanchor station.
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K5BCQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 15, 2005 15:04
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Great old receiver
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This was/is about the best tube type affordable receiver I came across in the 60s and it's still a great little receiver. Its very sensitive, has outstanding selectivity, and is one of the most compact ham band or general coverage (with the proper crystals) receiver around. Be sure and get the 2BQ if available for CW reception. Amazing how long those little red switches last. You will also note that there are very few "fixes" floating around for this unit. They were not needed except for a couple of changes to make the audio sound a little better. The "time owned is 0-3 months but that is the second one. The first one I owned for 10 years in the 70s and regretted selling 0-3 months later.
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W7MY
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 21, 2005 19:54
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Its A Classic!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned 2B for most of the 40+ years I have been a ham. In that time I have owned many other recievers and transcievers. I can honestly say that the 2B is the best sounding SSB receiver ever made. There is magic in both the audio and AGC circuits that create a unique sound that is so pleasant to listen to! Yes the filters have poor shape factors but for its time they were state of the art. If you have never listened to a 2B, you don't know what your missing!
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K6LQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 1, 2005 08:49
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Have had mine for 37 years
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Well, I have had only 2 problems with my Drake 2B/2BQ in 37 years of ownership. The filter caps are gonna need replacing soon, and the dial string is slipping cause I spent mucho hours of my youth on the low end of 40M working CW. Last week I made a trip to the local music store, bought some rosin, dissolved a bit in some denatured alcohol applied it to the string and voila! With the narrow filter in and the Q multiplier peaked and ringing just right, I can still copy just about anything. I love the Drake audio, and it is still a very sensitive rx. It sits, proudly although somewhat meekly along side my SP-600, R390A, 75A3 and NC-303.
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W0LC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 25, 2005 17:55
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I love this little gem!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My poor little Drake 2B is a bit dirty and pitted on the inside, and the case has some scratches, etc., but this little receiver hears great, has wonderful audio and wonderful selectivity! It compares easily to my old 75A2 and the HQ-170.
I love this little gem and if you have a chance to get one, DO IT!
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W2RBA
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 20, 2004 16:24
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Great for its time
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This was the radio I longed for as a novice back in the mid-sixties and I was lucky enough to get one after my experiences with a Hallicrafters S-38D (which was a nice general coverage radio, but really tough on the cw bands!). I got the 2B with the 2BQ speaker/Q-multiplier and crystal calibrator and thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was everything a ham could want: sensitive, selective and it sounded just great! It's a worthy mini-boatanchor which holds up very well indeed.
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WB6NVH
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 20, 2004 15:53
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Great Little Receiver
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It would be hard to go wrong choosing a 2B. There are a few nit-picks I have with this receiver, namely the use of a copper plated chassis which can look ugly in old age, and an inadequate power supply design which over-voltages the first section of the filter capacitor, a rare part, causing it to go open circuit. The 2B will do general coverage with the right crystals, so you aren't limited to the ham bands. The 2B doesn't drift and is not microphonic. All the tubes used are common and inexpensive. The use of slide switches on the front panel is a cheap move by the designers but the switches seem to have held up well over the years. The s-meter leaves something to be desired in terms of quality and accuracy, but that's a minor point. Selectivity is great and sensitivity is good on the lower bands. I'm not crazy about the sensitivity on 15 meters and above. Henry Radio at one time manufactured a mechanical filter adapter kit for the 2B; some of thes 2B's out there may have this kit in them.
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