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write your own review of the Drake TR-7.
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MI3LVZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 30, 2009 10:50
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Something different..
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned my mint TR7 for just over a year now and i am totally delighted with it. Transmit audio is just superb with my Shure 444 and the receiver is also excellent. I have a shack load of the usual Japanese black boxes but my hand always wanders towards the Drakes VFO. If you are longing for something a little bit different then you wont go wrong with the Drake. Still plenty around in the second hand market and prices arnt too bad.
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TUBEGUY
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 2, 2009 12:15
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POS ? ! ??
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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One of the most well built,solid transceivers you'll ever find. RX performance is good,even by todays offerings. Sensitivity a bit worse than modern rigs,but,no synthesizer noise to mask weak sigs,so a TR7 is just about on par with a modern rig,although 10 mtrs sens needs a little help.
Plug in boards are a bonus,makes it easier to troubleshoot & service,and,besides,most every mil spec radio ( Rockwell Collins, WJ, Harris,etc)use the same method,so there must be a good reason.
Has no memories,but neither did anything else in this era,so not a fair comparison there.
ALL components still available as of this writing,so still a repairable radio if it ever needs it (not that they break very often).
I've owned mine (actually two of them) for over 10 years,and they have never broke down.
As for options,extra filters were (and still are) options in most every radio,new & old (except DSP based filtering in modern rigs,where xtal filters aren't needed),and most opted not to buy noise blanker.
Aux board wasn't needed,just do a simple circuit mod & you have gen coverage TX/RX.
Definitely a bargain on the used market for the price. Matching PS7 power supply big & heavy,but built like a tank.
Lots of TR7's still in daily use, a testament to Drake's construction & design.
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K5YY
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 26, 2009 19:11
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Excellent and inexpensive
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have 3 TR7 lines with various accessories including the MS7 speakers, MN7 and MN2700 tuners, the SP75 speech processor and the RV7 VFO plus the 7077 mikes and matching PS7 supplies. Yes, the accessories take up some space compared to the "inboard" tuners and speech processor and keyer of the newer solid state rigs out there today. But, somehow the Drake setups are so FUN to operate. I also have two later model R7 matching receivers and they are as good as ANY of my other stand alone receivers like the Racal, R9000 and JRC 545D. Check the Product Reviews of eHam. The R7 hears better than most receivers and cables up to transceive with the TR7. The TR7 passband tuning is beautiful to tune and the NB is very effective. The TR7 is fairly easy to work on and parts are available. One simple cut on a board will allow general transmit in case you are into WARC and 60m bands. You can find nice TR7/PS7 combos for under $500 and few go for more than $650 unless the NB and/or a couple of optional filters are included.The accessories are getting hard to find in nice shape. The only negative issue I have with the Drake items is the "sticky" cabinet paint job on early serial numbers. Most all require a paint "redo"..For that reason you may see various shades of flat black and dark or charcoal gray when you buy a used one. Go for performance and don't worry about a slight paint difference on the 30 year old TR7 line. Buy one as a spare rig and start having fun ragchewing or chasing DX while you enjoy the no frills look!
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WB6MYL
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 26, 2009 11:02
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One of the family!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Everyone should be able to share an opinion about their experience with a particular piece of equipment and every brand and model have varying degrees of issues (especially vintage gear); that being said, a certain passion is stirred when a negative commment is made about Drake equipment and the TR-7 in particular; this is my second review, stirred by the "POS" comment by a previous post; My TR-7 is rack-mounted (thank you Novexcomm) just above the R-390 and below my Harris 590 (both great rigs, in their own right); I love and appreciate my Icom 7800, but I find myself using the TR-7 more and more for rag-chewing (more than both my B and C lines, which I also love); great audio (very toooooobey, surprising for a solid state rig)and that pass band tuning is wonderful! Again, IMHO, don't get TR-7 owners started!!
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W4FSS
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 26, 2009 07:17
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Panzer Tank
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Ok here it goes...I have owned several modern state of the art ham rigs, Including a kenwood ts-2000 and the Icom IC-765. For me...after the newness wears off and you tire of the cute little bells and whistles (trust me you will and you will have to buy a new high dollar bells and whistles machine to feed the addiction) what are you left with. A very expensive investment that doesn't really do all that more than most rigs built 30 years ago unless you are in a lab testing environment. I was lucky enough to acquire the TR-7 cheap from a nice old elmer who collects and restores them. Bottom line...it does EVERYTHING i need it to do...its solid state...it has a COOL vintage look ...its the DeLorean of ham radio...just has that period look to me...admittedly i am not into the hobby as much as i once was....but whenever i want to make a contact or just tune around and listen to shortwave (south american salsa music lol) I just turn on the trusty TR-7...value and capability for the money are unmatched...to get close u have to spend 3 times what they are going for...no frills...no bells and whistles...looks cool....does what I ask...and can take a beating....built like a panzer tank....
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K3ICH
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 9, 2009 18:04
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POS??, Not Bloody Likely
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This radio came out THIRTY-ONE YEARS ago!!! Have new features been added to radios in 31 years? Yeah, you could say so, but for 1978, THIS was state of the art. If you don't believe it, take a look at what the competition was offering in the same period. It is grossly unfair to complain that the TR-7 didn't have memories etc. Neither did a 1930's regen set, but it worked great for it's time. As for odd parts, every one I've ever worked on had industry standard part numbers on everything which by-the-way are still available. Try finding your infamous 20 year old custom part number IC memory chip in your oh-so-modern Yaecomwood.....rotsaruck! Also, I've NEVER had any problems with the plug-in PC board connections. The TR-7 is a classic radio that is fully functional and repairable. What more could you want?
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WB7TXG
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 9, 2009 17:06
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Love the Radio!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I own two TR7 radios - both were bought used. I've had one for 8 years and another for 1 year. These radios will hold their own with anything out there.. period!
And yes.. I own more modern radios - PRO2.. but the TR7 radios are unique because:
.. Last rig Drake made for amateurs
.. Solid state
.. Represents (I Think)the shift to solid state
.. They keep running.. and running
If you can find one that has not been modified and butchered I would recommend buying it. No.. they dont have memories, no PC interface, etc but they work.
Plus.. its nice to own some equipment that is American made and made with a lot of pride and TLC.
Anyway.. that is my opinion.. I also have the B Line and a TR4CW...
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W2KG
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 9, 2009 14:56
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I've owned mine for 27 years....
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Like the title says, I've owned mine for twenty-seven years and it's still cooking. I've got the full monty (as another reviewer quipped): RV7, MS7, PS7, NB, and three filters. I've owned other rigs and still do, but they're going to bury the TR7 with me.
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N6UZD
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 9, 2009 14:43
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A CLASSIC! Works Fine..Lasted a Long Time
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I have had my TR-7 for 3 months now. It hears whatever is out there and puts out over 100 watts. Best of all it is user..serviceable!
Plug in circuit boards and readily available spares means never having to say your sorry you bought it. If it were a basket case you could sell the good boards for more than the price of the radio.No bad for a 30 year old radio.Just added an L-7 if I need more than 100-150 watts. WHAT MORE COULD A CHEAP HAM ASK FOR?!?!
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K4BXN
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 9, 2009 10:46
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Say what?
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have had my TR7 for a little over two months. Was gonna wait another month or two before I wrote my review. How does this rig compare to my current Ten Tec Omni VII? No band stacking. Have to twiddle the dial to jump around the bands. How does it hear? In A/B comparison it hears everything the Omni VII does. Signal reports? On SSB and CW everybody says the TR-7 sounds great, not tried AM. Sure I had to buy some options (like the Omni VII). Got a narrow CW filter and the NB. Hey isn't that the TR-7A. Yep sure is, you can buy the stripped down model or get the full monty. Bottomline. Great rig. Works well, simple and easy to use and if I need to, I can fix it or buy circuit board replacements. Yes it is POS ... Pretty Outstanding Setup. 73/K4BXN
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