| N4UE |
Rating:      |
2020-03-14 | |
| Fixed one of the triplets |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have 3 of these amazing radios, in addition to all the latest offerings from Kenwood and Icom.
I cannot find a CW filter for my TR-6/RV-6 pair, then I thought about using the TR-6's 14 MHz output into one of my 4Bs. I went to turn up the volume of the receiver and the knob and shaft came out in my hand. The plastic inside the pot was broken, so not only did the shaft come out, the volume control was FUBAR. Finding and replacing the pot is a fun exercise. Re-assembling it, the neon light below the PTO was very intermittent.
So, I put a white (flat faced) LED in, connected via a small diode. The result is the light pipe now has a great look.
Not having used the receiver in several years, the tuning speed is VERY smooth, but 'fast' compared to a modern radio, but still great.
Great radios, grab one if you have the chance!
ron
N4UE
I was one of the first 'reviewers' of these fine old radios. Since that first review, I have added 2 more R-4Bs, a SPR-4, and a nice R-2C. I suppose I should be jaded by now, about the GREAT performance of the Drake receivers, but I'm constantly amazed.
Recently a friend offered me my third R-4B. I hesitated, because I need another like another hole in the head, but the price was too cheap to pass on. To my surprise, the radio was near 'perfect'. It even has the inspection tag still on the power cord. The chassis was 'dusty' and only had 2 of the smallest possible spots of corrosion. All tubes were good, and the alignment was almost perfect.
Right now, it's tuned to the CW portion of 20 Meters and in the ".4" KHz position. Almost no background noise and the CW signals just 'jump' out at you. Like ALL my radios, I have a small muffin fan blowing into the radio (no holes mod). I can leave a Drake (or other) radio on for 8 hours and the covers are JUST above room ambient.......
Everyone should own a nice example of these radios. They are wonderful.
I also just acquired all the Sherwood boards for my R-4C. It will be interesting to see how the two match up... I have always considered the R-4C as a 'cost reduced R-4B'....
We will see..... Have fun!!!!
ron
N4UE
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4UE on 2002-08-27
OK, call me biased. If one were to look at all the radios I have reviewed here on eHam, the majority of the ratings are 5. However, please be aware that as a ham of 45 years I have had almost (I'm working on that part) every brand of radio equipment pass through my hands. In 2000, I bought and sold several hundred receivers and tranceivers. Some were 'ok', but those I don't write about. I just comment on the exceptional ones.
Back in 2000, I had 4 R-4Bs in my posession at one time. One was a museum quality example that looked like it came out of a time capsule. I regretted selling those and all the R-4C I had (R-4Cs in another review).
I just love how easy the Drakes are to work on, although they rarely need 'fixin'. Unlike Collins 75A-4s (and other radios from an earlier time), these radios do not suffer from 'deadly cap' syndrome.
I will be setting up a new shack / museum myself later this year. It will have a dedicated Drake position. I have been watching E-bay for a long time and most of the R-4Bs were going a little too high for my taste (there are always some on there, a testimony to the staying power of the design). I recently acquired a nice example with some extra crystals. It needs a spray job on the cabinet to be 'excellent', but I have done dozens of those. The chassis is very nice, slight corrosion, but mostly just dusty. I bought the radio to use for a Drake VHF 14 Mhz IF, and wouldn't you know, that's the only xtal that's no good!. I'm sure I have another packed away and am on the look-out for a spare or two. However, the xtals are available from any of the xtal companies.
The nice thing about the B, is that there are no IF filters to buy, they are unnecessary, the radio has exception LC filtering built in. I have always believed that although older, the B was as good as, or better than the C. I call the C the "cost reduced radio". I have CHU playing as I type this, and it was tuned in the second the radio came 'on' and has not drifted one bit. I also have a Kenwood TS-820S sitting underneath and the Drake sounds as good as, or better than the KW. Yeah, it doesn't have a spectrum display like the 756 PRO, Passband tuning, etc but it just sounds wonderful! Since HF reception is limited by noise, it couldn't be any (hotter) better. Look at the Sherwood website. The noise Blanker is actually better than my PRO's....
I have done lots of A=B comparisons and on VHF, and my old Drake TR-6 (different review), hears as well as any (and I mean ANY) radio I currently own. Amazing!
For the $ and considering the age, these are wonderful radios!
If you see a nice one at a hamfest, grab it. It's an old standard, you won't be sorry.
ron
N4UE |
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| KA4DPO |
Rating:      |
2017-10-31 | |
| Smooth as butter |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have owned my B-Line since 1985 and it has always been one of my favorite rigs. The R4B was one of the cleanest analog designs ever and the addition of the pre-selector made it one of the cleanest sounding receivers ever. There are no crystal filters in the R4B, it is a dual conversion design with the second IF at 50 KHZ. Extremely high Q selectable IF filter coupled with the pass band tuning makes selectivity amazingly good for a radio of that day and age. Because it does not use crystal filters in the IF the recovered audio is as smooth as butter, you can listen to it all day long and it just sounds great.
At the time these were made Drake and Collins were the top of the line, I preferred Drake and had several models including a TR4CW. The PTO is rock solid after warm up and is as stable as any Collins rig from the same time.
I have had this receiver for 32 years now and it is still as nice as the day I got it. It's hard to believe Drake R4B is about 52 years old but they are still a pleasure to operate and are one of the finest examples of vacuum tube era analog radio.
Are they as good as modern radios? No way, even the cheapest solid state DSP rig today will blow it out of the water in terms of selectivity but it will never sound anywhere near as good. |
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| W7WQ |
Rating:      |
2013-10-12 | |
| Superb |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| As a former commercial radio operator back when such things existed, I have had the good fortune to use many, many fine receivers. The R4B will rival any of them. Period. Stock out of the box. An all time classic that will be around for the next hundred years or so. |
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| KA5KMS |
Rating:      |
2012-09-19 | |
| Great CW Rcvr |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| If you are a CW enthusiast, you can't do much better than the R-4B. It's ability to filter in weak CW signals thru QRM rivals DSP rigs. Drake got this one right for CW reception. |
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| K3MEJ |
Rating:      |
2011-04-16 | |
| WOW! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I just bought a Drake R-4B and MS-4 speaker off of Craigslist. It’s in perfect condition and has 10 optional crystals installed. All I can say about this receiver’s frequency stability and audio quality is WOW! I have bought and sold countless receivers over my long life, but this one blew me away. If you ever get a chance to buy one grab it.
Merlin
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| WB0RXL |
Rating:      |
2011-02-25 | |
| Fantastic Audio |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Back in the 1970's I had experienced the excellent audio from a Drake receiver at another ham's QTH, but when I finally earned my license in 1976, money dictated I go the Heathkit SB-102 route. That transceiver served me well through the years. Later I upgraded to various models of Icom and a Yaesu 747. Two years ago my wife suggested I should buy a radio "for her" knowing full well that I would be the primary user. (Grin) As I checked some units on E-Bay I wondered if the Drake twins had really sounded as great as I remembered. After some research I decided to buy a set formerly owned by K2LWR. After opening the box and setting up the receiver I decided YES - the Drake R-4B receiver has a unique quality that makes you think "wow!" I still use the Yaesu for digital work and an Icom for for mobile. But when I want to sit down and give my ears a treat, I choose the Drake R-4B. |
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| KD7UAK |
Rating:      |
2010-09-17 | |
| Superb receiver! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I've owned two R-4Bs for more than 6 years, and never cease to be amazed by their performance. I use one as a daily monitoring receiver next to my kitchen table, equipped with several extra crystals to cover the SW broadcast bands. The other R-4B is part of a complete 4B twin setup that was my first ham station and now serves as a backup (a TR7 is my primary station). There's not much I can add to all the accolades already posted, except to say they are all true. The R-4B is one of the all-time greatest receivers ever made. |
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| WA7UHR |
Rating:      |
2010-07-18 | |
| Great Receiver |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Dollar for Dollar, still one of the all time great receivers out there. No shack should be without one.
Fred. |
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| K9FON |
Rating:      |
2010-06-11 | |
| wonderful! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| One of the best receivers made. I got mine with a T4X which needs some TLC but i have been using the R4B in transceive wih my TR4 and it works FB. The receiver in the R4B is miles better than the receiver end in my TR4. Overall, im a Drake lover and the R4B will stay in the shack. |
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| W4ET |
Rating:      |
2010-03-05 | |
| Great Receiver |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have owned three R4B's and all of them worked well after a good cleaning and going over.
These are great receivers and I like to listen to the R4B as much as I like to listen to my 756pro. I also own a Drake R4A and the two receivers are a lot alike. If anything, the R4A might have better audio than the R4B. The R4B is very stable (after warm up). Unlike the R4B, the R4A continues to drift a little no matter how long it is on.
If you are interested in vintage equipment, you can't go wrong with either one of these receivers if you can find one in good condition.
73 - Ron - W4ET |
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