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Reviews For: Drake TR5 Transceiver

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Drake TR5 Transceiver
Reviews: 8MSRP: 795.00
Description:
Solid state Transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.rldrake.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0084.5
W8IDL Rating: 2016-01-16
First Rate Transceiver Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my Drake TR-5 new (along with a Drake L-75 amplifier). The TR-5 is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT radio than the TR-7! The TR-5 is a much newer design and does not use that mother board/plug in subassembly construction. The board to board wiring used the (modern for the time) IDC connectors, and the construction is neat and professional, IMO much better than the TR-7. It is a ham-bands-only radio, but has FULL QSK for CW. The only negative i found was somewhat restricted receive audio, but there is a mod that replaces four components on the audio board to fix that. With that mod it has the beautiful authentic Drake sound like the TR-4cw and R-4C. Very few were made and they are difficult to find: try finding an owner who is willing to sell his TR-5!
WB6SSW Rating: 2012-01-29
Great ergonomics, and a flaw Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Take a TR-7, strip away extra cost features such as pass band tuning, full receive coverage and the analog dial, add back what was missed on the TR-7 such as WARC coverage, four position AVC, ALC metering and easy to use push buttons, and you've got the TR-5. A great, very easy to use rig. Unfortuately, the mixing scheme created many inherent birdies that detract from an otherwise wonderful rig.
K4BXN Rating: 2010-03-04
Why? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Why did Drake stop making this rig? I have a TR7 a fine rig in its own right, but this TR5 is wonderful. A simple straight forward rig. It lacks PBT which I seldom used on the TR7. And it has fewer filters but less insertion loss than the TR7. Covers WARC bands without modification. Sounds great on RX and my TX reports have been great as well. Only around 520 of these were made. If you can find one, snap it up. Great rig. A real keeper. 73/Crit/K4BXN
IK0YKM Rating: 2008-08-29
Great radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Simply fantastic for what it offers the Drake.
Better.. with optional filter installed.

Look at:

http://www.wb4hfn.com/DRAKE/OperatorPictures/IK0YKM-Page02.htm

Best regards
Henry
AD3G Rating: 2007-02-21
Great Classic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Nice receiver,gets good audio reports. Shame it doesn't have the passband control like the TR7,but still a great little rig. Tough one to find, Drake didn't make very many. Looks like a TR7's baby brother,but lacks the general coverage capability. I've owned mine 9 years,and never had any problems with it,and it gets used regularly,so reliable design & build are typical Drake quality.
TUBEGUY Rating: 2006-09-02
Nice Radio!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
With the exception of no passband tuning like the TR7...this is one GREAT rig. Stable VFO,good construction,gets GREAT audio reports with either a Shure 444 or an Astatic D104. Solidly built,and easy to listen to...very nice reciever.
Unlike the previous poster,I must disagree with him wholeheartedly...circuit boards don't look "home brew" ??,the two I own have no birdies,wierd noises or the intermodulation problems that he seems to be experiencing. If this was a 1-10 rating scale rather than a 1-5,I would give it an honest nine,due to lack of general coverage recvr and no passband tuning. It's construction rivals anything made overseas today.
It's most definitly a keeper radio and a good every day "driver". I'd like to find a third one just to keep for a spare,but they're very difficult to find,due to their rarity.
IK4CIE Rating: 2006-08-25
not good Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Hello, i have the TR5 and used it for about 5 months but i noted some faults.
1) very poor internal design of the boards and interconnections, as home-brew one
2) the receiver work with plenty of birds, strange sounds, intermodulations etc. etc. so very bad receiver.
3) transmitter work normally, not great but work.
I suggest you to buy only for vintage design but not use it for HF traffic... hi ....
Regards, Vittorio ik4cie
VE3NYZ Rating: 2005-12-27
A rare classic! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
One of the last solid state ham transceivers produced by Drake. The rig was built very well and preformed well for the price. Not very many were made when production was stopped by 1984.