[Boatanchors] Like new Drake C line for sale, 160M-2M

[Rodger Singley]

But there was a TR-4C transceiver with a later TR-4CW version which also had a CW filter and even later RIT was added.  There was also a 2C receiver which was mostly a cost reduced version of the earlier and very fine 2A and 2B receivers.  The Drake TR-22C was a rebadged Trio/Kenwood  2 meter portable FM transceiver.

I have rarely heard of anyone refer to the Drake twins as the 4 line twins although the variation iterations of the Collins are always referred to as the S line regardless of the final number.  An underappreciated set of twins is the Kenwood R-599/T-599.   The A suffix version is much improved over the original and electronically equivalent to the later D line with its slightly different cosmetic styling.

The Kenwood twins have a beautifully smooth VFO mechanism, are very compact, the receiver has all 4 IF filters (includes FM), calibrator, and noise blanker as standard so the only options are 6 and 2 meter internally mounted converters.  The transmitter has real transmitting tube (6146B) finals and a cooling fan and either VFO can control transceive operation or they can operate both split and reverse split.  The only criticism I could offer is unlike the receiver the transmitter doesn’t cover 160 meters.  My first experience with a R-599A receiver was at my first Field Day event and when I switched it to 10 meters I thought the receiver had poor sensitivity because it was so quiet.  I quickly found out how well it really worked and unlike my Heathkit SB-102 it was very quiet on 10 until you tuned across a signal.

I always had thought the Yaesu 101 twins were quite attractive and I have a couple of sets now but operationally I much prefer the Kenwood 599 twins.  The Yaesu 400 twins are some of the nicest looking of that era while the early FR/FL-50 twins are cute but the receiver uses a band switching VFO and the transmitter doesn’t have a built in VFO.

There are a lot of interesting sets of twins out there.

Rodger WQ9E

Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10

From: Rob Atkinson<mailto:ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2017 5:58 AM
To: Glen Zook<mailto:gzook at yahoo.com>
Cc: Boatanchors<mailto:boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Like new Drake C line for sale, 160M-2M

Okay, I guess there was never anything like a TR3C or a R7C.

Thanks 73