[Drake] Drake's Welcome Too!

[Michael Smith]

Hi guys, 

>  Ham radio, though, was designed with the belief (sometimes
> wrong) that we know enough to adjust our modulation suitably.  

I like to tune up my Drakes per the manual and let my monitor scope be
the last word on how the signal is modulated. 

> However, the comments about "go change the caps and come back" is not a
very helpful
> comment.  If expressed that way to me, I would find it very derisive.  

That was really the point. The message said welcome, but I wonder if that
really means welcome one and all or welcome if we think we like you after
your first sentance. 

I took that comment about changing the caps as sort of a parrot remark.
There are quite a few guys that go in and change them all as a first
step. And there is wisdom in that too, particularly if catastrophic
failure of a particular capacitor could lead to excessive grid current or
worse, maybe taking out a power transformer or something else that's
expensive. I suspect these guys heard that on a reflector and figured
that it was safe advise to give to someone. 

That does not mean that you must change them all. That's a personal
preference item in my book. 

>Constructive
> criticism of my signal or audio is always welcome, but it should be
done in a friendly
> manner. 

Yes, and if the person is willing to stick around with you while you try
a thing or two, that is a bonus. 

 >Recently I checked into a net and had not properly zero'ed the tx with
the rx,
> and the comment I got back was "those old Drakes always did drift, the
receiver one way
> and the transmitter the other."  

I'd concider the source on such a comment. It sounds like someone quite
biased, and it would make me wonder if there were any personal experience
attached to the comment. I bet not. My Drakes sit still after they warm
up. 
 
> Certainly it is possible you did have problems.  And as Tony says, far
too many hams are
> today, with the political correctness with which we must live, very
hestitant to give
> anything less than a perfect signal report as far as quality.  

Has political correctness soaked into signal reports now? I let someone
know if they have a signal that might indicate a problem with their gear.
Then if they know it and don't persue it, fine, as long as I understand
what they say. They don't owe me broadcast quality audio. If I raise
their concern and they want to try something I'lll be glad to report the
changes for them. 

> A few days ago I gave a
> man a RST of 577, and he thanked me for it, saying he knew his power
supply on his old
> Heathkit  needed some work and he was looking for a critical report.  
That's how we
> learn if "we done it right!"

I built a power supply for my Heath HG-10B VFO that I use with the Drake
2NT. The first contact said nothing about the yoop I had on the start of
each transmission. The second guy said something and it got me looking.
My B+ in the VFO after the OA2 was fine until it was keyed and then it
dropped. While keying it stayed down and therefore the frequency was
stable after that. It turned out that my use of a diode half wave
rectifier did not allow enough energy storage in the filter caps and the
OA2 was starved for current. I changed it to a full wave diode bridge and
all was fine. I would have seen that had I monitored B+ all the time.
After the rectifier change I left the old Heath VOM on it. In fact, it's
still connected. I'll probably leave it rather than sentance it to a life
on the shelf. 

> Perhaps you did have an audio problem.  Maybe not.  But
less-than-informative reports,
> and negativity won't help you resolve the problem, or even know if you
have one.  Try
> again on the same band and frequency with someone else, under the same
conditions, and
> seek an "honest report."  If there IS a problem, be open, as you
apparently are, to
> working on it.  If there isn't a problem, you'll find that out, too,
with a couple of
> honest contacts.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Ed, W5HTW

Thanks for that Ed. (and others that have replied both on and off list) I
am not sure what the deal was. I tried it further that night on the same
band with good reports. I haven't used it much lately. Seems the CW bug
has a firm grip on me and the TR3 isn't much of a CW rig.....

It boils down to personal attacks on people based on the brand name on
their equipment is the same thing that all prejudice is made of. That
will probably never change. 

73
Michael
N�XY