[Drake] Restoration

[Thomas Beltran]

> Restore, modify, repair, leave original........whatever.  It's a hobby and
> we'll all tinker as we will.
>

I was first licensed in 1970, at that time the old Johnsons and Hammerlunds
and whatnot were pretty cheap.  We didn't think much about digging in to
these rigs - I remember picking up a mint Johnson Ranger I for $ 25.00.
Most people I knew didn't want AM gear - it was SSB.  I saw lots of SB-10
SSB adapters modified for various transmitters - cheaper than buying a new
sideband rig.  Lots of gear modified for antenna change-over and muting.
>From novice on, I went through a succession of gear, in the beginning,
borrowing some, and later buying.  We were always modifying our gear.  I
still have a few old things, an HW-16 and matching vfo, and two Drake C
lines - one heavily modified, the other completely stock.  I think the
modified rig works much better than the stock one - that Sherwood 600 hz
First IF CW filter is nice.  But I agree with Jim - whether to modify or not
is the decision of the owner.  Many people complain about the prices of
Drakes and other boatanchors.

Bill is sure entitled to his opinion.  From my perspective, generally, to
leave a rig unmodified is like my grandmother, leaving the original plastic
on all her living room furniture - worked for her, but not for me.  Again,
from my perspective, I think in the case of a truly rare one-of-a-kind
piece, perhaps a duty may be owed to the larger ham community to keep a
piece with historical value intact.  With some 30,000 R4Cs manufactured 25
years ago, this gear does not quite fit MY definition of rare or historical
value, where the owner's rights should be trumped by that of a larger
community.  Or in other words, a purchaser of a tube radio today should have
all the rights of a purchaser 25 years ago.

When I was in highschool, in North Dakota, we did a lot of farm work for
extra cash.  There was always lots of old cars and equipment on rock piles -
always modified - always.  Lots of model Ts modified to be all kinds of
things.  There is a story to be told in modifications - the yearning to make
things better - or, as someone put it, "to build a better mouse trap," is
part of being American.  I pround of that heritage.  Again, just my opinion.

When I bought my first "new fangled" gear in February (a TS-570), the first
thing I did was look around the web to see what kinds of mods were
available - and I found a few - now just as soon as the warranty runs. . . .
Other purchasers may never consider looking inside or modifying there gear -
that is fine too.

> When the band conditions get bad, I turn to first the TR7's and if that
does not do it, I go to my modern rigs with DSP.

I must say, that I just bought a Timewave 599zx DSP unit and it is
fantastic - seems to work as sharply as the 600 hz first IF.


 Just my $ 0.02.  Tom W6EIJ