[Drake] Better Antenna Connector on Drake R-4B Receiver

Thu Nov 7 23:01:55 EST 2013

Any thoughts about the cable used as the receive antenna connecting cable
between the transmitter and receiver?  The cable I have between the R-4B and
the T-4XB is a length of RG6 which is maybe three feet long at most.  I know
that cable is 75 ohm and I'm wondering if there is any reason to bother
replacing it with 50 ohm cable.  As short as the run is, it seems hardly and
issue but I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts suggesting otherwise.

Also running the same cable for the Injection line between the two.
Thoughts on that cable?

WB5TKA

Dan W. Dooley
  email: dan at dooleystreasurechest.com
  Dooley's Treasure Chest 

-----Original Message-----
From: drake-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:drake-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Dave Edwards
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 3:47 PM
To: drake at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Drake] Better Antenna Connector on Drake R-4B Receiver

I went through this many years ago when questioning these connectors and
their use with Collins equipment.
As I recall, they are an even BETTER impedance match than the SO239
connector, and I also remember it suggested to me to NOT use the audio-type
RCA connector. 
Their is another
which is designed for RF use.
I got these, and use them with all my gear. Same idea, but the center tip is
longer than the standard audio RCA connector.
....Dave
On 10/29/2013 4:24 PM, bonddaleena at aol.com wrote:
> Dan, all great suggestions.  My $.02 worth.
> I have a largish Drake collection and before setting a radio into place, I
always use a small SS wire brush on the female socket and use a tiny bit of
"no-alox" on the outside. It has always been my belief that it's the
'petals' not the center conductor that causes problems.
> The RCA connectors are OK up through UHF....
>
> ron
> N4UE
>
>   
>
>   
>
>   
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WQ9E <WQ9E at btsnetworks.net>
> To: dan <dan at dooleystreasurechest.com>; drake <drake at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Tue, Oct 29, 2013 4:01 pm
> Subject: Re: [Drake] Better Antenna Connector on Drake R-4B Receiver
>
>
> Dan,
>
> Unless you are going to be constantly moving this setup around and 
> plugging/unplugging the connections the original RCA connectors work just
fine.
> Just make sure to use a decent quality phono plug and if needed press 
> in the outer "petals" slightly so that they grab the outer shield of 
> the mating jack snugly.  The only other reason to use a more secure 
> connection for this would be if you were trying to use RG-8 or other 
> large diameter coax for the connecting cable and there is no call for that
here.
>
> I have R-4/T-4X through R-4C/T-4XC setups here and all use the 
> original connection setup and I have never had any failure/issue with 
> it.  For awhile a pair of C lines were my main contest setup and they 
> got a lot of use and remain my favorite low band CW setup.  The only 
> time I have seen a failure with Collins S line and Heathkit SSB gear 
> (which use RCA jacks/plugs for the antenna
> connection) was a cracked ceramic insulator which I suspect resulted 
> from the use of a heavy/stiff coax cable.
>
> You can certainly change them but the only result will be a modified 
> setup that works no better than the original.
>
> Rodger WQ9E
>
> -------- Original Message --------
>> From: "Dan W. Dooley" <dan at dooleystreasurechest.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 11:33 AM
>> To: drake at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: [Drake] Better Antenna Connector on Drake R-4B Receiver
>>
>> Has anyone replaced the original RCA style antenna connector on the 
>> back of a Drake receiver with a SO-239 connector?  I'm considering 
>> doing so and perhaps even replacing the other end which is on the 
>> back of the T-4XB transmitter with the same.  I'm thinking perhaps 
>> this would result in a more long term secure connection between the 
>> transmitter and receiver.  I've looked at the area around the 
>> connector on the back panel of the chassis and it should fit fine.  
>> I've got the receiver opened and on the work bench right now doing 
>> some other work on it so I thought it might be a good time to consider
that.
>>   
>> Thoughts?
>>   
>>   
>> Dan W. Dooley  WB5TKA
>>    email:  <mailto:dan at dooleystreasurechest.com>
dan at dooleystreasurechest.com
>>     <http://www.dooleystreasurechest.com/> Dooley's Treasure Chest
>>   
>>   
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