Rare Drake for Sale ! Not Mine ( I wish ! )

[AG3Y]

Moderators, would it be OK for me to mention that there is a very rare Drake 1A for sale on E-Bay right now? #The only interest I have in this is that the radio is such a rarity that I thought it would be a good chance for some of us to get a good look at one! Incidently, if you have broadband, the full-size jpg files ( 1.3 Mbytes each ) are awesome!

No more info forthcoming from me! If you want to see it, you will have to do a little "surfin" . #

I will pull this post if there is any problem with it.

73 from Jim

[ai4ep]

when I read the headline...I thought " duck / goose " ( referring to the word DRAKE )

keep smiling...make folks wonder what you are up to !! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

AI4EP ( tired but still alive )

[AG3Y]

See, Bob, it's working already! Now you know that "Drake" made some pretty fancy radios in their day! Too bad that all of those wonderful rigs lost out to the foreign manufacturers.

If you really want an education about great stuff, look for "Drake Museum", or words to that effect, on the internet.

I would DIE for a mint condition TR-7 ! ( no not really, but close ! )

73 from Jim AG3Y

[ai4ep]

i saw ads for a
model 2

model 4a

model 7 a / b

and manuals for some...but no 1a

[K9STH]

Jim:

The Drake 1A is relatively scarce, but I wouldn't call it rare! I have seen several over the years.

The "Lil' Lulu" 6 meter transmitter and the matching receiver are rare! From what I understand less than 20 built.

Also, the Collins 30S-3 linear is very rare, only 3 built. One of them resided about 1/2 mile from me until the owner passed away. He was a sales executive with Collins Radio.

The Cosmophones are relatively rare as well. There is a fellow in my local area that knows where virtually every one of them is presently located (by serial number).

The design of the Drake 1A is what makes it unique. Sort of an RME physical design but a whole lot narrower. What I am talking about is the design of the tuning dial.

The Knight Kit T-400 was seen during the first half of 1960 at several "hamfests" on the west coast and one was sold a couple of years ago. Maybe the same one! Allied did all sorts of full page advertisements on the rig but as far as anyone can tell none was ever shipped!

A "rare" rig that isn't really so "rare" is the Collins 30L-1 transmitter (NOT the 30L-1 S-Line linear amplifier). Collins advertised this SSB transmitter (only) in full color advertisements in all sorts of places in early 1955. However, they never shipped a single one! The exciter portion was called the 32W-1 and wasn't shipped as well. Before shipping any, Art Collins decided to change the nomenclature to the KWS-1 and discontinue the 32W-1. However, if you look real close at all of the early advertisements for the KWS-1, the nameplate on the rig in the photo says 30L-1.

I have seen the Collins KWM-3. However, none were ever actually manufactured. It was going to be basically the same design as the 718-T with the lower frequency range moved down to 1.8 MHz (to cover 160 meters) instead of the original 2.0 MHz. The "top" end was 30 MHz. Art Collins decided to drop this as well and the KWM-380 was developed as a completely different radio.

The RME-6900 is a relatively scarce receiver. Frankly, it has about the best, if not THE best, sounding audio that I have heard from what was designed as an amateur band only receiver. I just happen to own one of these that is in excellent condition.

Anyway, the Drake 1A was a good receiver for its day. There are many who consider the "later" version, the Drake 2B to be the best of the Drake receivers (better than the R-4 series). Frankly, I got "spoiled" by Collins by the time I graduated from college so I tend to compare receivers with them! But, many manufacturers have had some pretty good receivers, especially for their time.

Glen, K9STH

[WB2WIK]

When I hear about a rare Drake, I'm forced to take a gander at it.

<Owwwww>

Jim (AG3Y) I have a better-than-mint condition TR-7. I'm the original owner from 1978, and still use it quite often. Nice rig, takes up a lot of space, though.

My "better than mint" means it looks as new, works as new, has never been serviced or repaired in any way. And as a result of that, it has a burned-out S-meter lamp! (Too lazy to change it.)

WB2WIK/6

[WA5KRP]

Just for once, STH nailed it. It's not all that rare to see a 2A on e-Bay. But unless you are a die-hard Drake freak, I would urge you to seek out a 2B with a 2B-Q speaker/Q-multiplier. I started out with one and foolishly sold it. I console myself with a TR-4C.

And, once again speaking for myself, I'd take the money and pour it into a 75A-3 or 75A-4 instead.

But then, I noticed neither you or Glen asked WTH I thought.


73

WA5KRP
Shuddup, Texas

[K9STH]

KRP:

I have a 75A2, 75A3, and 75A4 (used to own 75A1 s/n 4 but got rid of it back in the mid 1970s when you had to pay for someone's gas to haul the old "boat anchors" off - wish I had it back). In fact, have owned 2 other 75A2 receivers over the years.

I really think that Collins made a mistake by not putting the mechanical filter where it could be switched completely out of the i.f. chain. With the 3.1 KHz filter that comes standard in the 75A3 it is just too narrow for good AM reception. You have to either get a wider filter (pretty rare - read expensive for a mechanical filter) or "jury rig" various things (like 455 KHz i.f. cans) to make a wider filter for the #2 filter position. The 75A2 with the variable crystal filter only is a much better receiver for AM and does a good job on sideband with the crystal filter.

The crystal filter can be used in the 75A3 to narrow down things, but the 3.1 KHz filter is too narrow for AM.

The 75A4, with the factory product detector is a very good SSB receiver, especially if you put a 2.1 KHz filter in one of the two alternate filter slots. It isn't that good on AM because of the narrow filter. If you put in like an 8 KHz filter (like from an R-390A) it does pretty well on AM. My 75A4 is right in the middle of the production run, s/n 2535.

I have never owned a Drake receiver! However, over the years I have serviced all sorts of them. For some reason, I just cannot make myself "like" them! I prefer the Collins and the Heath SB-Line equipment. Also, I do like my National NC-2-40DT receiver. It takes about a half-hour to stabilize, but does a very good job on AM, SSB, and CW. This receiver is "unique" because it has 4 bandswitch positions on which the entire main tuning dial covers the 80, 40, 20, and 10 meter amateur bands. 15 meters was not an amateur band when the receiver was built, and 160 meters covers a pretty good portion of the dial in the general coverage position.

Virtually every manufacturer had some good equipment and had some "dogs"! Of course the "low end" equipment (Hallicrafters S-38 series, National SW-54, and so on) was close to being "junk". However, no one told us how band some of that old equipment was and we used it to make thousands of contacts! I guess that we were just "fat, dumb, and happy"!

Glen, K9STH

[KC7UP]

Glen-- An old navy buddy of mine lives close to you. He lives in Plano and altho not a ham( we were radio operators) he worked for Collins when they were in business. He wrote the technical manuals for the radios and their space business.
Curt

[WA5KRP]

Quote[/b] (wa5krp @ Aug. 17 2004,16:22)]Just for once, STH nailed it. #It's not all that rare to see a 2A on e-Bay. #
Yet again, I gaff. I meant to say a 1A.

Nonetheless, they do show up and I'll stick by what I posted.

Glen, I have no idea about your lack of affection for the Drake series, but you are vastly more qualified to make those distinction than I. I would simply say I personally find Drake equipment to have excellent HF characteristics, both receiving and transmitting. DrakeStuff is a pleasure to use.

Collins speaks for itself. And you make assessments that are shared by many in CCA. I wouldn't think of arguing.

I just wish I had my BC-610 back.

73


WA5KRP
Texas

[K9STH]

Actually, Collins is still very much in business. Art Collins sold his interests (he owned about 51 percent of the company) to Rockwell International in 1972. Rockwell sold off a portion of the business to Alcatel including the old campus off of Arapaho Road. However, the "new" plant out on Renner Road (straight east of my location) is still going strong. They operate as Rockwell-Collins.

Also, several other locations are still turning out all sorts of stuff like civilan and military avionics. Bill, W0LPQ, who posts all the time on QRZ.com, retired from Collins not too long ago.

There are all sorts of former Collins employees in the Richardson / Plano area. I only worked for the company for 2 years right out of college. Also, only met Art Collins 3 times while I was employed by Collins Radio. However, got to know him a bit better after I quit the company and he sold out.

I did acquire the "fancy" console that appeared in the S-Line advertisements (the one with the receiver and transmitter on the bottom and the linear, power supply, and station control on the top) from a retired Collins executive who moved from the area. It was a very nice piece of furniture, but was very impractical for anything except very casual operating. Sold it to an employee of mine who had also been a Collins employee. Don't have any idea as to what he did with it! However, I did acquire my 75S-3A from the employee several years before he came to work for me.

Glen, K9STH

[KC7HDE]

I really do admire you boat anchor enthusiasts.
You guys really know you stuff.......



73
Norm T.

[K3UD]

Never owned a Drake 1A but have seen them. I think they had the nickname of "Shoebox".

73
George
K3UD

[AG3Y]

My first "real" receiver ( after I ditched the Hammarlund HQ110C which REALLY drifted around ) was a 75A-4 which was a pleasure to use that has not been equaled to this day. Unfortunately, it was not mine to keep, and when I moved out to the east coast, it had to remain with its real owner, one of my Elmers. I will be grateful to my dying day for the opportunity I had to use it!

I'm wondering how expensive that Drake will finally get to? I'll keep looking . It ought to be interesting!

73 all from Jim AG3Y

[AG3Y]

Quicky followup on the progress of the sale.

OHHHH I HATE when that happens. . . there is one guy on there that has bid himself up over and over again! The price is now over $100.00 , but that is a long way from where I suspect it is going to wind up!

Danny, I have been fairly active on EBay for over 2 years now, and that is the first 1A I have seen come up in that time. Lots of 2As and 2Bs, of course, and even some fully decked out with the Q-multiplier, but this has been a 1st for me!

As I've said before, it is going to be fun to see where this one ends up! It wouldn't take much, from what I can see in the pictures, to restore it to full museum quality!

73 from Jim AG3Y

[N7AAO]

Quote[/b] (AG3Y @ Aug. 19 2004,07:24)]Quicky followup on the progress of the sale. #

OHHHH I HATE when that happens. . . there is one guy on there that has bid himself up over and over again! #The price is now over $100.00 , but that is a long way from where I suspect it is going to wind up!

Danny, I have been fairly active on EBay for over 2 years now, and that is the first 1A I have seen come up in that time. #Lots of 2As and 2Bs, of course, and even some fully decked out with the Q-multiplier, but this has been a 1st for me!

As I've said before, it is going to be fun to see where this one ends up! #It wouldn't take much, from what I can see in the pictures, to restore it to full museum quality!

73 from Jim AG3Y
How much have you bid on it? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[K7ELP]

Anyone remember the Clegg Intercepter B receiver?
I had one in the mid 60's. I was living in New York City.
A fellow ham and I used to run full duplex on 2M AM. We would be about 100khz different in our receive and transmitt frequencies. I would transmit on my 2M beam and receive on a 40M dipole. Oh what fun. Oh what a great receiver.
73
Ned

[WA5KRP]

Quote[/b] (AG3Y @ Aug. 19 2004,09:24)]OHHHH I HATE when that happens. . . there is one guy on there that has bid himself up over and over again! #The price is now over $100.00 , but that is a long way from where I suspect it is going to wind up!

Danny, I have been fairly active on EBay for over 2 years now, and that is the first 1A I have seen come up in that time. #Lots of 2As and 2Bs, of course, and even some fully decked out with the Q-multiplier, but this has been a 1st for me!
I didn't realize it had been that long since a 1A surfaced on e-Bay. Maybe I've seen one elsewhere.

As for that guy bidding himself up..........I think that happens when whoever is holding the bid shows (as an example) $25. In fact the bid holder has bid $100 while just showing $25. Another bidder comes along and bids $35. His bid is taken but he is still under the $100 bidder and must bid again. The second bidder kicks up to $50 - he's still under the bid holder. You can see how that would lead to one guy placing several bids.

At least that's how it appears to work when I've bid on stuff. Good luck, Jim!



WA5KRP
Texas

[AG3Y]

I just got a very nice private post a short time ago, and I said to this person that I wish that someone would take the basic philosophy of this receiver and design it all over again, using transistors and ICs. I don't see why current rigs have to be basically a disguised computer who's function is to tune in a signal on the ham bands!

I mean, after all, it ain't "rocket science"! Certainly the 1A did the job it was intended to do in a straight-forward, no frills-but rock solid concept!

Remember the early TEN-TEC radios? Again, another fairly simple concept, but carried out in such a brilliant manner that no one has ever done a better job of creating a full-break-in CW rig!

Well, keep the comments coming, this is a fascinating thread! Thanks all!

73 from Jim AG3Y

[K7JBQ]

Jim,

Never had a 1A, but loved my 2A.
Agree with your idea. Guess that's why I never sold the Dow-Key relay. Just in case separates come back.
Why not? We've got "retro" everything else.

73,
Bill

[AG3Y]

Hey, you gotta Dow-Key? ? ? I looked them up in the Allied Industrial Catalog a few months back, and they listed at OVER $100 ! ! !

Maybe you oughta re-consider that little item!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

Of course, the control board for my modern furnace/AC burned up the other day ( literally! ) and the best price I have seen for that 20 dollars worth of parts is $380 ! ! Guess I should sell my old Dow-Key relay, too ! Mine has a 110AC coil on it, how about yours?

73 from Jim

[K7JBQ]

Yep. Makes that distinctive "clangk" noise. The sound the first generation of VOX users would do anything to avoid hearing.

[AG3Y]

Maybe that is why they tried to drown it out with "AHHHH" such as in

"AHHHH Fine business on your QTH, George, and AHHHHH Fine business on the weather there and AHHHHH . . . . "
"Clangk"

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

73 from "AAAAAHHHH" AG3Y

[WA2ZDY]

A fun thread indeed. The NC-2-40 and the Drake 1A are the only receivers I've never used and in fact only a month or so ago did I see my first NC-2-40 at a hamfest.

If I had the room, I'd get a 75A-4. I had a 75A-1 about 15 years ago and had to move it for the space. I also had a 32V about 27 years ago. Would have been fun to have them both at the same time - now - when they're worth a mint.

So now I have a few bux to spare and I am buying a new rig for the truck. Heck, it's the only shack I have, so why not? An FT857D looks like it'll be the winner (comments?)

But I also want to go back in time. I've been gazing at KWM2s on Ebay and getting antsy. Of course with no indoor shack, it would sit on a shelf and look nice. That being the case, I would probably fare better buying a receiver. Many's the time I've wished I could tune the bands in the house.

So what is the best for the situation? 75S-3 what? My elmer, W2OJJ (sk) had a 75S-3B and it was quite a piece of work. I believe I've read Glen say the "best" for the money is an earlier model. Again, I haven't the room for a 75A rig.

Help me out?

Thanks.

[AG3Y]

Oh heck, a 75A rig is only a standard 19" rack panel wide, if I remember correctly, but pretty hefty in the amount of room it takes up in that rack panel!

Of course, most of them came with individual cabinets, but I do remember seeing a couple of them made for mounting in the old style racks!

Go ahead and live a bit! Get one or two if your pocketbook can stand it!

The ultimate boatanchor, a 390 URR, kinda dwarfs a 75A sitting next to it! I have a friend that has 5 or 6 down in his basement. They haven't been powered up for years. It would take some seriously careful application of power from the old variac before I would go near one !

I'd sure like to try to get at least one of them running, though!

73 from Jim

[WA2ZDY]

Yeah Jim, I kinda suspected someone would suggest that. The deal is we're living in a small apartment - with three kids. The situation has necessitated this. So space really is at a critical premium.

The more I look at ebay, the more I realise this is going to be one expensive undertaking. For what 75S receivers and KWM2's are going for . .. I could buy a hell of a lot of "modern" radio! But I want an old classic and that's that.

The other advantage to a 75S as opposed to a 75A is that I can afford to ship it to Glen when it needs help! That 75A wouldn't be exactly shipping cost friendly.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr what to do, what to do. I think I'm liking the Leica M6 idea more and more . . .

[K9STH]

The 75S-3 and 75S-3A are considered by many to be slightly superior to the 75S-3B and 75S-3C.

My particular 75S-3A (one of only about 500 made) belonged to the field technician that Collins sent around to the military bases to handle all of the problems that their technicians couldn't handle. Every one of the changes that were made to the 75S-3B / 75S-3C were tried in the receiver. Every one of those except one was removed because it hampered the performance. The only one that was left was the addition of a zener diode to regulate one of the oscillators. It helped marginally.

Now, those modifications were made before Collins moved one of the i.f. cans from the AM filter to tune another circuit. That did improve the performance and is easy to accomplish. This modification was done in the later versions of the 75S-3B and 75S-3C. I have done it in one of my 75S-1 receivers and it did show a slight improvment as well as doing it in my 75S-3A.

The 75S-3 and 75S-3A came from the factory with the 200 Hz CW filter installed. This was a $400 accessory for the 75S-3B and 75S-3C. If you run into a 75S-3 or 75S-3A that does not have the 200 Hz filter then it has been removed, probably to sell separately. This is definitely considered a "no-no" but some amateur do it to try to make more money!

The later versions of the 75S-3B and 75S-3C have the places for 4 filters instead of 3 filters like in the 75S-3, 75S-3A, and early models 75S-3B and 75S-3C.

The A-Line receivers are much larger. The 75A4 doesn't have a rack cabinet like the 75A, 75A-1, 75A-2, and 75A-3. It has panels that attach to the sides and back of the receiver. The panel itself is NOT a 19" rack panel like was used on the earlier receivers. Thus, it is a "bit" smaller than the 75A through 75A3. Although a few of the A-Line receivers were rack mounted, they were normally shipped from the factory with cabinets.

Now, the 51J / R-388 series were NOT shipped from the factory with cabinets. Collins did have cabinets available as an additional cost accessory and those vary in absolute design from production run to production run. My 51J-2 does not have a cabinet. The 51J series was the civilian model and the R-388 series was the military series. Basically the same receiver except that the 51J used meters with square plastic housings and the R-388 series normally used round meter housings.

Glen, K9STH

[AG3Y]

Here is the followup on the receiver. It ended being sold for a penny less than $500.00. That is less than I thought it would go for. Hard to figure out how something like this, which probably still does a decent job of receiving SSB signals sells for less than $500, and an old morse code key, which wasn't even designed for radio, can go in excess of a thousand!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....MEWA:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5715772391&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT)

73 from Jim AG3Y

[k7unz]

It's not that the 1A was a super receiver, even in it's day. #What made it special was that it completely went against most thinking at the time. #Boat anchors didn't get that name for nothing, the top line Hallicrafter, Nationals, etc, were pushing 90 lbs. under the theory that bigger, heavier radios were more stable.

Then along comes this upstart company, with a 18 pound piece of work (including power supply), that holds it own with any of the big boys, and was a triple conversion design as well.

That's what made it so different! #The fact that it was at least as good a performer was actually secondary to the fact that it was light, small, and a whole new idea at the time.

By the way, the one on e-bay appears to have been an "early" model 1A. #Later models had a front panel switched calibrator in them.

Almost bid myself, but knew it would go way over what my budget allowed (hi).....

73, Jim/k7unz

[WA2CWA]

Quote[/b] ]The "Lil' Lulu" 6 meter transmitter and the matching receiver are rare! #From what I understand less than 20 built.


Have known and worked with Ed Ladd, the designer of the Li'l Lulu twins, #for years, I spent a day with him several months before he passed away. Ed indicated that approximately 254 transmitters were made and only 6 receivers. I have two of the receivers and transmitters including the set that was used for the photo ads that appeared in the magazines at that time. A fellow in Iowa has 3 of the transmitters (at last count) and one receiver. A Li'l Lulu receiver and transmitter appeared at Dayton last year and was sold to a fellow, I believe in Michigan (or Ohio, can't remember). Mobile power supplies were also available for the "twins". Prototype 2 meter and 220 MHz receive converters were also designed but never went beyond the testing stage.

Pete, wa2cwa

[K9STH]

CWA:

I knew that it was one of the "Li'l Lulu" units that a very small number were built. Even 254 transmitters are not much, especially considering all the advertising that was done in the various amateur radio magazines. Six receivers is really "rare"!

About 10 days ago I "acquired" a Vocaline AT-30. This is the amateur radio 70 cm transceiver that was a tunable variation on the Vocaline JRC-425 Class "B" Citizen's Radio Service transceiver that were made from the mid-1950s until the early 1960s when the FCC did away with Class "B" (free-running oscillator transmitters and regenerative receivers). The AT-30 tunes from 420 MHz to 450 MHz with a 180 degree rotation on the control which doesn't have a vernier! It is all that I can do to get it close enough to any specific frequency so that I can find it with one of my service monitors! Then it drifts out of the bandpass within a few seconds! The serial number on it is 0044. From what I can find out, less than 200 of the AT-30 models were sold. However, they sold thousands of the Class "B" models (JRC-400 and JRC-425).

Anyway, got a chance to get this relatively scarce piece of amateur radio history and couldn't pass it up!

Glen, K9STH

[WA2CWA]

Glen:
Great article on the Li'l Lulu saga in this month's issue of CQ Magazine, written by Joe Veras.

I saw some of your other posts on the Vocaline. Never owned one, but use to see lots of the Class B units floating around the hamfests here in the Northeast years ago. Haven't seen any recently. Good luck with the 70 cm unit.

Pete, wa2cwa