Date: 08-Jan-96 09:05 EST From: Max Lockwood > Awesome Drake article

    Hello Wayne, Thru Dave (deleted) and with your permission, a copy of your treatise on Drake radios has been made available to members of the "boatanchors" mailing list. I've read it. Great stuff!!!

    I noticed a relative lack of information on the 2B in particular and the 2 series in general. Are you interested in adding anything about these radios?

    I don't have much info, but what I do have could be useful to someone someday. For example:

    One of the weak areas in the 2B seems to be in the crystal oscillator circuit. It's apparently common for the crystals to cease working. If you have multiple 2Bs (as I do), you can frequently play "musical crystals" and come up with combinations of rocks and radios that still work. Failing that, JAN crystals still has design data for the 2B and will custom grind crystals for about $13.

    Another weak area is the Sensitivity control on the back of the 2B. A 2 meg pot used to adjust the AGC bias, it's not uncommon for it to develop a high resistance short to ground. Such a short can be the same order of magnitude as the value of the pot itself, 2 meg. It completely upsets the AGC circuit and results in an inability to mute the receiver completely.

    If it is necessary to paint the cabinet of a 2B, an extremely good color and texture match can be had by using Rustoleum Satin Black, available in spray cans or in bulk.

    If this kind of information would be welcome in your article, feel free to incorporate. All I ask in return is credit for the information be included with the article. One other comment: I was really glad to see your remarks about the R4B. I have two of theses and am just blown away by their performance and their sound. (further comments deleted)

    73 and thanks,

    Jim Lockwood - km6nk