Drake T4X & R4B Questions

[KC4HGH]

Looking at Rigpix & e-ham, it isn't clear to me (been a rough day), but if the T4X says 80-10 meters w/4 optional WARC positions, is it possible to change one of those WARCs to 160 meters?  Where can I get specific info on these rigs?

Reason I'm asking, I have a chance to get the pair...just got to conjur up the cash.  I may sell the Johnson Viking II (needs to be recapped, no xtals or mic) and the Hammarlund HQ100A (almost a "9"- clock plastic cracked)....

Opinions, please- then I may list the above in the "For Sale" section.

Thanks & 73...Bud, KC4HGH

[David, K3TUE]

Looking at Rigpix [...] T4X says 80-10 meters w/4 optional WARC positions, is it possible to change one of those WARCs to 160 meters?  Where can I get specific info on these rigs?

Looks like it.

The Drake Virtual Museum (http://www.dproducts.be/drake_museum/) says:

T-4X:
http://www.dproducts.be/drake_museum/t-4x.htm
"FREQUENCY COVERAGE: 3.5 - 4.0 mc, 7.0 - 7.5 mc, 14.0 - 14.5 mc, 21.0 - 21.5 mc, and 28.5 - 29.0 mc with crystals supplied. Four accessory crystal sockets are provided for coverage of additional 500 Kc ranges between 1.8 and 30.0 mc with the following exceptions : 2.3 - 3.0 mc, 5.0 - 6.0 mc, and 10.5 - 12.0 mc."

R-4:
http://www.dproducts.be/drake_museum/r-4.htm
"Any ten 500 kc ranges between.l.5 and 30 Mc can be covered with accessory crystals for 180 meters, MARS, etc.(5.0-6.0 Mc not recommended)"

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Bud,
      A 12.6MHZ HC-6 crystal will put the T4X or R4B on 160M with accurate frequency tracking (1.5-2.0MHZ).
Regards,
            Joe Cro N3IBX

[wa2zdy]

And if you have a few pounds of gold in your pocket and a good nose for unobtanium, you might find an FS4 - the general coverage synthesiser for those twins.   I've seen two FS4's in my life.  One for sale at a price way beyond what I could justify, and one aboard the SS Cove Ranger where the R/O- a ham too -  used his B line and FS4 (illegally of course) in lieu of the absolute JUNK Cove Transportation called "HF gear."

[David, K3TUE]

WoodBox Radio (http://www.cqdx.it/woodbox/wbr-home.html) used to make something called a DDS-4, which had all the functionality of an FS-4 and more, but I don't see it on their site anymore.  You could consider emailing them.

[W2JBL]

 i used my T4XB on 160 all winter. nice transmitter and very easy to modify.  i don't think the T4X does 160 though. if you don't have 160 on the bandswitch it's not gonna fly down there.  if you want to lose the controlled carrier and get some really good AM out of the rig, see the mods for the T4 series elsewhere on this page. 

[W2JBL]

 Buddly- i was not sure about the T4X being 160 capable. i done learned somethin' today, HA! by the way, it's turkey season here. got my tag when i was up to camp last week, and Saturday morning spotted the biggest Tom i ever saw (musta' been 40 pounds and five feet beak to toe) crossing onto my land. something spooked him and he bolted when i was about halfway down on the trigger! found out later the old buzzard out at the end of the road had been feeding him all winter... if i'd have shot that bird i would have been run out of town. the old gent who was feeding him is the editor of the local paper.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

There is an aftermarket company that markets an LCD readout for Drake and Collins rigs. They cost about as much as what you'd be expected to pay for an original Drake "FS4"!
Joe N3IBX

[K1JJ]

http://www.amwindow.org/tech/htm/t4.htm


Here's the hi-fi AM mods for the T4-X.  They were engineered by Chris, KD2XA. I modified my own rig with them and it worked out great.  I've seen this sheet around on the Drake sites, so guess others are picking up on it too.

These mods basically convert the rig from controlled carrier to steady... and increase the audio response to hi-fi. It is amazingly easy to do. Clever job, Chris.

73,
T

[W8EJO]

There was also an AM mod (ring modulation) in March or April 2006 Electric Radio

[KC4HGH]

Chris! Quit tempting me!  I didn't get to hunt much this season!  DANG, what a monster he sounds to be!

Mark- is there any way I could get a copy of that article?  Sounds great!

[W2JBL]

   i used to work for a Drake dealer back in the 70's. we sold SPR-4 receivers, Drake marine SSB rigs , and commercial stuff. i allways wanted an FS-4, but giving it some thought i recall they were a tad noisy. they are however around, and at times reasonably priced. personally i would not pay more than about 150$ for one. the more modern DDS units are way better. by the way i found out last winter the Heising screen modulation mod for the T4X works a whole lot better if you substitute a 6AK6 for the stock 6AU6 modulator tube. you get cleaner audio and a lot more headroom. it's a plug and play, no changes needed. as to that big fat bird- i'll be back in the Adirondacks for fall turkey season and my friend at the other end of the mountain has a new smokehouse. i have seen this bird three seasons in a row and finally got a hunting license to get one. i'd rather eat him than see him end up as road kill out on RT28...

[WA1GFZ]

Chris,
I think that same bird flew over my truck while I was going 50 last weekend.
He was in full afterburner trying to climb over the windshield.
Cleared by 2 feet....almost needed to wipe

[KB2WIG]

I raced one with my  pickup a few years ago..  I beat him out around 30 mph......   klc

[K1JJ]

Coincidently, Yaz stirred up a big turkey today that was hiding in a nearby grass field. It was so big and fat it had trouble lifting off the ground. Yaz kept up with it for about 50'.

Yaz chased it into the woods for about 200 yards until giving up.

My neighbor down the road feeds them. The hunters got smart and now sit behind his house on state property and pick them off. He is POed about it, but nothing he can do.

T

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Hey Buddly. I have a guit-box you can take hunting.