This hobby is about experimenting with gear, rigs, technical solutions, antennas, modes, feedlines and everything else that makes this hobby the most fascinating in the world.
I don't think about myself as a collector, but experience has learned me that I am. I had good memories abot Drake from the time when I first got my licence, and wanted to try it out once more. The Drakes hold a fascination for me as they are the peak ham radio equipment of its time.
So I bought a TR-4Cw and found out I hadn't got the time to use it or align it properly. It wasn't really necessary to align it, but there you are, when you own a Drake you will want to look what's underneath the surface. And the radios of this era isn't that hard to understand. They haven't got a million SMCs and scaring ICs wit everything from 4 to 80 pins!
The are made with tubes that glow in the dark, and they smell of
RADIO!
But I got scared as I watched some of my friends who are collectors of various items and decided rather abruptly that I didn't want to end up like them, so the TR-4Cw was sold and I was happy for having avoided the disaster for approximately 14 days. I then bought the B-line "twins", and was definitely on the hook!
Now I own two B-lines, a TR-4 (late s/n) and a TR-4Cw (Yes, you guess correctly, I bought it back!) I also have a L-4B and a couple of MN-2000s.
I also find some amusement in microphones, and have a number of Turners. The Turner story is a fascinating one, and the microphones are very well suited to the Drakes.
This website will be about Drakes, but also about some more modern equipment, when I can get the time to do the job. I will try to present the various resources I have found on the internet regards Drake. From time to time I also have something to sell, and it will be presented here.
I also have a more modern setup, a Kenwood TS-850 SAT with Yaesu FL-7000 linear amp and Icom AT500 Automatic antenna tuner. Picture will come. Mic is MC-60.
And my antennas. I was lucky and got hold of a
telescopic tilt-over mast, a Hy-Gain TH-5 DX and I built a six element yagi for
6 meters. The rotor is an old HAM IV from Hy-Gain.
In addition I have some wire antennas: Full size double
bazooka for 160m, W3DZZ for 80-40-20-15-(10) and dipoles for 17m and 30 m.
The man himself in the shack. --->
<-- The Tower