Pat-
I am glad you like your R-8. Drake quite repairing any ham equipment
many,
many years ago. They will NOT work on anything ham wise that they made.
Last
I heard they are government and satellite only company.
My R-4C
has quite a few times and I had to do my own repairs. However, The last
time,
I finally gave up and took it to the shop, my eye site is almost gone.
Now, I Need to get the transmitter fixed so I can get back on the
air.
Is your beverage on the ground? I have never used or made a Beverage
antenna. I don’t have the space to put a good long one out in any direction. Is
yours terminated and how?
Your DX catches are great!. I would imagin that being near the salt water
helps. In 1967 I lived on Sullivans Island, SC. The DX was GREAT with a simple
antenna and ground. Great being surrounded by salt water.
Willis
> Hi Willis,
>
> Sorry it took me a while to get
through a zillion e mails. The IRCA list
> these days is busy.
> I
got my SPR4 from DXer Dave Williams that had not used it in 20
> years. It
just sat around. The audio output had died. It was bought at
> Portland
Radio about 1971 by Dave. Like you, he went in looking for a
> general
coverage SW receiver, but ended up buying the SPR4. Dave used it
> for
years, but got into Ham radio and just never used it for a long
> time. I
got it repaired, bought some extra crystals and found the noise
> blanker
board and bought one. Living 10 feet from an electric fence, all
> of my
receivers have noise blinkers.
>
> The R8? It is an excellent
receiver. Out here away from RF, with three 1
> KW locals in the whole
county, the receiver "sings". I have logged over
> 90 countries and many
with the R8. It works very well with the beverage,
> EWE, and all of my
other antennas I have tried with it. I have heard &
> QSL'd everything
from 1 watt carrier current college stations from CA
> and UT, 3 watt TIS
ones from Texas, two 10 watt TIS from VA, India,
> Nepal, Bangladesh,
filipinos, you name it. The ECSS mode is fantastic.
> There are R8s on the
used market and if this one ever quits, I would buy
> another in a minute.
Drake had very good receivers. I am sorry they
> closed up shop and quit
making the R8 series. I guess they do continue
> to repair them
though.
>
> 73,
>
> Patrick
>
> Patrick
Martin
> Seaside OR
> KAVT Reception
Manager