Re: [IRCA] Drake R8A MW listening

["Bob Foxworth" <rfoxwor1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Hello, I recently got a Drake R8A. For shortwave listening it's
> miles better and more interesting than anything else I've seen,
> but I can't get much besides noise on MW stations.
> 
> One night I broke through and all the MW stations were receiving.
> It made me so excited I thought I'd sell all my other radios.
> But the next night I couldn't find anything again.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions to offer?
> 
> thanks
> Lenny Silver


Lenny, there are a number of things I could think of that
are possibilities. It's unfortunate that, in order to be able
to describe the problem in some detail (for diagnosis),
you basically have to already know enough to be able to fix it.

One thought is mis-adjustment of the panel switches.
This could be anything like a gain control, a filter, or a
bandswitch. I don't think that is very likely, however.

Another possibility is the improper operation of a panel
control (a gain control, filter, bandswitch, mode switch)
that is not doing what you think it should be doing, because
it is broken. Then, just jiggling it makes it work | not work.

When you speak of noise (on MW) (and not just total dead
silence), it sounds like the audio part of the set is
working properly. A likely problem, from what you've
said, is a loose or broken antenna connection. Since
you say SW works and MW does not work (except one
time) it would help to know if these are fed by different
connectors or input jacks.

It is possible to have a single antenna with a flaky connection
that works well enough -- on SW -- to allow signal through,
but is cutting out on MW.

The first thing I would do is to rebuild all your antenna
input wiring, and verify that the connections to the
receiver antenna input jacks are both made correctly, and
are going to the proper connector. I know some sets have
different antenna connectors, such as a coax jack AND a
screw terminal set. I honestly do not know what the R8A
has for connectors, so can't offer much help there. If
you are using a coax antenna jack, make absolutely sure
that the coax braid is not rubbing against the center wire.

A common problem is that the heat from soldering will melt
the center plastic dielectric enough so that they move and short
together, intermittently, and this will create exactly the symptom
you describe.

Good luck,

I. B. (Izzy) Normal

aka Bob


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