Sorry for you. At this time no modifications are available for the R8B
flaws [synthesizer phase noise,background hiss,birdies,cheapy
encoder,K'mart keypad ect ect

I am, like DeWayne, the happy owner of an R75, AND I owned a Drake R8B for
three years. The R8B is an awesome receiver, and the problems you're blowing
all out of proportion are as DeWayne says, minor and infrequent (I never ONCE
had a problem with the encoder or tuning knob)...
I have been following your (Kenneth's) current run of tirades for a few days
now, and don't really know what your point has been all along.
Yes, I tend to champion the R75 when discussing it with fellow (or soon-to-be)
SWL's for its price range, performance, and overall flexibility for most users.
I enjoy electronics and enhancing my gear if needed, and enjoyed thoroughly the
process of upgrading the R75 to a more capable receiver than it already was. I
did everything myself and spent MAYBE another $40 after all was said and done,
so FOR ME and MY wallet, it was a great choice of radio.
But that doesn't mean I excuse Icom for making some poor choices in components
and circuit design, nor do I excuse them for advertising as *working* a few
features which simply *don't work* without fixing by the user or Kiwa. Does
this mean I hate the radio? Hell no.
I take Telamon's (and others who feel as he does) opinions and comments to be
sincere and well-meaning, and accurate. There ARE plenty of SWL's who won't
spend $500 for a radio they need to spend either more money or more time on to
get working as advertised, and I can't blame them. And I don't see them flaming
ME for WANTING to own and enhance the radio, do I? He's just stating his
educated opinion and HIS personal preference for purchasing the radios HE wants
to use, based on what I find to be sound reasoning. Why, therefore, do you
INSIST on arguing with people who don't want to own an R75?
The Drake R8B also has its fair share of detractors, but unlike your posts
here, they tend to state a few LOGICAL reasons why they don't wish to buy an
R8B, any one of which makes SENSE compared to your 'facts' given here. And even
if the R8B's 'flaws' were indeed numerous and frequent, HOW IN HELL does that
have ANY effect on anyone's opinion of how well-made the R75 is?
Apples/oranges, who cares?
How can Telamon be 'wrong' in having a preference in radios? How can YOU be
'right' for owning an R75? It seems to me like you're rather sophomorically
creating and extending an argument for no other reason than to 'defend'
something which needs no defense (a radio product) or simply watch yourself
type.
Like a few teen-minded defenders of some dubious radio products in this
newsgroup's past (can anyone say TT?) you're being ridiculous, and show it more
with every heated, self-defensive post about differing OPINIONS and
preferences.
I would give you the same advice I have received and have given others:
Quit looking for black-and-white in radios. It will NEVER exist.
Linus