denny wrote:
Anyone have any thoughts or experience with either the Drake R8B
compared to the Icom R71A (with mods), which do you think would be the
better receiver?

In the end, they are probaly so close that IMHO, you should consider the
ergonomics and other "features". The ICOM is based upon a long line of
radios and has the ergonomics of a radio, e.g. lots of knobs and switches.

The Drakeis based more upon their line of satellite TV receivers and
while it has the perfomance from a long line of high quality
communications equipment, it has the ergonmics of a modern TV receiver.
E.g. lots of buttons and indicators.

I prefer the older style ergonmics, you might prefer the modern style.
If you plan to control the radio via a computer, the Drake allows you
to control more functions, the ICOM less. The ICOM needs an RS-232 to
TTL converter, the Drake has an RS-232 port in it already.

As for reliability, the ICOM has one "gotcha". The programing for the
microprocessor is loaded into battery backed up RAM, instead of EPROM.
Eventually the battery dies and the radio has to go back to ICOM for
reprograming. Until then the radio is unusable. You can buy a third
party upgrade kit which replaces the RAM with an EPROM.

Just to stir things up, I suggest that you also consider the
Kenwood R-5000 too.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM