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-   -   Drake R8-B (https://www.radiobanter.com/shortwave/39275-drake-r8-b.html)

Telamon November 29th 03 10:21 PM

In article
. rogers.com,
"Peter" wrote:

"David" wrote in message
...
The 13 Volt input connects (through a diode) to the DC rail in the
Power Supply, upstream from all the regulators, downstream from the
full wave bridge. It is always connected.

The regulators would draw power from both the AC/transformer/bridge
and from the battery/diode if both were hooked up.

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 21:06:54 GMT, "Peter"
wrote:

I have a question about this radio. If I plug the AC jack in the
wall and I have the 12 volt connection

hooked
up to a battery as a power failure backup will it damage the
radio? Is

there
an internal switch to protect it from both sources being connected
at the same time?


I got a response from Drake this morning. Here it is:

"There is a diode switch to protect each area so there should be no
problem. Shane "

I tried it and it seems to work fine.


The diode would make it safe to connect the battery to the DC terminals
with the internal AC supply operating.

What will determine if current from the battery is drawn while the AC
supply is operating are the voltages of each at the diode-summing
junction since there is no current share connection between them.

If the battery voltage is even slightly below the AC supply voltage no
current should flow from the battery and at the same time the internal
AC supply can't recharge the external battery either so to keep it
charged you will need an additional external AC supply.

As soon as the internal AC supply voltage falls below the battery
voltage then current will be drawn from the battery.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

RadioGuy November 30th 03 12:55 AM


starman wrote in message
...
RadioGuy wrote:

Hi Steve, I've been away for awhile... happy to see you are still here;

lots
of folks have left it seems.

Yea... halfbaked... you know me... remember that long thread years back
where we picked at the R8B? I still haven't changed my mind about it!

My
R8B gets a serious workout; it's on everyday and sometimes all day too.
Over the years since I had it little glitches keep coming up. I've

reached
the point where it might be a cheaper to trade it in on a new one

instead of
sending it back to Drake for repair---labor was $70.00/hour a couple of
years ago, maybe more now. Besides, every time it comes back there is a

new
ding here and there.

Problems I notice now is drifting of the notch, passband control has

slowly
moved off center, some crystal must have drifted off frequency as I get

a
beat when it should be zero beat in LSB and USB mode during exalted

carrier
reception and a quirk that comes and goes---It take a couple of three
seconds to get audio after the receiver is turned on and sometimes I

have to
crank the audio gain way up to get it to go. I just don't feel exicited
about trouble shooting it myself.

BTW, I guess it's been a year since I did a clean job on the
encoder/switch. Everything is running fine. I am really beginning to

think
its the grease that the encoder/switch is packed with that is the

problem
with the premature failing of the control that folks are

experiencing---you
might have read my analysis a year ago. I cleaned mine with DeoxIT and
lightly lubed it with CaiLube---that's after I cleaned all the grease

out of
it.

Best Regards,

RG


My R8B has been quite reliable except for the notorious encoder wheel
too. I agree that the factory lube seems to be the problem. After
thoroughly cleaning it and relubing with 'Super-Lube' (a synthetic
grease) I've had no further problems with the encoder for over a year
now. Do you power your R8B with AC or DC? I use a 12-V regulated supply.
The radio is usually on all day and most of the evening. It runs quite
cool on DC. How old is yours? Mine was made in late 2000.


Howdy Starman, I remember swapping email with you; I've been away for
awhile.

My R8B was bought back in January,1998. If I remember how to read the
serial number mine was made in 1997.

I run the receiver off the mains but use battery when we loose power (which
is often in summer during the monsoon).

RG



Peter November 30th 03 01:10 AM

How do you find the year it was made in the serial #?

I hooked mine up to a wheelchair 12v battery. They are filled with gel and
can be charged indoors without fumes.


Pierre
"RadioGuy" wrote in message
...

starman wrote in message
...
RadioGuy wrote:

Hi Steve, I've been away for awhile... happy to see you are still

here;
lots
of folks have left it seems.

Yea... halfbaked... you know me... remember that long thread years

back
where we picked at the R8B? I still haven't changed my mind about it!

My
R8B gets a serious workout; it's on everyday and sometimes all day

too.
Over the years since I had it little glitches keep coming up. I've

reached
the point where it might be a cheaper to trade it in on a new one

instead of
sending it back to Drake for repair---labor was $70.00/hour a couple

of
years ago, maybe more now. Besides, every time it comes back there is

a
new
ding here and there.

Problems I notice now is drifting of the notch, passband control has

slowly
moved off center, some crystal must have drifted off frequency as I

get
a
beat when it should be zero beat in LSB and USB mode during exalted

carrier
reception and a quirk that comes and goes---It take a couple of three
seconds to get audio after the receiver is turned on and sometimes I

have to
crank the audio gain way up to get it to go. I just don't feel

exicited
about trouble shooting it myself.

BTW, I guess it's been a year since I did a clean job on the
encoder/switch. Everything is running fine. I am really beginning to

think
its the grease that the encoder/switch is packed with that is the

problem
with the premature failing of the control that folks are

experiencing---you
might have read my analysis a year ago. I cleaned mine with DeoxIT

and
lightly lubed it with CaiLube---that's after I cleaned all the grease

out of
it.

Best Regards,

RG


My R8B has been quite reliable except for the notorious encoder wheel
too. I agree that the factory lube seems to be the problem. After
thoroughly cleaning it and relubing with 'Super-Lube' (a synthetic
grease) I've had no further problems with the encoder for over a year
now. Do you power your R8B with AC or DC? I use a 12-V regulated supply.
The radio is usually on all day and most of the evening. It runs quite
cool on DC. How old is yours? Mine was made in late 2000.


Howdy Starman, I remember swapping email with you; I've been away for
awhile.

My R8B was bought back in January,1998. If I remember how to read the
serial number mine was made in 1997.

I run the receiver off the mains but use battery when we loose power

(which
is often in summer during the monsoon).

RG





RadioGuy November 30th 03 01:25 AM


Peter wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
How do you find the year it was made in the serial #?


Howdy Teleamon...

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong... It's the first digit in the
serial number. For instance, 7Lxxxxxxxx is 1997 manufacture date.

RG



Peter November 30th 03 01:34 AM

Mine is *2J1294etc...
It was made in 2002. Does the J mean it was made in the 10th month, October?

Pierre
"RadioGuy" wrote in message
...

Peter wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
How do you find the year it was made in the serial #?


Howdy Teleamon...

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong... It's the first digit in the
serial number. For instance, 7Lxxxxxxxx is 1997 manufacture date.

RG





RadioGuy November 30th 03 01:46 AM


Peter wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Mine is *2J1294etc...
It was made in 2002. Does the J mean it was made in the 10th month,

October?

You know I think you are right... J is October and my L is December.

The 1294 is the model number and is the same as mine---interesting... no
changes to the R8B between December 1997 and October 2002.

Gosh... it's been a long time... I just can't be sure about it.

RG



Telamon November 30th 03 06:54 AM

In article
,
"RadioGuy" wrote:

Peter wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
How do you find the year it was made in the serial #?


Howdy Teleamon...

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong... It's the first digit in the
serial number. For instance, 7Lxxxxxxxx is 1997 manufacture date.


According to thread posted earlier this year between N8KDV and Al
Patrick you are right about the year. The "L" denotes the month December
the "L" being the "12" letter in the alphabet and if you have an R8B the
next four digits are 1294, which is the model number.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

craigm November 30th 03 03:42 PM


"RadioGuy" wrote in message
...

Peter wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Mine is *2J1294etc...
It was made in 2002. Does the J mean it was made in the 10th month,

October?

You know I think you are right... J is October and my L is December.

The 1294 is the model number and is the same as mine---interesting... no
changes to the R8B between December 1997 and October 2002.

Gosh... it's been a long time... I just can't be sure about it.

RG



That the model number is the same means little w.r.t. changes. Since there
is a manufacturing date included, thre could be design changes every month.

I know for a fact there was a design change between "9L" and "1I". The RF
boards are different.

craigm



RadioGuy November 30th 03 06:22 PM


craigm wrote in message
...

"RadioGuy" wrote in message
...

Peter wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Mine is *2J1294etc...
It was made in 2002. Does the J mean it was made in the 10th month,

October?

You know I think you are right... J is October and my L is December.

The 1294 is the model number and is the same as mine---interesting... no
changes to the R8B between December 1997 and October 2002.

Gosh... it's been a long time... I just can't be sure about it.

RG



That the model number is the same means little w.r.t. changes. Since there
is a manufacturing date included, thre could be design changes every

month.

I know for a fact there was a design change between "9L" and "1I". The RF
boards are different.

craigm


Thanks for the reply.

What is 'w.r.t.' ? I haven't seen that one.

BTW, is there a listing of design changes made by Drake to the R8B over its
history?

RG





starman November 30th 03 10:52 PM

craigm wrote:

That the model number is the same means little w.r.t. changes. Since there
is a manufacturing date included, thre could be design changes every month.

I know for a fact there was a design change between "9L" and "1I". The RF
boards are different.

craigm


They changed the FM section.


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