Drake has better quality control than JRC? Heresy!

"Bill Hennessy" wrote in message
m...
Both are very good. But I would go with the Drake. Better performance.
Better quality control.

Bill, N5NOB

I remember the 545 as having ultimate rejection problems, and JRC not having
any intention to fix them. This was a few years back. Did they resolve that
issue?
My favorite JRC radio was the NRD515. Too bad the used price shot up so
high.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In your opinion which radio is better?

The JRC NRD-545 or the Drake R8B?

Please explain why you think it is better. It is a tuff decission
deciding which to purchase.


The 545.

The Drake isn't bad, but it's very cheap feeling, and looking too, IMO.

JRC has the best ergonomics of about any company out there, you will be
using the radio you buy many hours, and that's where JRC has a huge
edge, and the Drake loses here big time. The controls are badly (again,
my opinion) laid out, the display is "plain" at best, actually I think
it's really ugly. The case and front panel are very cheap looking, the
JRC is built like a tank, with excellent fit and finish. And once you
get the hang of it, it's a pleasure to use, even with all the extra
features. Is it perfect? No, but it's about as right, looks and layout
wise as you could ask for in a non Govt bought radio.

As far as performance goes, if you listen to AM programs, the Drake does
sound better. I dont listen to them much, I mostly listen to Ute's and
the 545 is the king. If only I could afford one. I have spent a lot of
hours playing with a friend's 545, and have spent a lot of time with
another friend's R8A and R8B. I was never tempted to buy either one. The
545 is something I want, and want badly.

For digital and SSB modes, the 545 is the way to go, especially the
later production ones.

You owe yourself a trip to Universal to play with both.

BDK

In article FwtIb.261170$Ec1.9025498@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
I remember the 545 as having ultimate rejection problems, and JRC not having
any intention to fix them. This was a few years back. Did they resolve that
issue?
My favorite JRC radio was the NRD515. Too bad the used price shot up so
high.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In your opinion which radio is better?

The JRC NRD-545 or the Drake R8B?

Please explain why you think it is better. It is a tuff decission
deciding which to purchase.


The 545.

The Drake isn't bad, but it's very cheap feeling, and looking too, IMO.

JRC has the best ergonomics of about any company out there, you will be
using the radio you buy many hours, and that's where JRC has a huge
edge, and the Drake loses here big time. The controls are badly (again,
my opinion) laid out, the display is "plain" at best, actually I think
it's really ugly. The case and front panel are very cheap looking, the
JRC is built like a tank, with excellent fit and finish. And once you
get the hang of it, it's a pleasure to use, even with all the extra
features. Is it perfect? No, but it's about as right, looks and layout
wise as you could ask for in a non Govt bought radio.

As far as performance goes, if you listen to AM programs, the Drake does
sound better. I dont listen to them much, I mostly listen to Ute's and
the 545 is the king. If only I could afford one. I have spent a lot of
hours playing with a friend's 545, and have spent a lot of time with
another friend's R8A and R8B. I was never tempted to buy either one. The
545 is something I want, and want badly.

For digital and SSB modes, the 545 is the way to go, especially the
later production ones.

You owe yourself a trip to Universal to play with both.

BDK




There's a nice one on ebay right now...

BDK

In article FwtIb.261170$Ec1.9025498@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
I remember the 545 as having ultimate rejection problems, and JRC not having
any intention to fix them. This was a few years back. Did they resolve that
issue?
My favorite JRC radio was the NRD515. Too bad the used price shot up so
high.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In your opinion which radio is better?

The JRC NRD-545 or the Drake R8B?

Please explain why you think it is better. It is a tuff decission
deciding which to purchase.


The 545.

The Drake isn't bad, but it's very cheap feeling, and looking too, IMO.

JRC has the best ergonomics of about any company out there, you will be
using the radio you buy many hours, and that's where JRC has a huge
edge, and the Drake loses here big time. The controls are badly (again,
my opinion) laid out, the display is "plain" at best, actually I think
it's really ugly. The case and front panel are very cheap looking, the
JRC is built like a tank, with excellent fit and finish. And once you
get the hang of it, it's a pleasure to use, even with all the extra
features. Is it perfect? No, but it's about as right, looks and layout
wise as you could ask for in a non Govt bought radio.

As far as performance goes, if you listen to AM programs, the Drake does
sound better. I dont listen to them much, I mostly listen to Ute's and
the 545 is the king. If only I could afford one. I have spent a lot of
hours playing with a friend's 545, and have spent a lot of time with
another friend's R8A and R8B. I was never tempted to buy either one. The
545 is something I want, and want badly.

For digital and SSB modes, the 545 is the way to go, especially the
later production ones.

You owe yourself a trip to Universal to play with both.

BDK




I know there is is a mod to the 545 that minimizes the "Monkey Chatter",
I think that FL2 (A sugar cube sized "filter") is replaced, if I
remember right. It's supposed to help a lot. I dont really care what it
does on AM, I used it in the SSB/Rtty/Fax modes for a long time before I
ever noticed it. I love my 515, I will keep it till I die....

BDK

Bill Hennessy wrote:
Both are very good. But I would go with the Drake. Better
performance. Better quality control.

Bill, N5NOB

I own a Drake and an NRD and I have never heard anything negative about
Japan Radio's quality control. They build their radios like tanks!

--
Brian Denley
http://home.comcast.net/~b.denley/index.html

I don't know about now but, 25 years ago, Japan manufacturers tested evey
single component individually, using mom and pop test shops. Each shop would
test a certain item, thus adding to the efficiency and reliability of the
testing. U.S. mfrs, though, only spot checked stuff -- one out of 100, or 1000,
etc.

U.S. mfrs had also run into trouble using lab-precision parts instead of
production tolerance parts when a device was designed.

Bill, K5BY

BH [N5NOB],

Here we go again "Quality Control"
The JRC NRD-545 -=V=- The Drake R8B

Quality Control {Process Control}
is based upon Statistical Evidence [.]

? ? ? DO YOU HAVE ANY ? ? ?

Please Respond with 'your' "Facts".
I Want To Know - Please Enlighten Me !

oind... ~ RHF
= = = Old Inspectors Never Die... They Simply Check-Out !
..
..
= = = "Bill Hennessy"
= = = wrote in message om...
Both are very good.
But I would go with the Drake.
Better performance.
Better quality control.

Bill, N5NOB

..

That's good that they fixed it...........from your description, it sounds
like something similar to a Murata CFU-455 4-element filter was originally
used. It looks like a pretty cool radio.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article FwtIb.261170$Ec1.9025498@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
I remember the 545 as having ultimate rejection problems, and JRC not
having
any intention to fix them. This was a few years back. Did they resolve
that
issue?
My favorite JRC radio was the NRD515. Too bad the used price shot up so
high.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In your opinion which radio is better?

The JRC NRD-545 or the Drake R8B?

Please explain why you think it is better. It is a tuff decission
deciding which to purchase.


The 545.

The Drake isn't bad, but it's very cheap feeling, and looking too,
IMO.

JRC has the best ergonomics of about any company out there, you will
be
using the radio you buy many hours, and that's where JRC has a huge
edge, and the Drake loses here big time. The controls are badly
(again,
my opinion) laid out, the display is "plain" at best, actually I think
it's really ugly. The case and front panel are very cheap looking, the
JRC is built like a tank, with excellent fit and finish. And once you
get the hang of it, it's a pleasure to use, even with all the extra
features. Is it perfect? No, but it's about as right, looks and layout
wise as you could ask for in a non Govt bought radio.

As far as performance goes, if you listen to AM programs, the Drake
does
sound better. I dont listen to them much, I mostly listen to Ute's and
the 545 is the king. If only I could afford one. I have spent a lot of
hours playing with a friend's 545, and have spent a lot of time with
another friend's R8A and R8B. I was never tempted to buy either one.
The
545 is something I want, and want badly.

For digital and SSB modes, the 545 is the way to go, especially the
later production ones.

You owe yourself a trip to Universal to play with both.

BDK




I know there is is a mod to the 545 that minimizes the "Monkey Chatter",
I think that FL2 (A sugar cube sized "filter") is replaced, if I
remember right. It's supposed to help a lot. I dont really care what it
does on AM, I used it in the SSB/Rtty/Fax modes for a long time before I
ever noticed it. I love my 515, I will keep it till I die....

BDK