In article ,
dxAce wrote:

WHY DISCONTINUE DRAKE R8B

Say it isn't so! The Drake R8B general coverage communications
receiver is discontinued. Tom Walsh K1TW of Boston Area DXers called
the R.L.Drake Company; "A very sympathetic Drake sales person
explained the decision was based on economics. As I understand it,
the decision to discontinue is based on several factors. (1) The
supply of parts used in the current design has dwindled to where Drake
can no longer sustain new production. (2) Therefore, in order to
maintain the R8 in their line, they would have had to redesign a
significant part of the radio because of a shortage of parts for the
older design. The engineering costs are too high to do that. (3) The
demand for HF shortwave receivers has fallen. I felt the person I
talked with at Drake was as sad as I that this day had arrived. He
understood this is still one of the finest receivers in the market at
this price." (via Bruce Conti, NRC IDXD March 25 via DXLD)

This was going to happen eventually. The receiver at some point will
have to be re-engineered to use new components even if the design
remains the same.

Generally the march of component improvement is a move to smaller and
more highly integrated parts so radios can be smaller and consume less
power for the same or better performance.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California