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-   -   NRD-515 vs Drake R7a (https://www.radiobanter.com/shortwave/94920-nrd-515-vs-drake-r7a.html)

John Berenyi May 21st 06 05:36 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?



dxAce May 21st 06 06:32 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 


John Berenyi wrote:

I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


I've had both and currently have an R7 here.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



John Plimmer May 21st 06 06:33 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
Whew! - what a choice - two of the best receivers ever made.
I think my money would be on the awesome R7A though, as if kitted out with
the right filters it's performance even today is really great.
It's synchro is also a wonderful feature and it's ability to get that really
faint far distant exotic DX is legendary.
A pal of mine has a R7a and on DXpeditions he always ran rings around us.
Unfortunately he has hung up his headphones, but refuses to sell his Drake.

A tough choice though.
--
John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8 & ERGO software
Sony 7600D GE SRIII
BW XCR 30, Braun T1000, Sangean 818 & 803A.
GE circa 50's radiogram
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop
http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx

"John Berenyi" wrote in message
...
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The
R7A has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also
use Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating
(lighlty) to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing.
They are both unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers.
What do you guys think?




BDK May 21st 06 07:02 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
In article ,
says...
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?




I have had both here, the 515 I've owned for over 20 years, it will
never leave. I borrowed my friend's fresh from Drake serviced R7a, and
while it might have slightly outperformed the 515, it's a PITA to use,
and I liked the audio even less than my 515 running through a cheap
stereo amp and a RS Minimus speaker, an dmy 515 doesn't sound all that
great.

I have had many SW receivers over the last 25 years, and the 515 is the
only one I would really miss. Even though it needs an alignment pretty
bad right now.

BDK

David May 21st 06 07:08 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
On Sun, 21 May 2006 10:36:54 -0600, "John Berenyi"
wrote:

I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


Which sounds better? Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?


dxAce May 21st 06 07:38 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 


David wrote:

On Sun, 21 May 2006 10:36:54 -0600, "John Berenyi"
wrote:

I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?


Not as much as you do.

dxAce
Michigan
USA




m II May 21st 06 07:45 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
dx(FMLAO)Ace wrote:

Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?



Not as much as you do.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



Your astounding, rapier like wit never ceases to amaze. A few more years
of practice and you may well become as talented as your mentor, cuhulin...




mike

David May 21st 06 07:50 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
On Sun, 21 May 2006 14:38:09 -0400, dxAce
wrote:



David wrote:

On Sun, 21 May 2006 10:36:54 -0600, "John Berenyi"
wrote:

I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?


Not as much as you do.

Man, I thoiught I was GPS lock steady. Can you point to a specific
deviation?


David May 21st 06 07:51 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
On Sun, 21 May 2006 18:45:26 GMT, m II wrote:

dx(FMLAO)Ace wrote:

Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?



Not as much as you do.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



Your astounding, rapier like wit never ceases to amaze. A few more years
of practice and you may well become as talented as your mentor, cuhulin...




mike

They say he's a wit and that's 50% correct.


dxAce May 21st 06 07:51 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7A
 


m II wrote:

dx(FMLAO)Ace wrote:

Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?



Not as much as you do.

dxAce
Michigan
USA


Your astounding, rapier like wit never ceases to amaze. A few more years
of practice and you may well become as talented as your mentor, cuhulin...


You dumbass Canucks are amazed easily, aren't you?

LMFAO

dxAce
Michigan
USA



Somebody Somewhere May 21st 06 08:15 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 

John Berenyi wrote:
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


Tough decision.

I have both. As far as performance goes, I think the R7 has the edge.
The R7 has a notch filter and the 515 doesn't. The R7 has a good noise
blanker, while the 515's noise blanker is generally useless. The R7
seems to be more sensitive at lower frequencies. However, the 515 is
built like a tank and should last longer. My R7 has had 2 component
failures already, while the 515 just keeps on truckin. New receivers
come and go, yet none of them seem to have the "magic" of the R7 and
515. Maybe it's because they're both real radios instead of computers
with RF circuitry thrown in.

If I were you, I'd keep them both. Otherwise, it's a coin toss.


dxAce May 21st 06 08:23 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 


Somebody Somewhere wrote:

John Berenyi wrote:
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


Tough decision.

I have both. As far as performance goes, I think the R7 has the edge.
The R7 has a notch filter and the 515 doesn't. The R7 has a good noise
blanker, while the 515's noise blanker is generally useless. The R7
seems to be more sensitive at lower frequencies. However, the 515 is
built like a tank and should last longer. My R7 has had 2 component
failures already, while the 515 just keeps on truckin. New receivers
come and go, yet none of them seem to have the "magic" of the R7 and
515. Maybe it's because they're both real radios instead of computers
with RF circuitry thrown in.


Just out of curiosity, what component failures have you had?

dxAce
Michigan
USA



John Barnard May 21st 06 08:27 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
m II wrote:
dx(FMLAO)Ace wrote:


Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?

Not as much as you do.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



Your astounding, rapier like wit never ceases to amaze. A few more years
of practice and you may well become as talented as your mentor, cuhulin...




mike


Dxdisgrace seems to have mimicked Cuhulin's "humping the pooch" act
rather well.

JB


dxAce May 21st 06 08:33 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 


John Barnard wrote:

m II wrote:
dx(FMLAO)Ace wrote:


Doesn't the Drake drift slightly?

Not as much as you do.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



Your astounding, rapier like wit never ceases to amaze. A few more years
of practice and you may well become as talented as your mentor, cuhulin...




mike


Dxdisgrace seems to have mimicked Cuhulin's "humping the pooch" act
rather well.


Ahhhhhhh... another dumbass Canuck heard from.

LMFAO

dxAce
Michigan
USA



Somebody Somewhere May 21st 06 08:48 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 

dxAce wrote:
Somebody Somewhere wrote:

John Berenyi wrote:
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?


Tough decision.

I have both. As far as performance goes, I think the R7 has the edge.
The R7 has a notch filter and the 515 doesn't. The R7 has a good noise
blanker, while the 515's noise blanker is generally useless. The R7
seems to be more sensitive at lower frequencies. However, the 515 is
built like a tank and should last longer. My R7 has had 2 component
failures already, while the 515 just keeps on truckin. New receivers
come and go, yet none of them seem to have the "magic" of the R7 and
515. Maybe it's because they're both real radios instead of computers
with RF circuitry thrown in.


Just out of curiosity, what component failures have you had?

dxAce
Michigan
USA


Something in the band switch circuitry and something driving some of
the LED segments (I forget the exact components, maybe a cap and an
IC?).


dxAce May 21st 06 08:52 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 


Somebody Somewhere wrote:

dxAce wrote:
Somebody Somewhere wrote:

John Berenyi wrote:
I have both these rigs fully accessorized. The 515 has the sherwood
filters, speaker, keypad controller, memory unit, 10-turn pot, etc. The R7A
has speaker and all the Drake filters for SWLing and the RV75. I also use
Sherwood's SE-3 Synch Detector with both rigs. I'm contemplating (lighlty)
to sell one of them but I"m having a hard time with choosing. They are both
unique in their own way. Both are 5-Star rated receivers. What do you guys
think?

Tough decision.

I have both. As far as performance goes, I think the R7 has the edge.
The R7 has a notch filter and the 515 doesn't. The R7 has a good noise
blanker, while the 515's noise blanker is generally useless. The R7
seems to be more sensitive at lower frequencies. However, the 515 is
built like a tank and should last longer. My R7 has had 2 component
failures already, while the 515 just keeps on truckin. New receivers
come and go, yet none of them seem to have the "magic" of the R7 and
515. Maybe it's because they're both real radios instead of computers
with RF circuitry thrown in.


Just out of curiosity, what component failures have you had?

dxAce
Michigan
USA


Something in the band switch circuitry and something driving some of
the LED segments (I forget the exact components, maybe a cap and an
IC?).


OK. I had a diode go out in the power supply of my original R7.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



[email protected] May 22nd 06 02:53 AM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 

John Berenyi wrote:
If I were you, I'd keep them both. Otherwise, it's a coin toss.



I hear ya. Its almost like you have to keep both...its that hard of a
decision. One thing some people don't know unless they have the SE-3 and
used it; the R7A's passband tuning works with the Sherwood SE-3 Synch
Detector. It does not work with the 515. This is all due to the design
limitations of the 515.


This is one of the beautiful things about the R7(a) and SE-3 combo that
has to be experienced to be appreciated. That alone should make your
decision for you.
Keep the Drake.
Never heard a 515, but the audio on the R7 sure isn't anything special.
Probably the only flaw in the whole rig.
Just out of curiosity, what filter bandwidths do you have in the Drake?


[email protected] May 22nd 06 02:54 AM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 

John Berenyi wrote:
If I were you, I'd keep them both. Otherwise, it's a coin toss.



I hear ya. Its almost like you have to keep both...its that hard of a
decision. One thing some people don't know unless they have the SE-3 and
used it; the R7A's passband tuning works with the Sherwood SE-3 Synch
Detector. It does not work with the 515. This is all due to the design
limitations of the 515.


This is one of the beautiful things about the R7(a) and SE-3 combo that
has to be experienced to be appreciated. That alone should make your
decision for you.
Keep the Drake.
Never heard a 515, but the audio on the R7 sure isn't anything special.
Probably the only flaw in the whole rig.
Just out of curiosity, what filter bandwidths do you have in the Drake?


m II May 22nd 06 04:27 AM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7A vs dxAce:IQ73
 
dx(FMLAO on the first day after the weekend and just before Monday)Ace
wrote:

Your astounding, rapier like wit never ceases to amaze. A few more years
of practice and you may well become as talented as your mentor, cuhulin...


You dumbass Canucks are amazed easily, aren't you?

LMFAO



Very true.

In your case I am completely amazed by almost nothing. Amazing what
absolutely no substance or worth can do for my enjoyment. I think of you
as the Homeopathy of Humour. You've been diluted so far that any
semblance to humanity and good fun is long gone.



mike

dxace1 May 22nd 06 05:03 AM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
As have many of us, I have settled on the R7(A) and 515 as
two of my keepers. The 515 is extraordinarily sensitive and
I believe even more than the R7A. But the R7 has so many
tuning options, including the amazing Passband, notch and
selectivity options, that it makes DXing a breeze. I have
never minded the ergonomics of the R7 that much. The addition
of a RV75, which has become one of the rarest items on
Ebay, improves thing a lot with the R7.

Would be interest in finding out from other 515 owners if anyone
has located the master oscillator adjustment pot (if there is
one) as I would like to bring my 515 smack on frequency.


BDK May 22nd 06 05:24 PM

NRD-515 vs Drake R7a
 
In article .com,
says...
As have many of us, I have settled on the R7(A) and 515 as
two of my keepers. The 515 is extraordinarily sensitive and
I believe even more than the R7A. But the R7 has so many
tuning options, including the amazing Passband, notch and
selectivity options, that it makes DXing a breeze. I have
never minded the ergonomics of the R7 that much. The addition
of a RV75, which has become one of the rarest items on
Ebay, improves thing a lot with the R7.

Would be interest in finding out from other 515 owners if anyone
has located the master oscillator adjustment pot (if there is
one) as I would like to bring my 515 smack on frequency.



Mine is maybe 10 hz off, but my main problem is my PBT is off quite a
bit, in USB, I have to set it to about 2'oclock (I have the knobpot mod,
the stock fine tune detent drove me up the wall), or the audio is bad,
or there's a het. On LSB, it's even worse. I was thinking about just
trying to set it by ear, and see how close I can get.



I should just go and buy a decent freq counter and do it the right way..

BDK


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