I am thinking of getting ride of my Drake R8 which I have had for
about 13 years and buying a JRC NRD-545.
Would you do it? If so why or why not.
Please don't recommend the r75 or the AOR7030+. I have already ruled
them out.

Dear Sir,

Unless there is something radically wrong with your Drake R8, I see no
real reason to "get rid" of it in favor of any other radio, other than
just being "tired" of it. (Note that many people "get tired" of their
possessions. People like me, who keep equipment for decades, are rare.
I still own [and occasionally use] my Lafayette Model HE-10
Communications Receiver/HE-11 Loudspeaker which soon will be 45 years
old, though, of course, I routinely use a much more modern table-top
receiver; most of my "hi-fi" equipment was purchased in the 1980s and
my system still sounds as good to my ears as anything else I have
heard, regardless of price.)

I believe that if it was top-quality "then," it is still top-quality
"now." (This would not be accurate if new technological advances were
incorporated in a newer piece of equipment, but this does not apply to
the R8/NRD-545 comparison, DSP processing notwithstanding.)

I do not believe the JRC NRD-545 would satisfy you any more than does
the Drake with the exception of the "good feeling" one gets when one
buys a new toy.

But that "good feeling" generally passes quickly.

And consider that there is also the possibility of "buyer's remorse"
which is actually far more common than generally acknowledged.

If you consider logically, the performance of a properly-working Drake
R8 should perform as well as a JRC NRD-545, and probably even better,
certainly in the opinion of those who review for PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND
RADIO (they gave the R8 in all its incarnations "5 stars" and the
NRD-545 "4½ stars") and there are several other considerations.

Should your Drake need service, it is quite easy to ship it to Drake in
Ohio. They have a superb repair facility and offer fair prices and very
quick turnaround. While Drake no longer manufactures shortwave radios,
the company appears to be healthy and should therefore be "with us" for
quite some long period of time. Also, if you took the precaution of
buying the service and repair manual for your radio, this would make
having repairs effected locally practical.

The JRC NRD-545 has been recently discontinued and the company appears
to be in some financial difficulty. Plus its main office is located in
Japan. This is a situation which should be a cause for concern, or at
least major consideration.

My recommendation to you is: if your radio is in need of even minor
service, send it to Drake right now. If it does not need any service,
then so much the better. Once you have your Drake R8 in first-class
shape, investigate and invest in a new, possibly better, antenna, or,
if your antenna is already excellent, then add a second antenna. (One
can't have too many of them!)

We're in the doldrums of shortwave reception, this being the "bottom"
of Sunspot Cycle 23 and reception will not be as good this season as it
will be within a couple years from now. Of course, reception in
difficult conditions is the entire reason for having a top-notch
table-model shortwave radio in the first place, along with a top-notch
antenna (and remember that the antenna is ALWAYS much more important
than the radio!). With a "top" combination, you'll hear as much as is
possible to hear. (My reception this season, with my table-top, has
been really excellent, much better than I had anticipated, though
please take note of the fact that I live on the US East Coast, an area
in which SW signals are stronger than on the West Coast. However, my
portables are, relatively speaking, "dead.")

Frankly, regarding your receiver, I really don't think you could do any
better. You already own one of the very best. Putting it in first-class
shape, if actually necessary, is far less costly than buying a new
radio. You could invest the money saved into a new antenna or even a
new portable, and you'd still probably have a lot left over!

Obviously, the above is my opinion only.

Best,

Joe

I Love LA wrote:
I am thinking of getting ride of my Drake R8 which I have had for
about 13 years and buying a JRC NRD-545.
Would you do it? If so why or why not.
Please don't recommend the r75 or the AOR7030+. I have already ruled
them out.

As usual Joe, there is no arguing with your logic.
I too cannot imagine getting rid of something!




"Joe Analssandrini" wrote in message
ups.com...
Dear Sir,

Unless there is something radically wrong with your Drake R8, I see no
real reason to "get rid" of it in favor of any other radio, other than
just being "tired" of it. (Note that many people "get tired" of their
possessions. People like me, who keep equipment for decades, are rare.
I still own [and occasionally use] my Lafayette Model HE-10
Communications Receiver/HE-11 Loudspeaker which soon will be 45 years
old, though, of course, I routinely use a much more modern table-top
receiver; most of my "hi-fi" equipment was purchased in the 1980s and
my system still sounds as good to my ears as anything else I have
heard, regardless of price.)

I believe that if it was top-quality "then," it is still top-quality
"now." (This would not be accurate if new technological advances were
incorporated in a newer piece of equipment, but this does not apply to
the R8/NRD-545 comparison, DSP processing notwithstanding.)

I do not believe the JRC NRD-545 would satisfy you any more than does
the Drake with the exception of the "good feeling" one gets when one
buys a new toy.

But that "good feeling" generally passes quickly.

And consider that there is also the possibility of "buyer's remorse"
which is actually far more common than generally acknowledged.

If you consider logically, the performance of a properly-working Drake
R8 should perform as well as a JRC NRD-545, and probably even better,
certainly in the opinion of those who review for PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND
RADIO (they gave the R8 in all its incarnations "5 stars" and the
NRD-545 "4½ stars") and there are several other considerations.

Should your Drake need service, it is quite easy to ship it to Drake in
Ohio. They have a superb repair facility and offer fair prices and very
quick turnaround. While Drake no longer manufactures shortwave radios,
the company appears to be healthy and should therefore be "with us" for
quite some long period of time. Also, if you took the precaution of
buying the service and repair manual for your radio, this would make
having repairs effected locally practical.

The JRC NRD-545 has been recently discontinued and the company appears
to be in some financial difficulty. Plus its main office is located in
Japan. This is a situation which should be a cause for concern, or at
least major consideration.

My recommendation to you is: if your radio is in need of even minor
service, send it to Drake right now. If it does not need any service,
then so much the better. Once you have your Drake R8 in first-class
shape, investigate and invest in a new, possibly better, antenna, or,
if your antenna is already excellent, then add a second antenna. (One
can't have too many of them!)

We're in the doldrums of shortwave reception, this being the "bottom"
of Sunspot Cycle 23 and reception will not be as good this season as it
will be within a couple years from now. Of course, reception in
difficult conditions is the entire reason for having a top-notch
table-model shortwave radio in the first place, along with a top-notch
antenna (and remember that the antenna is ALWAYS much more important
than the radio!). With a "top" combination, you'll hear as much as is
possible to hear. (My reception this season, with my table-top, has
been really excellent, much better than I had anticipated, though
please take note of the fact that I live on the US East Coast, an area
in which SW signals are stronger than on the West Coast. However, my
portables are, relatively speaking, "dead.")

Frankly, regarding your receiver, I really don't think you could do any
better. You already own one of the very best. Putting it in first-class
shape, if actually necessary, is far less costly than buying a new
radio. You could invest the money saved into a new antenna or even a
new portable, and you'd still probably have a lot left over!

Obviously, the above is my opinion only.

Best,

Joe

I Love LA wrote:
I am thinking of getting ride of my Drake R8 which I have had for
about 13 years and buying a JRC NRD-545.
Would you do it? If so why or why not.
Please don't recommend the r75 or the AOR7030+. I have already ruled
them out.

I-Love-LA,

Why not stick with something you already know and build-on-that !
- - - Since you have a RL Drake R8 Receiver :
Consider "Up-Grading" to the 'newer' RL Drake R8B Receiver ?
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0082.html

The {Third Generation} RL Drake R8B Receiver -"B" Model Image-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...vr/0082lrg.gif

Drake R8B Receiver -Specifications-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal.../0082spec.html

Drake R8B Receiver -Rear Panel Diagram-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal.../0082rear.html

Drake R8B Receiver -Options & Accessories-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...r/0082ops.html

The {Second Generation} RL Drake R8A -"A" Model Info-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...mrxvr/r8a.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...r/r8aspec.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...a.html#options

The Original {First Generation} RL Drake R8 -Original Model Info-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr/r8.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...vr/r8spec.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...8.html#options
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...vr/r8rear.html

MONEY - Selling or trading-in the Drake R8 for a JRC NRD-545
should be very close to the cost of doing the same for a Drake R8B
-and- the Drake R8B is a real improvement over the original RG8

Plus - Even a Pre-Owned {Used} Drake R8B Receiver is New-to-You !

Check-Out the RL Drake R8 / R8A / R8B Shortwave Receiver
Owner-User Groups on Yahoo !
DRAKE R8 = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/draker8/
-also- The Drake R8B Group
DRAKE R8B = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/draker8b/

Also check-out the Japan Radio Co. NRD-545 Receiver
Owner-User Groups on Yahoo !
JRC NRD-545 = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NRD-545/

Japan Radio Co. [JRC] NRD-545 DSP Shortwave Receiver -Info-
NRD-545 = http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/1545.html
FRONT = http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...vr/1545lrg.jpg
COLOR LCD =
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...r/1545lcd.html
INTERIOR =
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...r/1545int.html

JRC - NRD-545 DSP Shortwave Receiver -Specifications-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal.../1545spec.html

JRC - NRD-545 DSP Shortwave Receiver -Options & Accessories-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...r/1545ops.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...5.html#options
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...r/1545acc.html

JRC - NRD-545 DSP Shortwave Receiver -Read Panel Diagram-
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal.../1545rear.html


Consider-the-Possibilities : Life It's About Choices !
Choices - Those Bitter-Sweet Monments in Life ~ RHF

In article om,
says...
IMHO you should keep the R8 & buy the NRD-545 used. The money you save
on the used 545 will cover the money you would get for your R8 if you
sold it.

73, Ken KG4BIG


I Love LA wrote:
I am thinking of getting ride of my Drake R8 which I have had for
about 13 years and buying a JRC NRD-545.
Would you do it? If so why or why not.
Please don't recommend the r75 or the AOR7030+. I have already ruled
them out.



That's it! When I was doing a lot of UTES, and only had one receiver, it
was horrible. It's nice to just sit on a freq on one receiver, and tune
around on the other(s), looking for new stuff. I used to do RTTY, and
even a third one was in use constantly.

As far as the R8 Vs 545 debate goes, I personally do not like the R8
series, period. Horrible ergonomics compared to the NRD's, terrible
looking display (My opinion), and a case that screams CHEAP! I would
love to have an R7A, but I've passed on a lot of R8X's.

I've had a Yaesu FRG 7000, 7700, and 8800.
Kenwood R1000 and R5000, and a TS-450S.
Icom R71A (several) and IC-735.
JRC NRD 515, 525's, and a JST 135.
A couple of old Hammarlunds and Hallicrafters
A Realistic DX 160, and a DX-302.
All but the 8800 were used.

Never actually owned a Drake, but played with several here. Good audio,
and a decent receiver, but like the AOR7000, it's in a bad package.

BDK

I Love LA wrote:
I am thinking of getting ride of my Drake R8 which I have had for
about 13 years and buying a JRC NRD-545.
Would you do it? If so why or why not.
Please don't recommend the r75 or the AOR7030+. I have already ruled
them out.

I had of both of them in the past. Wow, that's a tough decision, but in
my opinion when you weigh the pluses and minuses, the NRD-545 beats the
R8. The R8 has better audio (better bass and a more powerful audio
amp), and perhaps a slightly better synch detector. The 545 is an
ergonomic dream, much easier to use than the R8's somewhat clunky
"menu". The 545 is also built much better than the R8, and will
probably last much longer. JRC radios are famous for their construction
and reliability. The R8's selectivity can be a bit better in some
situations when you're trying to dig out a weak signal extremely close
to a strong signal, but in most situations the 545's selectivity is
very good. The 545 is more sensitive on LW than the R8, if that matters
to you. If you get a 545, be aware that the DSP parameters have to be
set correctly for the DSP to work well. For some reason they're not set
optimally out of the box.

All I can tell you is I replaced my R8B with a 545, and was never
sorry. The 545 is an excellent radio. But now I have a Ten-Tec RX340,
which is the best radio I ever had.