Contemplating possible purchase of this unit. Been SWL'ing 35 plus
years and currently use as my main receiver a Lowe HF-150, which I
will never part with. Of course there are some things I don't like
about it. I have researched the R8-B over the years, and I may me
ready to strike. Tell me owners, what are your gripes and dilikes with
it? I pretty much listen to programs (love the 150's audio) but I also
do a lot of utility stuff. I am kinda interested in loading up the
Drake with a boat load of usb utility freq.'s and scanning. I would
like to pump the audio into a 900Mhz. transmitter, pull it up on my
scanner (icom R-2) and go about my work. I do this with the 150 when
more than SWL'ing needs to get done. Of course there nothing like
sittin down and twiddlin knobs.(What do I know about knob twiddlin, I
have a 150). looking foward to your comments.

John

On the same subject, how does the R8B compare with the R8 in performance and
whatnot? I've enjoyed my Drake R8 for 13 years and have also been thinking
of upgrading.

Clark KK7DY


"WetOne" wrote in message
om...
Contemplating possible purchase of this unit. Been SWL'ing 35 plus
years and currently use as my main receiver a Lowe HF-150, which I
will never part with. Of course there are some things I don't like
about it. I have researched the R8-B over the years, and I may me
ready to strike. Tell me owners, what are your gripes and dilikes with
it? I pretty much listen to programs (love the 150's audio) but I also
do a lot of utility stuff. I am kinda interested in loading up the
Drake with a boat load of usb utility freq.'s and scanning. I would
like to pump the audio into a 900Mhz. transmitter, pull it up on my
scanner (icom R-2) and go about my work. I do this with the 150 when
more than SWL'ing needs to get done. Of course there nothing like
sittin down and twiddlin knobs.(What do I know about knob twiddlin, I
have a 150). looking foward to your comments.

John

got my R8B about a year ago and i think it is great radio, but as one guy
already said it has a cheap plastic tuning knob, and the metal cabinet seams
to be made out of tin cans (very thin). i have a yaesu VR-5000 and it is an
ok radio but the drake is much better. i had an R8 for about 3 months and
did some side by side comparisons with the R8B. the R8B is abit better than
the plain R8 but i don't think it is allot better.
i did have a watkins johnson HF-1000, now it was abit better than the drake
but not $5000.00 bucks better and there is allot of knob fiddling to get the
most out of this radio.
the other thing to remember is before you upgrade your radio take a good
look at you antenna system. i did some simple improvements to mine and it
made a big difference.
hope this helps

chuck



"JIAW" wrote in message
news:sSUPb.26884$ii6.16525@okepread05...
I've only been SWLing for about 3 years so take my opinion FWIW.

I bought my Drake R8B after having been somewhat disappointed with the
Icom
R-75. I bought the R8B after reading the glowing reviews PTWBR has given
it
over the years and after researching this newsgroup. I finally got it
about
3 months ago, and I love it. I have it hooked up to a Logitech speaker
system with a subwoofer and program listening is a joy. All of the
features
of the receiver which are designed to flush out weak signals really do
make
a difference. It really is a full-featured unit. The one thing I don't
like about it is the build quality and the plastic tuning knob (which I
replaced). Ergonomics are fine, but it just looks and feels...well...I
don't want to say cheap, because that's not the right word...but for $1500
I
personally feel that the receiver just doesn't look/feel like it had that
kind of pricetag attached to it. For instance, I almost went with a
JRC-NRD545. That thing looks fantastic and is built like a tank at $1700
w/DSP. In the end, I bought into the hype of the Drake and I'm glad I
did.
It was worth every penny.

"WetOne" wrote in message
om...
Contemplating possible purchase of this unit. Been SWL'ing 35 plus
years and currently use as my main receiver a Lowe HF-150, which I
will never part with. Of course there are some things I don't like
about it. I have researched the R8-B over the years, and I may me
ready to strike. Tell me owners, what are your gripes and dilikes with
it? I pretty much listen to programs (love the 150's audio) but I also
do a lot of utility stuff. I am kinda interested in loading up the
Drake with a boat load of usb utility freq.'s and scanning. I would
like to pump the audio into a 900Mhz. transmitter, pull it up on my
scanner (icom R-2) and go about my work. I do this with the 150 when
more than SWL'ing needs to get done. Of course there nothing like
sittin down and twiddlin knobs.(What do I know about knob twiddlin, I
have a 150). looking foward to your comments.

John

I've only been SWLing for about 3 years so take my opinion FWIW.

I bought my Drake R8B after having been somewhat disappointed with the Icom
R-75. I bought the R8B after reading the glowing reviews PTWBR has given it
over the years and after researching this newsgroup. I finally got it about
3 months ago, and I love it. I have it hooked up to a Logitech speaker
system with a subwoofer and program listening is a joy. All of the features
of the receiver which are designed to flush out weak signals really do make
a difference. It really is a full-featured unit. The one thing I don't
like about it is the build quality and the plastic tuning knob (which I
replaced). Ergonomics are fine, but it just looks and feels...well...I
don't want to say cheap, because that's not the right word...but for $1500 I
personally feel that the receiver just doesn't look/feel like it had that
kind of pricetag attached to it. For instance, I almost went with a
JRC-NRD545. That thing looks fantastic and is built like a tank at $1700
w/DSP. In the end, I bought into the hype of the Drake and I'm glad I did.
It was worth every penny.

"WetOne" wrote in message
om...
Contemplating possible purchase of this unit. Been SWL'ing 35 plus
years and currently use as my main receiver a Lowe HF-150, which I
will never part with. Of course there are some things I don't like
about it. I have researched the R8-B over the years, and I may me
ready to strike. Tell me owners, what are your gripes and dilikes with
it? I pretty much listen to programs (love the 150's audio) but I also
do a lot of utility stuff. I am kinda interested in loading up the
Drake with a boat load of usb utility freq.'s and scanning. I would
like to pump the audio into a 900Mhz. transmitter, pull it up on my
scanner (icom R-2) and go about my work. I do this with the 150 when
more than SWL'ing needs to get done. Of course there nothing like
sittin down and twiddlin knobs.(What do I know about knob twiddlin, I
have a 150). looking foward to your comments.

John

WetOne wrote:

Contemplating possible purchase of this unit. Been SWL'ing 35 plus
years and currently use as my main receiver a Lowe HF-150, which I
will never part with. Of course there are some things I don't like
about it. I have researched the R8-B over the years, and I may me
ready to strike. Tell me owners, what are your gripes and dilikes with
it? I pretty much listen to programs (love the 150's audio) but I also
do a lot of utility stuff. I am kinda interested in loading up the
Drake with a boat load of usb utility freq.'s and scanning. I would
like to pump the audio into a 900Mhz. transmitter, pull it up on my
scanner (icom R-2) and go about my work. I do this with the 150 when
more than SWL'ing needs to get done. Of course there nothing like
sittin down and twiddlin knobs.(What do I know about knob twiddlin, I
have a 150). looking foward to your comments.

John

I didn't like the display too much so I changed it. Now it looks blue
with white characters. This is not a mod' that most owners should
attempt.

I recently added an audio mute switch so I don't have to turn down the
volume to turn off the sound.

I didn't care for how warm (not hot) it ran on AC power so I use a
12-VDC power supply. It's not really necessary, just a matter of
preference.

My first R8B had more 'birdies' than I found acceptable. I now have a
newer one which has much fewer synthesizer artifacts.

I didn't care for the feel of the main tuning knob. I filled it with a
mixture of steel BB's and slow set epoxy which gives it a heavier feel.

The rotary encoder (on the tuning knob) failed on my first R8B. I took
it apart, cleaned it and replaced the lube with a synthetic grease which
makes it turn much smoother. I didn't have any further problems with
that encoder nor any on the newer R8B.

That's the extent of my 'don't likes' for the R8B. Anything else I could
mention is just nitpicking.


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

JIAW wrote:

I've only been SWLing for about 3 years so take my opinion FWIW.

I bought my Drake R8B after having been somewhat disappointed with the Icom
R-75. I bought the R8B after reading the glowing reviews PTWBR has given it
over the years and after researching this newsgroup. I finally got it about
3 months ago, and I love it. I have it hooked up to a Logitech speaker
system with a subwoofer and program listening is a joy. All of the features
of the receiver which are designed to flush out weak signals really do make
a difference. It really is a full-featured unit. The one thing I don't
like about it is the build quality and the plastic tuning knob (which I
replaced). Ergonomics are fine, but it just looks and feels...well...I
don't want to say cheap, because that's not the right word...but for $1500 I
personally feel that the receiver just doesn't look/feel like it had that
kind of pricetag attached to it. For instance, I almost went with a
JRC-NRD545. That thing looks fantastic and is built like a tank at $1700
w/DSP. In the end, I bought into the hype of the Drake and I'm glad I did.
It was worth every penny.

You're certainly not the first to say you don't care for the "build
quality" of the R8B but I'm really not sure what that means for you or
others that agree with you. I realize the styling of the R8B doesn't
look like most table-tops, especially the Japanese brands, but I don't
understand why this bothers some people. Perhaps the traditional
communications receiver has a certain look that has become the accepted
norm. If you've ever looked inside the R8B I think you would agree that
the build quality is very good. What kind of knob did you use to replace
the original one?


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

I can't remember the name of the place now. It's a place in Texas that I
heard another person on the NG mention once.

"starman" wrote in message
...
JIAW wrote:

I've only been SWLing for about 3 years so take my opinion FWIW.

I bought my Drake R8B after having been somewhat disappointed with the
Icom
R-75. I bought the R8B after reading the glowing reviews PTWBR has
given it
over the years and after researching this newsgroup. I finally got it
about
3 months ago, and I love it. I have it hooked up to a Logitech speaker
system with a subwoofer and program listening is a joy. All of the
features
of the receiver which are designed to flush out weak signals really do
make
a difference. It really is a full-featured unit. The one thing I don't
like about it is the build quality and the plastic tuning knob (which I
replaced). Ergonomics are fine, but it just looks and feels...well...I
don't want to say cheap, because that's not the right word...but for
$1500 I
personally feel that the receiver just doesn't look/feel like it had
that
kind of pricetag attached to it. For instance, I almost went with a
JRC-NRD545. That thing looks fantastic and is built like a tank at
$1700
w/DSP. In the end, I bought into the hype of the Drake and I'm glad I
did.
It was worth every penny.

You're certainly not the first to say you don't care for the "build
quality" of the R8B but I'm really not sure what that means for you or
others that agree with you. I realize the styling of the R8B doesn't
look like most table-tops, especially the Japanese brands, but I don't
understand why this bothers some people. Perhaps the traditional
communications receiver has a certain look that has become the accepted
norm. If you've ever looked inside the R8B I think you would agree that
the build quality is very good. What kind of knob did you use to replace
the original one?


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----