Drake L4B from 1978 or new Ameritron 80B??

[mb91w126]

Found a pristine Drake L4B w/ 50 hours from 1978. Might get it for 1200USD or so.
Is the Drake built remarkably better than anything new in the same price range up to 2000USD??
I'm not going nuts about $"s per watt, just a buy once and be done with it.
I'm not into "starter" things.

your thoughts??

 

[wavrider]

Drake is a great old amp.

PS is a little puny but does the job.

The HV ps may need refurbished due to age of filter caps.

The power switch is a source of problem due to all the current going through the contacts, mods are on the net to install a relay so the switch does not burn out, they are no longer available.

May have to replace the plate choke if you want to use the WARC bands, not sure on this so do some research.

80B will put out about the same watts as the L4B and is newer model, nothing needs to be done to it, works great on WARC bands also.

Just depends on what you want.

The Drake is a great candidate for HV PS upgrade and with a little more B+ and some amperage on the HV transformer you will see legal limit out of a pair of 3-500.

I have both the AL80B and the L4, converted to 3-500 and some cathode bias, I use the L4 and the AL80B sits on the shelf not used.

 

[2RT307]

Personally, I'd go with the new AL-80B. At 1200 dollars for the Drake, you aren't far off the price of a brand new Ameritront. And as wavrider explained, the Drake doesn't have WARC bands, and the unit is very old. You're going to want the WARC bands. I'm always wary of "low mileage" older rigs and equipment, because it's the sitting around that kills them, not so much the being used part.

73,
Brett

 

[BJ radionut]

Mb91 (Jim): First let me say sorry for not getting back to your conversation question sooner.
Last few days have been a little "Hicktic" on my end.
The Drake L4B is a great amp. They are put together like a tank!
However, regardless of the hours that amp has been "in-use" a couple things:
1). I would not put that amp in daily use without first rebuilding the power supply.
Those HV Caps/Diodes are now 37+ yrs old.
My L4B was said to be all original and in "daily use". First Production run SS # 749 (1967?)
The caps lasted about (2) weeks. BANG!
The operator had been sick and in reality the amp had set for about 6 months to a year without being powered up.
Something to consider with this "Only 50 hours run time" amp.
Since there's no hour meter on those wonder how that was determined?

2). The keying relay circuit needs modified before a "Modern "
Transceiver is used.

Now as to performance.
The L4B is solid with output from 900w on 10m to about 1200-1300 watts on the others.
That's key down not PEP.
PEP voice peaks on SSB 40/75 meters with 80 watts drive will be in the 800-1400 watt range...That's with fresh full output tubes. The L4B can do that ALL night.
Don't worry about the switch issues, rebuild kits are now available.
Now as to the "Cherry" condition price $1200 OUCH!
I paid $625 and after a complete power supply retrofit (Caps/Diodes/Resisters and new Bias Resisters) and Soft relay keying mods plus a New Fresh set of Machlett tubes.
I am like $1100 maybe!
Plus I have a back up set of tubes that are 95% ! (The Eimac's that came with the amp)
So you be the judge.

Next: The AL-80B...most likely one of the best buys in HF amps. They can run 700-800 watts all night long, plus last pretty much forever in that range.
OK! before I get Flamed...
Yes they can run 1000-1100 out with 100 watts drive but why drive it that hard, unless you like buying $160+ (Machlett/Taylor) or $250 (Eimac/Amprex) tubes every year or so???
The only issue is Cooling...if you run them flat out all the time, you will most likely MELT the solder out of the pins of the tube... tube repairable Yes.... Most times!
If you catch it before they go BANG!

OK! way over 0.02 cents worth!
All the Best
Gary

PS: As to will the DRAKE L4B last...Well it was built in 1967-8? and retrofitted 3-4 years ago and never missed a beat!
Also I purchased a second L4B several months back $500($575 shipped) and it worked!...but in the process of restoring this one now...RF Deck is cleaned up - LOOKS NEW! but this one is getting a custom built Power Supply

 

[BJ radionut]

http://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/i-finaly-got-it-done.64758/#post-212210

Wow been running almost 5 yrs since restoration...Well we all get lucky now and then
All the Best
Gary

 

[Crusher]

A friend of mine picked up a L4 Drake a few years ago. It has the huge plate transformer. It is about 3 times larger than the L4B transformer. Guy picked it up for about $700. Stole it as far as I'm concerned. The iron is worth that. Of course I redid cap bank. Installed glitch and modified bias circuit. Nice amp.

 

[BJ radionut]

A friend of mine picked up a L4 Drake a few years ago. It has the huge plate transformer. It is about 3 times larger than the L4B transformer

Hey Crusher: The transformer I am going to use (unless Dayton yields a bargain)...
Will be around 3100 VDC at about twice the current rating of stock..
(came out of a BTI RF-2000 supply)
Friend I chat with on 75m just finished one with Peter Dahl(Old original company) iron.
Yielded 3800 VDC and installed custom built Soft Start set-up and the Big Zenor, transistor switched Bias....Gorgeous work!
He told me it was strictly Legal Limit (maybe in Canada) into the dummy load
Oh well Back to the Flower Gardens
All the Best
Gary

 

[mb91w126]

Thanks to all for the sage advice.

I figured the caps would need replacing and I had read about the switch replacement also. I passed on the Drake as I couldn't see an advantage over a later manufactured amp. Although, I was becoming enamored with it due to a vast number of positive reviews.

And Gary, Never any reason to apologize for when you respond to a query. Your first hand experience is so valuable whenever it is presented.