( Brand: Drake ), ( Manufacturer Part Number: RR-3 ), ( Type: Base Station ), ( Band: Am ), ( Country/region Of Manufacture: United States )
The Drake RR-3 HF Receiver is a rare and highly sought-after piece of vintage radio equipment. This receiver, manufactured by Drake Communications, is known for its exceptional performance and classic design.
The Drake RR-3 HF Receiver is a single-conversion, direct-conversion superhet design. It features a high-quality tuning indicator and a clear, sensitive speaker. The receiver has a frequency range from 0.5 to 30 MHz, making it suitable for a wide range of HF (High Frequency) applications.
The receiver's front panel is adorned with high-quality knobs and switches, providing easy access to essential functions such as tuning, gain, and bandwidth. The receiver also features an AF (Audio Frequency) meter, which provides visual feedback on audio levels.
The Drake RR-3 HF Receiver is built to last. It features a sturdy construction with high-quality components, ensuring reliable performance even after many years of use. The receiver's wood cabinet is in excellent condition, showing only minor signs of wear and tear, adding to its overall vintage charm.
The Drake RR-3 HF Receiver is a scarce item, making it a valuable addition to any vintage radio collection. Its excellent performance, classic design, and rarity make it a highly desirable piece of equipment for radio enthusiasts and collectors alike.
Pros of buying a Drake RR-3 HF Receiver:1. High Quality: The Drake RR-3 is known for its superior build quality and performance. It is a well-respected receiver in the amateur radio community.
2. Excellent Reception: The receiver has a wide frequency range and is capable of receiving signals clearly, even under poor conditions.
3. Versatility: The RR-3 can be used for a variety of purposes, including listening to ham radio, shortwave broadcasts, and emergency communications.
4. Durability: The receiver is built to last, with a rugged design that can withstand harsh conditions.
Cons of buying a Drake RR-3 HF Receiver:1. Price: The RR-3 is a high-end receiver, and it comes with a premium price tag. It may be out of reach for some budget-conscious hams.
2. Complexity: The receiver has many features and settings, which can be overwhelming for beginners. It may require some time and effort to learn how to use it effectively.
3. Availability: Due to its age and scarcity, finding a new or even used Drake RR-3 can be challenging. Prices for used receivers can be high, and it may be difficult to find one in good condition.
Conclusion:If you are an experienced ham radio operator who is looking for a high-quality, versatile, and durable HF receiver, the Drake RR-3 may be a good fit for you. However, its high price tag and complexity may make it less suitable for beginners or budget-conscious hams. If you can find a good deal on a used receiver, it may be worth the investment for its exceptional performance and longevity.
Recommendation:If you are new to ham radio or looking for a more affordable option, there are other high-quality HF receivers available on the market that may better fit your needs. Consider researching other options before making a decision. If you are determined to own a Drake RR-3, be prepared to pay a premium price and invest some time in learning how to use it effectively.
If you would like to do some further study and reading, here are sites for look at. Fred Osman in his book shortwave receivers past and present lists this unit as extremely scarce.
The r 7s extreme flexibility, combined with outstanding performance characteristics in each function, combine to make possible reception of signals heretofore inaudible, and more usable formerly audible. The Drake r 7, like a worthy sport scar, is joy and challenge to operate - provided one knows how. Operationally the receiver works as designed without any known issues or shortcomings.
We love looking at vintage receivers and placing them within historical perspective.
Then the pickup is fed by coaxial cable to rear rca input jack and activating with front panel switch, digital display will show operating frequency of tube receiver incremented its if. By reducing the resistance, we improved unit with a souped up sensitivity in that medium wave band. 2 UV from 1.
However, if you like the feel of an analog tuner and idea that can control precisely a number operational features, will love this receiver. The RR-3 is a modular receiver which owes to excellent Drake design and circuitry layout.
When compared to some of the higher end receivers manufactured in last 10 years, it may seem less remarkable, but this was Cadillac its day and performance about 30 years later is still phenomenal. If you would like to read some of the nice comments this receiver, can visit wham here where 9 reviews all give r 7 a 4. If the new owner prefers to reduce this sensitivity because of strong local signals, operation do so only requires removal screws holding top cover in place and then about a minute time locate pot turn it with small jewelers screwdriver.
It has a very strong following among long wave, broadcast band, and tropical band doers that have discovered this receivers low noise floor great sensitivity in these frequencies. Here are some excerpts from this review. Net Drake list Drake mod demode 14.
Those with some electronic expertise can take an insulated wire and wrap it around the oscillator coils of tube receiver so that acts as inductive pickup loop. Standard Drake r 7 units allow only for 12 volts dc. Cosmetically this receiver shows some marks and loss of paint on the front panel.
Net reviews detail 862 here is the ding. Not only does the RR-3 look nice, but user is confronted with an array of operating features including: pass band tuning REIT fine if notch filter choice up to 5 band width s when these are installed preamps 10 db calibrator every 25 khz precisely determine frequency digital readout down 100 hertz RF gain AFC fast med slow manual record and speaker output jacks analog dial operates on ac voltage or CDC receiver a triple superhero outstanding sensitivity Sb. Using ship-going protocol during that time, ships and coastal receiving stations were required to have a silence period each half hour on these frequencies where they could monitor for distress call: s: en.
If you are a seasoned rl Drake collector enthusiast, will recognize this RR-3 receiver as very scarce. It was future looking in its design and the wonderful appearance given receiver does not look out of step with many contemporary receivers. This RR-3 also differs from the r-7 cousin by being supplied with RP-700 front-end protector.
This review was for the r 7 based on its competition and what formerly available to hobbyist at that time.
3 khz filter can be carefully tuned so that am signals may heard using CSS reception exalted carrier delectable side band. Like pass band tuning, REIT notch filter, pre-amp, noise blanker, etc. Truly, this receiver is one of rl Drakes finest offerings to the listening hobbyist. Drake brochure rp700.
HTML let us now take some time to review of the features RR-3 receiver and why enthusiasts like it its cousins r 7 7a.
There is a rear panel connector on the RR-3 for an input that allows digital readout to act as outboard 150 MHz frequency counter. You can read about the RP-700 module here. Conclusion of wrath info the RR-3 was truly an outstanding receiver in its day with performance features that were standard equipment even some recently manufactured receivers do not have. 9 average point rating.
Yes, it works well along through the full spectrum of frequencies, but is especially strong on lower ones and has earned a reputation that seconded by Fred Osman in his book shortwave receivers past present as an excellent receiver for tropical band ding also superb long wave.
This RR-3 does not overload easily and it is likely the new owner would prefer greater sensitivity thus reason for my decision to opt higher given choice. HTML and here is some interesting info found on another site. As a marine unit, it can operate off of either vac plus CDC.
When we were inside the unit to take pictures, tweaked attenuate pot r1502 located on input filter module that controls sensitivity am band. This one has serial number 293, and if we remember correctly, Drake began the numbering at as you can see, is actually a marine version of beloved r 7 7a receivers.
Drake manufactured the receiver for about 1 year from and it sold when offered to commercial market. In this case, we were able to locate an extensive review of the cousin r 7 a 1980 copy wrath world radio and television handbook.
The RR-3 has an arsenal of weaponry to help grab that signal, and as mentioned in wrath info above, can be used combination clarify hear signal. In addition, since this is a rack unit and wider to allow for the dc power transformer on left side, it also gives more front panel room Drake then moved side facing speaker face forward thus improving audio signal clarity. Factory setting of this r1502 pot is in the range one outstanding characteristics RR-3 its appearance.
For detection of am signals, a synchrony-phase detector is used not only to reduce distortion over what would be encountered with standard diode detector, but also allow the use limited delectable side band without having resort local carrier injection. This receiver covers from 10 khz on up to 30 MHz without any gaps in coverage.
As is the design of Drakes 7 line, receiver offers a classic appearance that does not show it about 30 years old. The r 7a is considered scarce and highly collectable this unit therefore would be even more. 3 khz installed and a resistor in the filter positions to allow for reception of am giving wide 10 listening lieu absence other band width filters.
The RR-3 comes with a copy of user service manual, Drake brochure, and manual on CD in PDF for reference. 8 to 30 MHz. If you like receivers that do everything for you, have a sync detector, and easy tuning, should look elsewhere. Since many of the marine frequencies operate in lower hf bands, this RR-3 receiver should have been especially suited for its designed purpose.