Drake ends factory service for BA gear

[Jeffrey Herman]

Sad news for Drake owners  //  Jeff KH6OO


>The ARRL Letter
>Vol. 17, No. 45
>November 13, 1998
>
>DRAKE ENDS FACTORY SERVICE FOR OLDER GEAR
>
>R. L. Drake Company has announced it no longer will provide factory
>service for most of its older Amateur Radio and marine equipment. The
>list includes much--but not all--of the popular 4-Line equipment.
>
>Veteran Drake Service Manager Bill Frost, WD8DFP, says it's getting
>harder to get parts for the older Drake units. "The big switches, you
>can't buy those things anymore," he said this week. "The big
>electrolytics are not available."
>
>Frost, who's been with Drake for 32 years, said his department has
>"reached a point where we cannot service the older products in the
>manner to which our customers have become accustomed." Technicians
>familiar with the older, mostly tube-type gear also are in short supply
>these days. "Our technical expertise on the older equipment has
>gradually been diminished by the loss of long-time employees due to
>retirement," Frost said. He also said the cost of repairs can easily
>exceed the cost of the equipment.=20
>
>The company has posted a list on its Web site at
>http://www.rldrake.com/tech/Outofservice.html of items that it no longer
>can service. The list includes The R-4 and R-4A receivers, the popular
>T-4X, XB, and XC HF transmitters, and the TR-3 and TR-4 transceivers, as
>well as most of the power supplies for those units, the SSR-1 receiver,
>and the TR-22, 22C and TR-33C 2-meter transceivers. Items on the list
>and sent to Drake for repair will be returned to the sender unrepaired
>accompanied by a bill for shipping, handling, and applicable COD fees.
>
>Frost said Drake is still servicing "to an extent" the R-4B and R-4C
>receivers as well as the TR-5 and TR-7 transceivers. The company also
>still will provide factory repair service for the L-4, L-4B and L-7
>linear amplifiers.
>
>Drake says its supply of unique parts is limited, but it still might be
>able to supply individual owners with needed parts for do-it-yourself
>repairs. Frost encouraged Drake owners to call or write if they have any
>questions about repair or service of a particular piece of
>equipment--even if it's already on the list.
>
>Call Frost at 513-746-4556 or e-mail him at Bill_Frost at rldrake.com.
>Frost's mailing address is Bill Frost, R.L. Drake Co, Service Dept, 230
>Industrial Dr, Franklin, OH 45005.

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