[Boatanchors] Comarison?

[Glen Zook]

I prefer the SB-301/SB-401 combination over the Drake.  Of course, there are those who prefer the Drake equipment.  I have used the various Drake equipment as well as having worked on a "fair" amount of the equipment.

As for the Collins S-Line:  Back in the mid 1970s I acquired a Collins 75S-3A (relatively scarce, only about 500 were made, considered by many to be the best of the S-Line receivers).  Since I had the SB-301/SB-401 as my "main" equipment I ran the 75S-3A in parallel with the SB-301 for about 6 months before I went looking for the "matching" 32S-3 transmitter.  My SB-301 also had all 3 filters (SSB, AM, CW).  I found that 9 times of of 10 the SB-301 was just as good as the 75S-3A.  However, it was that 10th time that made me go ahead and acquire the matching 32S-3 transmitter.

In terms of my personal evaluation of the various receivers I rate them as follows (from worst to best):

Collins 75S-1, Collins 75S-2, Drake R4, Drake R4A, Drake R4C, Drake R4B, Heath SB-300, Heath SB-301, Collins 75S-3B, Collins 75S-3C, Collins 75S-3, Collins 75S-3A.

The only difference between the 75S-1/75S-2, 75S-3/75S-3A, and 75S-3B/75S-3C is the fact that the 75S-2, 75S-3A, and 75S-3C have the additional crystal deck that doubles the number of 200 kHz band segments available.  The 75S-1 and 75S-2 receivers are "OK", but are definitely "lacking" in many areas.  The 75S-3 and 75S-3A came from the factory with the 200 Hz CW crystal filter installed (EVERY receiver was shipped with the CW filter) whereas in the 75S-3B and 75S-3C the CW filter was an expensive "option".  Also, the 75S-3B and 75S-3C were "optimized" to reduce the cost of manufacturing which resulted in a very slight degradation of performance.

My particular 75S-3A originally belonged to the Collins Radio technician who was dispatched to the various military installations to repair S-Line equipment which the military technicians had problems.  Every one of the changes that were made in the 75S-3C was tried in this receiver.  All but one of those changes were removed because the performance of the receiver was degraded.  The one change that was left was the addition of a zener diode to one of the oscillators.  That change didn't help or hinder the operation.  But, having the voltage regulated on an oscillator is always a good idea.

Now the modifications that were tried were before the moving of one of the AM filter i.f. transformers to tune the output of one of the mixer stages.  This change was made on the later 75S-3B and 75S-3C receivers and that change definitely improves the operation of the receivers.  Collins put out a Service Bulletin to make these changes to those 75S-3B and 75S-3C receivers that had the "old" mixer circuitry.  Since the earlier receivers were no longer in production there was no reference to making the changes in them.  However, making the modification to the earlier receivers definitely improves the performance and the instructions in the Service Bulletin applies to the 75S-1, 75S-2, 75S-3, and 75S-3A receivers.  I have made this change to both of my 75S-1 and to my 75S-3A receiver.

Today I have another SB-301/SB-401 combination as well as 2 complete Collins S-Line (75S-1/32S-1 and 75S-3A/32S-3 as well as a 2nd 75S-1) stations.  I seldom use the 75S-1/32S-1 equipment but do use the SB-301/SB-401 from time to time.  The 75S-3A/32S-3 comprises my main station.

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com


--- On Fri, 12/18/09, Bob Macklin <macklinbob at msn.com> wrote:

I would like to know how the Drake R4/T4 twins compare to the Heath SB twins.
 
I have had a Heath SB-301/SB-401 pair for many years. The SB-301 has all three filters so it's as good as it gets.
 
My question is how do the Drake twins compare to the Heath twins. I have had friends that preferred the Drake twins over the Heath twins.
 
The Collins S-Line is outside my budget and I don't see a major improvement for the money required. I think the Collins thing is mostly SNOB APPEAL!