- R. L. Drake Company
The R. L. Drake Company is a manufacturer of electronic communications equipment located in Franklin,
Ohio . It is also known for its discontinued line ofamateur radio equipment.History
The company was founded in
1943 by Robert L. Drake, a young engineer with a significant background inradio design. The company began as a manufacturer of low pass andhigh pass filter s for the government andamateur radio market. AfterWorld War II , the company applied its engineering experience to the consumer market and started producing amateur radiotransmitters and receivers. [http://www.dproducts.be/drake_museum/the_story.htm "The Virtual Drake Museum"]Some enthusiasts referred to the company's amateur products as the
Cadillac s of the ham radio field. The amateur radio station aboard theRMS Queen Mary was once a complete line of Drake equipment. Drake Co. amateur radio equipment has been use inhot air balloon flights trying to fly non-stop across the country or around the world. An around the world attempt on asailing yacht used Drake gear, the details were outlined in an issue of theSmithsonian Magazine . Also, the non-stop flight of theRutan Voyager was aided with Drake gear. [http://www.hamradio.no/la3tq/drakehis.htm "The History Behind The R.L. Drake Company", Bill Frost, The Printed Circuit (1988)]Many of the Drake receivers, transmitters, and transceivers manufactured in the 50s, 60s, and 70s are still in active use today. Several of the products, built in limited quantities, are considered very rare. Collectors and Drake aficionados will often pay twice the original market price to add such an item to their collections.
When founder Robert L. Drake died in 1975, the operation and management of the company was turned over to his son, Peter W. Drake. [http://www.hamradio.no/la3tq/drakehis.htm "The History Behind The R.L. Drake Company", Bill Frost, The Printed Circuit (1988)]
Today, Drake produces products and solutions for
cable television systems, ADA assistive listening,classroom sound field reinforcement,video signal distribution, anddigital television reception under the Drake and Dracom brand. [http://www.rldrake.com/ R.L. Drake Company]ee also
* Collins radio
* E.F. Johnson
*Hallicrafters
*Hammarlund
* National radio
*Vintage amateur radio References
External links
* [http://www.rldrake.com/ www.rldrake.com] R. L. Drake Company website
* [http://www.dproducts.be/drake_museum/ www.dproducts.be/drake_museum] R. L. Drake Virtual Museum
* [http://home.online.no/~sindtorp/ World's largest collection of Drake radio equipment]
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