DAVCO DR-30 RECEIVER & POWER SUPPLY

RADIO   radio

SOLD SEPTEMBER 2020
I offer this page as a source of historical information on this product.

CONTENTS

A very unique shortwave radio receive—the Davco DR-30. It was principally designed for amateur radio operators and covered 3.5 MHz to 54 MHz in twelve 500 kHz bands. However, a number of commercial and institutional users found this receiver useful. It is believe that fewer than 600 were manufactured and sold.

MY HISTORY WITH THIS RECEIVER

In 1967, I joined the U.S. Coast Guard and set off on a grand adventure. I did not wanting to leave my hobby of ham radio behind for the next four years. Then, I spotted the new Davco DR-30 review in QST magazine and got very excited. Imagine a battery-operated receiver that could virtually fit in a shoe box or a ship's locker! With a piece of wire, a battery and a headset, I could listen in on the shortwave action. I purchased the Davco receiver in December of 1967 while I was in training on Governor' Island in New York City. I was very pleased.

Working with the receiver, I quickly realized its shortcoming in my application and in its design. I was a real critic of it. After all, I spent what was to me at the time, a small fortune for it. In the years that followed, I tired to reconcile my problems with its faults and put it to good use.

I carried it from one base to another, and from one home to another over the next 40 years. Governor's Island, NY; South Caicos Island LORAN station; British West Indies; USCG Engineering Center; Wildwood, New Jersey; Erie, PA; Henrietta, NY; and now Webster, NY.

Several attempts were made to deal with the front-end RF stage N-FET blowing out by the strength my shortwave ham radio transmitter. I could not resolve it and eventually gave up and packed the radio away. It has been in dead storage for the last 25 years. I guess you could say I had a love-hate relationship with this product. My ham radio and Coast Guard electronics training, combined with working for several Rochester radio-electronics manufacturers, made me even more critical. But... I cannot deny the uniqueness of this design and Davco's effort to set a new industry standard.

For those who do not know much about this radio, click here for a PDF of the Davco marketing brochure.

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DETAILS ABOUT THIS PACKAGE

Operability

I have not tested the set in several decades and do not know what is its present condition. The units are offered on an "As Is Basis". I have no reason to believe there is any electrical damage except for the front-end RF circuit's transistor.

Dents/Scrapes/Scratches/Signs of Aging

Homemade Pedestal

When I got to the USCG Engineering Center, I built a inclined base on which to mount the receiver and power supply. This brought the receive controls up to a more comfortable elevation for handling and viewing. Then, I covered it in wood-grained contact paper to make look it less industrial. The contact paper was also applied to the radio equipment covers to give it a custom look. This last week, I removed the contact paper from the covers and discovered a virtually virgin painted surface below.

IF In/Out Jacks

The rear panel is labeled and provided with IF in and out RCA connectors. I soon discovered the input jack was not wired. The folks at the factory told me that was not an oversight as most users did not need that service. It would be provided on request at the time the order was placed. I did connect an oscilloscope to the output jack for some signal observations, but this was not of any great long-term value.

Documentation

BINDER—I have created a 3-ring binder of related documentation:

• Advertisements • Magazine Reviews • Manual • Bills of Sale • Correspondence • Owner Observations & Drawings

HAND DRAWINGS—It has been so many years since I worked on this unit, the purpose of some of my hand drawn schematics and wiring diagrams is unknown. They are provided with no guarantees to accuracy or purpose.

MANUALS

  • Original manual and schematic that came with the receiver
  • Xerox copy of the manual and schematic with GBC binding for reference

Original Shipping Box

The box has bee tossed around for years and was used to ship the equipment from one location to another. It has also was used to store my amateur radio "QSL" cards and log books from my operations on South Caicos Island as VP5CB while I was in the Coast Guard.

The box is show in the gallery, but the images unintentionally display a color shift and saturation. The paper and tape are yellowed by aging. The blue color of the factory printing has faded.

PHOTO GALLERIES

Two photo galleries are offered of the same images. They are of two different sizes.

Full-sized images are available upon request.

NOTE: The keen observer will notice a few screws on the receiver's rear panel are missing. This is an oversight when I took the pictures; all screws will be supplied along with rubber feet.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Charles A. Bliley
736 Bel Arbor Trail Webster, NY 14580-9400
E-Mail: K3NAU@AOL.com
Phone: (585) 872-9155
Web Site: www.Bliley.net

REVISED:September 15, 2020 (Package sold.)