2004 The R.L. Drake Company has been a manufacturer of electronic communications equipment since 1943. Their reputation for producing quality products has been well earned and is respected internationally. Today, Drake produces products and solutions for cable television systems, ADA assistive listening, video signal distribution, shortwave radio, and digital television reception. Drake and Dracom brand products are utilized and available worldwide.
R.L. Drake Company
230 Industrial Drive
Franklin, Ohio 45005 U.S.A.
Telephone +1 937-746-4556
http://www.rldrake.com
Company History
The preferred product of many amateur radio buffs and celebrities, the company's amateur products soon became known as the "Cadillacs" of the ham radio field. Many of the Drake receivers, transmitters, and transceivers manufactured in the fifties, sixties, and seventies 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 "Ham Shack".
Drake continued to search for new areas to apply its engineering expertise, even as they expanded their product line with marine radios and other reception hardware. In 1981, Drake investigated the then semi-hobbyist field of home satellite reception equipment. Drake engineers, under the leadership of founder's son Peter Drake, completed a prototype satellite receiver in just four months.
The demand for satellite receivers in the 1980's was overwhelming, convincing Drake to concentrate primarily on the development and manufacture of satellite communications equipment. This development led to the manufacture of commercial satellite receivers and distribution equipment, as well as reception equipment for the international marketplace.
In 1997 Drake brought its expertise in the RF communications field to the assistive listening market. The transmitter/personal receiver system was put into production to help the hearing impaired participate in venues where traditional hearing aids amplify all sounds, causing distortion or reverberation of the source audio.
In 1998 Drake introduced video modulators in miniature. Having produced 19 inch rack equipment for the CATV industry for several years, Drake sensed the need for smaller equipment, as cable "head-ends" are typically remote buildings where space is a commodity. The VMM-600, one of the video mini-modulators, is a high quality fixed channel heterodyne audio/video modulator that allows one to twelve units to be mounted in the same amount of rack space required by two standard size units.
In 2001, Drake took the mini-modular system one step further and introduced a complete line of digital head-end products. The mini-modular approach offers the ability to QAM modulate digital signals onto a cable system using MPEG video, QPSK satellite signals, or off-air ATSC transmissions. Mini-modules are offered that can translate off-air ATSC signals to cable in either ATSC or QAM format.
In 2002, the digital mini-module system was redesigned with the introduction of the SCT860. The SCT860, satellite to cable transcoder, places the digital satellite receiver, QAM remodulator, and channel upconverter in a single convenient modular package for delivery of HITS™-QT or WS-NET ™ programming. An RS232 data connection allows the entire system to be remotely controlled by a personal computer.
Presently, Drake manufactures a wide range of video distribution equipment and cable television equipment in both the standard rack size and the mini-modules. The assistive listening systems for consumer and commercial markets and shortwave receivers are also manufactured at the Franklin, Ohio plant. Drake products are manufactured not only for US markets, but for global markets as well.
Sales and Manufacturing Facilities
The company's main manufacturing facility is located in Franklin, Ohio in a modern brick structure just under 100,000 square feet. Drake's vertically integrated manufacturing facility produces Drake equipment under one roof. Very little outside contract work is performed so products can be monitored to meet Drake standards of excellence.
Drake also has a sales and distribution facility in Peterborough, Canada. Drake now distributes products through 50 distributors to over 35 countries worldwide.
Award Winning Service
The company and its products are well known for quality and service throughout the world. Drake is renowned for its rapid and effective servicing, product support, superior technical assistance, and extensive parts inventory. In fact, Drake was awarded Retailer Magazine's Dealer Choice Award for Best Manufacturer's Service in the satellite industry.
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