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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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In Reply to: Re: Gold tube pins: All that's gold is not glitter posted by Seán on February 22, 2007 at 00:52:49:
Seán,Your idea of using gold pin tubes in positions difficult to service may have merit. Earlier on, of course, all military communications equipment was tubed and during WWII especially became much more complex quickly -there was RADAR, by the end of the War they were using television, and there were code breaking and trajectory calculation computers. In some situtations this gear would have to be very compact -airplanes and ships, while they are also in a more corrosive environment that would build oxidation on the pins faster. It's logical that the operators might have to add a lot of maintenence time in tube pin cleaning and in gear that was really packed in to conserve space/weight, and secured.
It seems the 6BL8 is often around communications stuff- tuners and ham radio- and the military version- 7643- is always gold pinned. I've often wanted to see the works of WWII walkie-talkies as these had to have a tube transmitter and receiver- battery powered- in a relatively compact hand-held single unit that would get thrown around in combat. I don't know if these had any gold pin tubes, but the tubes must have been in pretty tight!
The 6DJ8 too is interesting as I believe it was first designed for high frequency use in RADAR and the like. It's said that's the reason they are so often microphonic- the microphonics wouldn't play a role at those frequencies. But, the 6DJ8 is always steel pinned, whereas the 6922/E88CC and 7308/E188CC are almost all gold pinned. I say 'almost' as the very last Philips E188CCs were steel pinned. By the way, the Valvo and Amperex E88CC can be the same tube as they are both Philips made and made with identical tooling and materials whether at Heeerlen, Holland, Hamburg, or the Mullard, Blackburn factories. Most Philips, Holland tubes are called Amperex and the Hamburg tubes Valvo, but there are certainly Hamburg Amperex Bugle Boys. But, all factories' output was intended to be as similar as possible.
Cheers,Bambi B
PS: I saw a single WWII walkie talkie for sale not long ago and I thought of rebuilding my cel phone into the case and when everyone at the lunch table pulls out their subminiature video/tune/phones, I'd have my 4" X 4" X 18", 8 pounder in a rucksack! When the phone would ring, I'd get it, pull up the 5' whip antenna and say, "Over" at the end of each sentence. "Sorry, everyone, it was James Cameron. He's at sea and had a question."
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Follow Ups
- Gold tube pins use - Bambi B 07:44:17 02/22/07 (0)
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