Re: which tubes to get at hamfest?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: which tubes to get at hamfest?
From: Ed Phillips <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 05:26:15 -0700
Approved: twf-at-verinet-dot-com

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "Jeff Corr" <corr-at-enid-dot-com>
> 
> I've seen on the list over the last few days, and on webpages that
> it is possible to make tube coils with the following tubes :
> 
> 803
> 811
> 811a
> 813
> 833a
> 
> Are there any other tubes that are popularly used for tube coils that I
> should be an eye out for at this hamfest?

        Any "big tube" should be OK (if functional).  Triodes preferred, but
unfortunately the high-fi nuts have pretty well bought up the available
stock.  They seem to like "the triode sound", or at least have been
conned into thinking they do.  If it's more than a couple of inches in
diameter and perhaps 6" long it should be useful.  That's a very rough
statement, but probably true.  If someone is selling tubes at the swap
meet he can probably tell you the power rating (50 watts and up
preferred) and something about it.   You can find the pinouts and
operating voltages by asking here, or looking at one of the tube sites
on the web.

        One thing you should be sure of is that you are buying a transmitting
tube, not a rectifier or thyratron or something else which, although
big, is useless for RF.  If it has mercury in it forget it.  If it's
cheap enough buy it and then find out what you have.

Ed