VTTC, ITS ALIVE!

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Steven Ward by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <srward16-at-hotmail-dot-com>

OK,

I have managed to get my new VTTC (1 X 811A) to work, good!  Im sure it can 
do much, much better, since i have only gotten about 3" or so.  I have been 
hesitant to crank it up on the variac because at about 65% the tube began to 
glow orange.  I like to run with the plate colorless.  My russian caps seem 
just fine and do not get warm at all.  My 5k ohm 20W resistor in the grid 
leak gets rather warm/ hot.  I have noticed that at the 50% and above 
settings, the coil seems to loose oscillation for a very short (.3 sec or 
less) period of time.  What could this be?  Is the tube arcing over? i cant 
see any flash.  I dont have the LR filter on the plate yet, but will add it 
tomorrow.  I think i need to work out some things with the grid coil. 
Possibly less turns, i have 27 right now, and the norm seens to be about 
20-25.  I think i'll take 2 off and try again.  I will also try the 
adjustable distance between the 2 coils and see if that will help.  I will 
need a new secondary (i think) because this one tunes at only 19turns with a 
1.5" X 6" toroid.  Its amazing that this coil worked the first time i turned 
it on!  I was even very close with the tuning, only off by a turn!  If 
anyone has some other suggestions, id love to hear them.

Steve Ward.