17 Feb
2010
17 Feb
'10
1:44 a.m.
Zane H. Healy wrote:
On Tue, 16 Feb 2010, David Griffith wrote:
I run old ham gear, most made not less than 35-40 years ago and I have
very little
trouble finding tubes for them. The fact that they are NOS is not an
issue. Then
again most of the low power tubes are original and just fine. I also
build with tubes
and have a fine collection of miniature 7/9 pin stuff, the sub-mini wire
lead stuff
and a selection of the "hearing aid" (1ad4 and the like) types and a
bunch of
6CW4 and 6DS4 Nuvisters (very mini ceramic metal triodes). I even build
radios
Slightly related is the subject of tubes in
radios. I get a kick out
of using tube radios. One big problem though is that there is no
source of brand-new tubes anymore. It's all new-old-stock. Tube-amp
enthusiasts have a ready supply of newly-manufactured tubes from a
small variety of eastern European makers, but those are almost
entirely unsuitable for making radios. I really wish some of these
makers could be convinced to make new signal tubes. I like my
new-old Philco, but the fact that it uses loktal tubes gives me an
icky feeling when using it. Nobody is selling AA5 loktal lineups on
ebay.
I would think that there would be a definite market for such tubes. I
know
the feeling you're talking about. I use a Stereo from about 1964 for
listening to the radio and 78's. Though I know where there is a 2nd
identical stereo I might be able to canabilize if needed.
Zane from time to time just to use a few up. Parts like IF
cans are scarce
but I manage
to find them. The items I find getting hard to buy are variable caps,
those things
are still made but the prices are scary.
To me the definitive AA5 line up is the later and less costly 35W4,
50C5, 12BE6,
12BA6 and 12AVT6. I have a Sx120 and a common Firestone table radio using
that lineup. Also a battery/AC RCA portable with 1r5, 1t4, 1u5, 3v4 and a
selenium rectifier and it still works well.
Allison