6JB6 and other sweep tubes

[Edward Knobloch]

Hi, Gang

The 6JB6 tube used by Drake seems to have the same specs
as a 6DQ6B (octal) sweep tube. Pretty wimpy.
The 6JB6 has a button stem base, and therefore
should be a better high frequency performer than the 6DQ6B.

The 6DQ6 was favored on low-end rigs like the Heath DX-20
or Knight Kit T-60. The Hallicrafters SR-150 used two 12DQ6B's.
The 6DQ6B was a bit beefier than the original 6DQ6 or 6DQ6A.

Sweep tubes are really good at surviving abuse,
at least for short periods. I was trying to tune up
a newly aquired Swan 240 beater, and my first indication
of an intermittant plate meter was the red glowing plate
of the single 6DQ5. I thought that tube was a goner,
but it still worked fine, a hundred watts out with a whistle.

73,
Ed Knobloch

[RadioGuy]

Edward Knobloch > wrote in message
news:NUN2e.33466$qN3.7797@trndny01...
> Hi, Gang
>
> The 6JB6 tube used by Drake seems to have the same specs
> as a 6DQ6B (octal) sweep tube. Pretty wimpy.
> The 6JB6 has a button stem base, and therefore
> should be a better high frequency performer than the 6DQ6B.
>
> The 6DQ6 was favored on low-end rigs like the Heath DX-20
> or Knight Kit T-60. The Hallicrafters SR-150 used two 12DQ6B's.
> The 6DQ6B was a bit beefier than the original 6DQ6 or 6DQ6A.
>
> Sweep tubes are really good at surviving abuse,
> at least for short periods. I was trying to tune up
> a newly aquired Swan 240 beater, and my first indication
> of an intermittant plate meter was the red glowing plate
> of the single 6DQ5. I thought that tube was a goner,
> but it still worked fine, a hundred watts out with a whistle.
>
> 73,
> Ed Knobloch

How those tube types bring back memories;. 6DQ6, 6X4, 5Y3, 6BE6, 807, 1625,
50C5, 6AQ5, 2E26, 5763, 6146 the list could go on and I guess every veteran
ham has a number/s dear to him or her for one reason or another.

Yea, that 6DQ6 saw a lot of service in ham gear and I had a couple of fist's
full of them in my junk box---I even built a transmitter using one of them
too. I recall the articles in ARRL handbook and QST using those tubes in
transmitters. Those TV sets that we salvaged (sitting on the edge of the
street next to the garbage can waiting to be picked up) besides the
transformer, all had one in them (or maybe a fellow would hope so). I think
if there is any sweep tube that represents the genre of sweep tube designs
its got to be the 6DQ6---a classic tube perhaps. The CB amplifiers of the
70's using that tube would make an interesting thread by itself. I guess
that tube was too expensive for Drake to use in their designs. I think that
is sort of the thoughts that some of us had---why this 6JB6 in Drake
gear... like, where the heck did this tube come from? Yet, according to one
tube dealer, the 6DQ6 goes for $6 each compared to $20 for the 6JB6.

RG

[Duby Todd]

I once had a Gonset G-76 that ran a 6DQ5 final modulated by a pair of 6DQ6s.
I guess sweep tubes were everywhere.


"Edward Knobloch" > wrote in message
news:NUN2e.33466$qN3.7797@trndny01...
> Hi, Gang
>
> The 6JB6 tube used by Drake seems to have the same specs
> as a 6DQ6B (octal) sweep tube. Pretty wimpy.
> The 6JB6 has a button stem base, and therefore
> should be a better high frequency performer than the 6DQ6B.
>
> The 6DQ6 was favored on low-end rigs like the Heath DX-20
> or Knight Kit T-60. The Hallicrafters SR-150 used two 12DQ6B's.
> The 6DQ6B was a bit beefier than the original 6DQ6 or 6DQ6A.
>
> Sweep tubes are really good at surviving abuse,
> at least for short periods. I was trying to tune up
> a newly aquired Swan 240 beater, and my first indication
> of an intermittant plate meter was the red glowing plate
> of the single 6DQ5. I thought that tube was a goner,
> but it still worked fine, a hundred watts out with a whistle.
>
> 73,
> Ed Knobloch

[John Haberkern]

and if drake used the 6dq6b they would be going for $20 apiece, law of
supply and demand. john

[Ted Bruce]

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 14:11:04 GMT, "RadioGuy" >
wrote:

>
---snip---
>
>How those tube types bring back memories;. 6DQ6, 6X4, 5Y3, 6BE6, 807, 1625,
>50C5, 6AQ5, 2E26, 5763, 6146 the list could go on and I guess every veteran
>ham has a number/s dear to him or her for one reason or another.
>
>Yea, that 6DQ6 saw a lot of service in ham gear and I had a couple of fist's
>full of them in my junk box---I even built a transmitter using one of them
>too. I recall the articles in ARRL handbook and QST using those tubes in
>transmitters. Those TV sets that we salvaged (sitting on the edge of the
>street next to the garbage can waiting to be picked up) besides the
>transformer, all had one in them (or maybe a fellow would hope so). I think
>if there is any sweep tube that represents the genre of sweep tube designs
>its got to be the 6DQ6---a classic tube perhaps. The CB amplifiers of the
>70's using that tube would make an interesting thread by itself. I guess
>that tube was too expensive for Drake to use in their designs. I think that
>is sort of the thoughts that some of us had---why this 6JB6 in Drake
>gear... like, where the heck did this tube come from? Yet, according to one
>tube dealer, the 6DQ6 goes for $6 each compared to $20 for the 6JB6.
>
>RG
RG,
I had the DX-20 as my first rig, and it used the 6DQ6. My second rig,
for which I have aquired a duplicate, is the HT-40, with the 6DQ5.

I live in dread of the day that my T-4XB's finals give out. A matched
pair(mandatory!) of original spec 6JB6's is going to cost a heck of a
lot more than $40! The well-documented 6146 conversion is always a
possibilty, although I don't know how well those chinese tubes will
hold up.

Hmmm...I think I told you in another post that I sold my TS-530S
because I wouldn't be able to maintain it, and therefore I went back
to the Heathkit HW-101 and the 4B line...I'm contradicting myself.
Soon, I'll be sending myself nasty flaming posts ;)

Ted KX4OM