RadioGuy wrote:
Bill Cohn billcohn1.comcast.net wrote in message
...

Ted Zateslo wrote:

RadioGuy wrote:



I still have yet to find the production data of the 6146 (how many
manufactured)---my two hour long Google search still has come to

naught.

Similarly, production data for the 6JB6 (how many manufactured) has

escaped

me as well and would be of additional interest in this running thread.


I don't know how one could track down the numbers, but I've been

thinking about

the relative abundance of these tubes.

The 6JB6 was a Novar version of the 6GW6 octal sweep tube. In the early

60's

RCA was introducing Novar sweep tubes, some of which were electrically

the same

as earlier types, and some of which were new. GE was doing the same

thing with

12-pin Compactron sweep tubes. The 6JB6 was meant for black-and-white

TVs, but

by the mid 60's, comparatively few B/W sets used transformer power

supplies --

most were "portable" sets with series-string heaters, and would have

used, for

example, a 17JB6 in the horizontal output. So the 6JB6 was probably not

a

huge seller, compared to the 17JB6, or to the 6-volt color tubes like

the

6JE6 which were used a lot.

The 6146 was originally designed by RCA in response to George Grammer,

W1DF,

QST technical editor, so it came about because of amateur radio, but it
was used in large numbers in GE and Motorola VHF 2-way radios.

There were a lot more TV sets than 2-way radios made, but it could be
that the relatively small number of transformer-powered black-and-white
TVs in the 60s meant that 6JB6 production was fairly low. I wouldn't
be suprised if there were more 6146's (of all variations) made than
6JB6's.

Ted Zateslo, W1XO


The 6JB6 was used in about 50% of RCA's B&W TV line from 1964 till at
least 1967. They had power transformers in most 23 inch TVs and high end
19 Inch sets. Zenith also used this tube is some chassis in the 1964 line.

Bill Cohn - N9MHT
Former Zenith B&W TV design engineer


Bill, it sure would be nice if you could estimate the number of TV's in that
run that used the 6JB6. I suspect those RCA TV's used the RCA 6JB6; what
about the Zenith TV's?. Do you have any thoughts regarding the Sylvania
6JB6's?

RG


To answer your question about an estimate of how many sets were in those
runs I would gues probably between 100,000 and 200,000 sets. I am sure
that its at least an order of magnitude more than the number of Drake Rigs.

Although you would expect that RCA used their own tubes that was not
necessarily true. Zenith used both RCA and Sylvania tubes that they had
custom branded. It was also not out of the question for RCA to get their
run of 6JB6s from Sylvania or vica versa. Not all tube manufacturers
made all tube types and often traded types to make it look like they
made a complete line.

73 de N9MHT - Bill