Retubing Kenwood TS520
 

Hi,

The 6146B tubes are soft in my Kenwood TS520. I need info on a good
domestic USA supplier of tubes. I also need info on the right DMM to
install them.


Jim KD8GS

Hi Jim,

Kenwood TS-520... a real workhorse that will last forever! :)

You should be able to find NOS 6146B's on eBay for a reasonable
price. The market is so flooded with them that they don't cost
much these days. I caution you against buying 6146W's unless
you know how to decode the date information to figure out if
they're really 6146A's or 6146B's. Stick with the B's.

If you aren't the eBay type, try these vendors, although you'll
likely pay mo

- Antique Electronic Supply (http://www.tubesandmore.com)
- RF Parts Company (http://http://www.rfparts.com)
- Any of the major ham radio equipment dealers, such as AES,
Ham Radio Outlet, and so forth. They all carry them.

Why do you need a DMM to install tubes? Would that be to do
the neutralization? If so, I suggest an analog voltmeter so
that you more can easily see peaks and dips in the voltage
(watching a moving analog needle is much easier than using a
digital meter).

73,
Dean K5DH



In article , says...

Hi,

The 6146B tubes are soft in my Kenwood TS520. I need info on a good
domestic USA supplier of tubes. I also need info on the right DMM to
install them.

Jim KD8GS

Dean,
..
Thanks for the help. The shack is bare of equipment due to moves and just
giving it away. I've gotten the ham bug again and need to buy both new
repair gear and more radio equipment.

Golden Screwdriver #138645

Jim

BTW I'd love to see the new hams sweat through a FCC exam.



"K5DH" wrote in message
...
Hi Jim,

Kenwood TS-520... a real workhorse that will last forever! :)

You should be able to find NOS 6146B's on eBay for a reasonable
price. The market is so flooded with them that they don't cost
much these days. I caution you against buying 6146W's unless
you know how to decode the date information to figure out if
they're really 6146A's or 6146B's. Stick with the B's.

If you aren't the eBay type, try these vendors, although you'll
likely pay mo

- Antique Electronic Supply (http://www.tubesandmore.com)
- RF Parts Company (http://http://www.rfparts.com)
- Any of the major ham radio equipment dealers, such as AES,
Ham Radio Outlet, and so forth. They all carry them.

Why do you need a DMM to install tubes? Would that be to do
the neutralization? If so, I suggest an analog voltmeter so
that you more can easily see peaks and dips in the voltage
(watching a moving analog needle is much easier than using a
digital meter).

73,
Dean K5DH



In article , says...

Hi,

The 6146B tubes are soft in my Kenwood TS520. I need info on a good
domestic USA supplier of tubes. I also need info on the right DMM to
install them.

Jim KD8GS

K5DH wrote:

Hi Jim,

Kenwood TS-520... a real workhorse that will last forever! :)

You should be able to find NOS 6146B's on eBay for a reasonable
price. The market is so flooded with them that they don't cost
much these days. I caution you against buying 6146W's unless
you know how to decode the date information to figure out if
they're really 6146A's or 6146B's. Stick with the B's.

If you aren't the eBay type, try these vendors, although you'll
likely pay mo

- Antique Electronic Supply (http://www.tubesandmore.com)
- RF Parts Company (http://http://www.rfparts.com)
- Any of the major ham radio equipment dealers, such as AES,
Ham Radio Outlet, and so forth. They all carry them.

Why do you need a DMM to install tubes? Would that be to do
the neutralization? If so, I suggest an analog voltmeter so
that you more can easily see peaks and dips in the voltage
(watching a moving analog needle is much easier than using a
digital meter).

73,
Dean K5DH

In article , says...

Hi,

The 6146B tubes are soft in my Kenwood TS520. I need info on a good
domestic USA supplier of tubes. I also need info on the right DMM to
install them.

Jim KD8GS





If your neutralization is correct, on the higher bands, preferably 10M,
the rf output and the dip in plate current will coincide. You shouldn't
need any test equipment to change the pa's other than some form of
output indicator -- and your SWR meter (assuming you have one) will
serve the purpose.

Irv
--
--------------------------------------
Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001
Beating it with diet and exercise!
297/215/210 (to be revised lower)
58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!)
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/
Visit my very special website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/
Visit my CFSRS/CFIOG ONLINE OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Irv,

Thanks for the tip. Seem logical that if they are balanced they would occur
at the time. Will probably go ahead and buy the test equipment for
tinkering anyway. I want a good Fluke Hi-Z DMM for some of the computer
work I do.

Jim

BTW the group here seems very helpful. Been a lurker for a while even while
inactive on the bands.

"Irv Finkleman" wrote in message
...
K5DH wrote:

Hi Jim,

Kenwood TS-520... a real workhorse that will last forever! :)

You should be able to find NOS 6146B's on eBay for a reasonable
price. The market is so flooded with them that they don't cost
much these days. I caution you against buying 6146W's unless
you know how to decode the date information to figure out if
they're really 6146A's or 6146B's. Stick with the B's.

If you aren't the eBay type, try these vendors, although you'll
likely pay mo

- Antique Electronic Supply (http://www.tubesandmore.com)
- RF Parts Company (http://http://www.rfparts.com)
- Any of the major ham radio equipment dealers, such as AES,
Ham Radio Outlet, and so forth. They all carry them.

Why do you need a DMM to install tubes? Would that be to do
the neutralization? If so, I suggest an analog voltmeter so
that you more can easily see peaks and dips in the voltage
(watching a moving analog needle is much easier than using a
digital meter).

73,
Dean K5DH

In article , says...

Hi,

The 6146B tubes are soft in my Kenwood TS520. I need info on a good
domestic USA supplier of tubes. I also need info on the right DMM to
install them.

Jim KD8GS





If your neutralization is correct, on the higher bands, preferably 10M,
the rf output and the dip in plate current will coincide. You shouldn't
need any test equipment to change the pa's other than some form of
output indicator -- and your SWR meter (assuming you have one) will
serve the purpose.

Irv
--
--------------------------------------
Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001
Beating it with diet and exercise!
297/215/210 (to be revised lower)
58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!)
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/
Visit my very special website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/
Visit my CFSRS/CFIOG ONLINE OLDTIMERS website at
http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Yes, Beware of "late" date-coded 6146W's on the market now. They look
like crap: I had a pair that had the plate caps mounted at about a 10-degree
angle from the top of the glass envelope. One had
a broken vacuum and was all white inside....these were NOS boxed tubes.

6146B's may be the best bet. RF Parts may be a safe-bet and good place to
get tubes.

Pat WB9GKZ
"James Mosier" wrote in message
...
Hi,

The 6146B tubes are soft in my Kenwood TS520. I need info on a good
domestic USA supplier of tubes. I also need info on the right DMM to
install them.


Jim KD8GS