Darrell wrote in message
01...
Actually, I think Drake was pretty clever. The tubes cost roughly half as
much as a 6146 and had about the same capabilities. Drake was smart enough
to run them within their ratings, unlike most other manufacturers that
used
horizontal output tubes and tried to sqeeze every last watt out of them.
Add to that the fact that (according to tests results in the Bill Orr
Handbook) they actually had less distortion than the 6146 in linear
service, and it looks like a darn good decision.

I still remember a friend of mine running his TR4 full bore on 20 meters
RTTY back in the 1970's. He never had a problem.

73,
Darrell, WA5VGO

According to my Radio Handbook (Orr) 18th. edition (1970) on page 383:

"To date, the use of inexpensive TV-type sweep tubes as linear amplifers in
amateur SSB gear has been acceptable, regardless of the rather high level of
distortion inherent in these tube types."

I checked the spare parts price list for my TR-4 (January 1, 1977) on the
price of the 6JB6---$4.83. This seems to be in the same price class as the
6146 not to mention that the 6146 tubes were commonly available as surplus
from military or commercial services.

I also operated RTTY with my TR-3 but I had a blower on my tubes.

RG

You miss the point. Drake didn't buy their tubes from the surplus market.
They bought them bulk packaged from the manufacturer. It did make sence
from their standpoint and it didn't compromise the product. From a
boatanchor standpoint I wish they had used 6146's. But when put in their
shoes in 1963, it was a good business decision.

Most horizontal output tubes have distortion products comparable to the
6146 if you keep the voltage and power down to reasonable levels. Third
order products are typically in the -25 Db range which is right in there
with the 6146.

73,
Darrell, WA5VGO




"RadioGuy" wrote in
:


Darrell wrote in message
According to my Radio Handbook (Orr) 18th. edition (1970) on page 383:

"To date, the use of inexpensive TV-type sweep tubes as linear
amplifers in amateur SSB gear has been acceptable, regardless of the
rather high level of distortion inherent in these tube types."

I checked the spare parts price list for my TR-4 (January 1, 1977) on
the price of the 6JB6---$4.83. This seems to be in the same price
class as the 6146 not to mention that the 6146 tubes were commonly
available as surplus from military or commercial services.

I also operated RTTY with my TR-3 but I had a blower on my tubes.

RG

Darrell wrote:

You miss the point. Drake didn't buy their tubes from the surplus market.
They bought them bulk packaged from the manufacturer. It did make sence
from their standpoint and it didn't compromise the product. From a
boatanchor standpoint I wish they had used 6146's. But when put in their
shoes in 1963, it was a good business decision.

Most horizontal output tubes have distortion products comparable to the
6146 if you keep the voltage and power down to reasonable levels. Third
order products are typically in the -25 Db range which is right in there
with the 6146.

73,
Darrell, WA5VGO


Another point of view: If a ham needed new final tubes he could buy
them at any TV shop or parts house, but the 6146 wasn't always available
over the counter without a wait.

--
?

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael A. Terrell wrote in message
...
Darrell wrote:

You miss the point. Drake didn't buy their tubes from the surplus
market.
They bought them bulk packaged from the manufacturer. It did make sence
from their standpoint and it didn't compromise the product. From a
boatanchor standpoint I wish they had used 6146's. But when put in their
shoes in 1963, it was a good business decision.

Most horizontal output tubes have distortion products comparable to the
6146 if you keep the voltage and power down to reasonable levels. Third
order products are typically in the -25 Db range which is right in there
with the 6146.

73,
Darrell, WA5VGO


Another point of view: If a ham needed new final tubes he could buy
them at any TV shop or parts house, but the 6146 wasn't always available
over the counter without a wait.

--
?

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Well... maybe if you were using a single tube that would be the case. The
Drake gear (besides gear from other manufacturers) used more than one tube
requiring them to be matched. I recall Drake sold matched sets of tubes
after checking their cathode currents in a test fixture. The tubes were
them marked and collected into sets for sale. I recall seeing the number
'18' on the envelope of a matched set of 6JB6's. What '18' meant I just
don't know. I also recall some folks back then claim the the tubes were
also matched on the basis of plate capacitance. I'd look at the matched
sets that I have but they have been in sealed packages for nearly 30 years
so I hate to open them.

The 6146's weren't a problem... we always seemed to get them if we needed
them---they seemed to be everywhere. They were sort of like antenna
insulators---if you needed them someone had them and would give them to you.
I never bought a 6146... One fellow gave me a couple of boxes of 6146W's
(yea... they were in the white boxe with the black print on the side ;-). A
lot of manufacturers were using the 6146's in their designs and the tubes
had been around a long time---for decades.

RG

Okay, you've convinced me. Drake had no idea what they were doing.

73,
Darrell, WA5VGO







"RadioGuy" wrote in
:


Michael A. Terrell wrote in message
...
Darrell wrote:

You miss the point. Drake didn't buy their tubes from the surplus
market.
They bought them bulk packaged from the manufacturer. It did make
sence from their standpoint and it didn't compromise the product.
From a boatanchor standpoint I wish they had used 6146's. But when
put in their shoes in 1963, it was a good business decision.

Most horizontal output tubes have distortion products comparable to
the 6146 if you keep the voltage and power down to reasonable
levels. Third order products are typically in the -25 Db range
which is right in there with the 6146.

73,
Darrell, WA5VGO


Another point of view: If a ham needed new final tubes he could
buy
them at any TV shop or parts house, but the 6146 wasn't always
available over the counter without a wait.

--
?

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Well... maybe if you were using a single tube that would be the case.
The Drake gear (besides gear from other manufacturers) used more than
one tube requiring them to be matched. I recall Drake sold matched
sets of tubes after checking their cathode currents in a test fixture.
The tubes were them marked and collected into sets for sale. I
recall seeing the number '18' on the envelope of a matched set of
6JB6's. What '18' meant I just don't know. I also recall some folks
back then claim the the tubes were also matched on the basis of plate
capacitance. I'd look at the matched sets that I have but they have
been in sealed packages for nearly 30 years so I hate to open them.

The 6146's weren't a problem... we always seemed to get them if we
needed them---they seemed to be everywhere. They were sort of like
antenna insulators---if you needed them someone had them and would
give them to you. I never bought a 6146... One fellow gave me a
couple of boxes of 6146W's (yea... they were in the white boxe with
the black print on the side ;-). A lot of manufacturers were using
the 6146's in their designs and the tubes had been around a long
time---for decades.

RG