Vacuum tubes
 

There is coverage in various places of the US export totals for 2011,
heavy on the fact that our #1 export is fuel. But not far down the list
is . . . vacuum tubes. I had no idea that the US manufactured so many
vacuum tubes or that the market was still so big.

http://tinyurl.com/7ebyodz for the article at the Washington Post

The top exports in 2011 (thru October) were

1 — Fuel: $73.4 billion;
2 — Aircraft: $70.8 billion;
3 — Motor Vehicles: $39.6 billion;
4 — Vacuum Tubes: $37.1 billion;
5 — Telecommunications Equipment: $33.2 billion.

Following the history of vacuum tubes,

2010, #3, $47.3 billion
2009, #2, $37.7 billion
2008, #4, $50.6 billion
2007, #2, $50.2 billion
2006, #2, $53 billion

Looks like the health of the economy really affects consumption.

So where in the US are these manufactured?

73, Steve KB9X

Vacuum tubes
 

On Sun, 1 Jan 2012 12:57:50 EST, Steve Bonine wrote:

So where in the US are these manufactured?

Varian still sells them - their plant was in Utah the last time I
looked. These are "jugs" the size of wastebaskets with prices to
match. There are two tube rebuilders in California who serve the
broadcast transmitters world-wide as well. I also suspect that
klystrons, TWTs, and magnetrons are in that mix, but 6SN7-s are not.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Vacuum tubes
 

In article ,
Phil Kane wrote:

Varian still sells them - their plant was in Utah the last time I
looked. These are "jugs" the size of wastebaskets with prices to
match. There are two tube rebuilders in California who serve the
broadcast transmitters world-wide as well. I also suspect that
klystrons, TWTs, and magnetrons are in that mix, but 6SN7-s are not.

Everything I tend now is solid state except for four transmitters that
use one each of Eimac 8990 for output. Econco (in Woodland, last I
check) still rebuilds those.

I haven't used anything smaller than 8990 for some years. I know they're
thousands of dollars new, but I haven't bought a new one in ages.

--
John Higdon
+1 408 ANdrews 6-4400

Vacuum tubes
 

On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 00:24:30 EST, John Higdon wrote:

Varian still sells them - their plant was in Utah the last time I
looked. These are "jugs" the size of wastebaskets with prices to
match. There are two tube rebuilders in California who serve the
broadcast transmitters world-wide as well. I also suspect that
klystrons, TWTs, and magnetrons are in that mix, but 6SN7-s are not.

Everything I tend now is solid state except for four transmitters that
use one each of Eimac 8990 for output. Econco (in Woodland, last I
check) still rebuilds those.

The two rebuilders to whom I was referring were of course Econco and
Svetlana. Econco, Eimac, and Varian's former vacuum tube business are
now all part of Communication & Power Industries of Palo Alto.
---
Phil Kane
Beaverton, OR