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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Fansome on January 28, 2016, 2145 UTC

Title: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: Fansome on January 28, 2016, 2145 UTC


Full article: http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/the-quest-for-the-ultimate-vacuum-tube
   

The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube

For supposedly antiquated legacy devices, vacuum tubes are oddly relevant and very much in demand. The traveling-wave tube and other vacuum devices continue to do what they’re called on to do (like generating RF power in the form of microwave, millimeter-wave, and submillimeter-wave radiation) extremely well—and in environments that would kill a solid-state chip dead. That has been enough to sustain a multibillion-dollar industry in which innovation—including the push for an instant on-off tube—continues apace.
Title: Re: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: Billy the Mountain on January 28, 2016, 2206 UTC
What about nuvistors?
Title: Re: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: Terry on January 29, 2016, 0207 UTC
I think I still have some 6CW4 nuvistors. Built some VHF and UHF converters with them back in the day.
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~runs out to garage~
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Went and looked. Couldn't find the 6CW4's but found a 7587 and a 8058. External anode nuvistors.
Boy, am I old.
Title: Re: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: redhat on January 29, 2016, 0248 UTC
There's a 4CX1000A/8168 on my desk and a 4CX15000A7 on the coffee table.  Does that make me old too?

+-RH
Title: Re: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: Terry on January 30, 2016, 0128 UTC
rh, probably. All my really good tubes are gone. Gave them away last move. 2c39's 4X150 and on and on. I wish I had kept everything.  :(
And you should put some of those tubes to use and off the furniture.
Title: Re: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: redhat on January 30, 2016, 1627 UTC
I would but there is something so unappealing about a device that required a 30KW cat diesel to run it ;)

+-RH
Title: Re: The Quest for the Ultimate Vacuum Tube
Post by: ka1iic on February 17, 2016, 1515 UTC
50C5