[ARC5] Re: half-voltage dynos

[David Stinson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hue Miller" <kargo_cult at msn.com>
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Re: half-voltage dynos


> However, re the anecdote on running the command sets off 12 v stead of
> 24v, i'd probably have to see a real testimonial on that, because running
> the heaters off 1/2 voltage does real bad things to the tube's operation.

One of the Stoddard RFI seeker receivers I tinkered with years ago
used very reduced filament voltage for noise-reduction.  
Took awhile to warm-up, but it worked.
So half-volts on the fils will work, sorta.
Concerning the story about the Command Set receiver 
that was tested on half-voltage:
Given the time frame, this was almost certainly 
either an RAT-1 or an RAV set.
In 1940, military aircraft radios that covered 13-27 MC
(and there weren't any significant production types- just one-offs 
 and prototypes this side of the pond)
were so bad that an RAT at half-speed would leave them in the dust,
but then I think of those half-voltage filaments...
I've run my RAT-1s at 28 volts B+ and they work well,
but I never tried half filament voltage.  I wonder about that.
When I get some time, I'm going to see if I can recreate
those conditions and measure just how well they work
at half-speed on the filaments.

73 Dave S.