[ARC5] VT-5 tube

[Hubert Miller]

I have a USN type ME aircraft transmitter - receiver i bought many years ago. Nameplate date is 1929. Frequency range 3000 - 4000 kHz with about
100 watts input CW only. Receiver section uses 4x  WE-215 peanuts. One tube is just a calibrator. The transmitter is quartz controlled; 3 triodes but
i don't remember the tube right now. This is a development of the Navy MB which does appear in the Navy catalog but i think the ME does not. The
ME i think is a somewhat elaboration of the MB and has one more meter. Nick's Navy pages have the photo of the ME radio i submitted. I did not get
any WE-215 when i acquired the radio. Subsequently i did price WE-215 and i learned you can get ANY tube ever made IF you are willing to pay a price.
I am not so motivated to have the exact tube and i think a common substitute low gm 1.5 volt triode would do; maybe even JFETs with adapters. It's
interesting to me that rather than the usual military practice of running tubes conservatively, this radio "pushes" the triode outputs to their max.  I do
have the MB manual, which is a help, as they're similar. It's a pretty cute radio. I do want and intend to draw out the schematic; then to decide whether
to keep and operate or sell off. I do not care at all for the 80 meter band but the radio i have to admit, is perfect for the aftermarket with its 80 meters
coverage. I would probably get lots of bonus points on Straight Key Nite or other contest.

OH i almost forgot. Looking thru 'WINGS' magazine Feb. 1997, i see on page 12 the Vought 'Corsair' O2U-1 plane. This has to be it.  A two-seat biplane
with a one bladed wind powered generator located on the top wing center to power the radio. That gen is shown in the MB manual. 
-Hue Miller, K7HUE