[Boatanchors] troubleshooting shortcuts

Fri, 12 Jul 2002 18:58:47 -0500

hmmmm...I always just looked at a tube socket. I've got a little 7-pin
ceramic jobber-doey right in front of me.
As I look at the pins (circuit side), I see numbers (really, really small
:-), need a magnifying glass) 1 - 7 clockwise. I think all the octal sockets
are numbered. I don't know that I ever recall seeing such an explanation in
a book. Probably would have helped mis-wiring the filament to the plate at
least a couple of times :-)

I wonder if any old 'Hints-N-Kinks' had this information.

73, Dick K9FFK

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of R.J. Keller
> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 11:55 AM
> To: [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]
> Subject: [Boatanchors] troubleshooting shortcuts
>
>
> From time to time we all get questions from new ham operators that,
> although we know the answer, we can't explain it clearly. A gentleman
> asked me how the pins on tubes are numbered. Of course I said CW from
> the bottom and CCW from the top. He said, "how do you know that"?. So
> I broke out all the references I could think of including the several
> Handbooks, E&E, Sam's, RCA RC's, electronic course books, etc. etc.
> etc. Hundreds of book in my library but not one about how to count
> pins.
>
> Finally I came across a paperback that came as part of the deal with a
> hardbound I had purchased in the late 70's. I had never read it, but
> decided to check it as a last resort. The book is called ELECTRONIC
> TECHNICIAN'S HANDBOOK OF TIME-SAVERS AND SHORTCUTS (not a short title
> though) by Carl G. Grolle.
>
> With the recent comments such as "don't have the time" and "not enough
> test equipment", all you have to do is go to amazon.com and buy this
> book (used) for less than $5 and you won't be able to keep your hands
> off the equipment. (not so good for us with fading eye sight and
> arthritic fingers though)  This guy gives so many shortcuts and ways
> to troubleshoot without test equipment other than a VTVM, as well as a
> wealth of simple circuits to build for testing and how to use them.
>
> I guess what I am saying, if we can have fun and simplify some of the
> gobble-de-goop that we were taught but find tough to apply sometimes,
> there will be no more excuses not to be do-it-yourselfers. There are
> probably other not-so-technical books out there hiding on the shelves,
> ready for new or old to get the desire to dig in and have fun. Good
> luck.
>
> 73, Dick KF4NS
> Keep the glow!
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boatanchors mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/boatanchors
>