[Boatanchors] troubleshooting shortcuts

Fri, 12 Jul 2002 19:57:55 -0500

I checked the tube basing diagrams in my ARRL Radio Amateur Handbooks from
46 through 68.  The wording at the beginning of the basing diagrams mentions
the bottom view and numbers the pins.

----- Original Message -----
From: "R.J. Keller" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>;
<[email protected]>; <[email protected]>;
<[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 11:55 AM
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!
>
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