[Boatanchors] Re: Tubesters

[Steve Uhrig]

Thanks all for the education on Tubesters.

I bought the S line used. It had come out of commercial or government 
service, and the Tubesters were with it. There also was a spares kit with 
vacuum tubes, some rocks, connectors, etc. It was set up for the amateur 
bands as I got it, so someone had restored the amateur capability after 
the original owner released it.

I never had any problem I can recall (almost 30 years later) using the 
radios and Tubesters. I don't recall if the thing had any real tubes in 
them. I think at least the TX did. Wonderful gear. 

I didn't know the Tubesters were custom and apparently scarce. Hadn't 
given them a thought until yesterday, when I was discussing the good ol' 
times with my wife.

There's a fair bit of commentary on Tubester if you google the term.

=======

Wonder if there is a vacuum tube replacement for solid state devices?

I could add some tubes to my Elecraft K2 and have the warmest bedroom in 
the house again.

Maybe just mount some old tubes in there and run the heaters off an 
external transformer. Then I'll ultimatehy have the same sweet smell of 
paint baking, bakelite heating and capacitors and transformers cooking 
off.

For now, I'll have to live with my 2B, which is the last piece of my 
original novice gear I have. It's never failed and I've never done 
anything other than spray the pots and switches and dust it, and use the  
devil out of it. I almost wish something simple would happen to it so I 
had an excuse to crawl around inside the thing. 

Thanks all for the info and reminiscing.

Steve WA3SWS


*******************************************************************
Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA)
Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip
mailto:Steve at swssec.com  website http://www.swssec.com
Tel/fax +1+410-879-4035
"In God we trust, all others we monitor"
*******************************************************************