[Boatanchors] Valiant 6146 Question

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D C _Mac_ Macdonald" <k2gkk at hotmail.com>
To: "WB6KBL Knoppow, Richard" <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>; 
"W5JO Jim Wilhite" <w5jo at brightok.net>
Cc: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 3:44 PM
Subject: RE: [Boatanchors] Valiant 6146 Question



Somewhere along the line, I got the
idea that "W" tubes were ruggedized.

    Some are but the suffix means only that the tube was 
made for a government contract. It does not mean that it was 
sold directly to the government but to a contractor to use 
on government equipment.  Some of these tubes are 
undoubtedly ruggedized but those usually have some 
additional indication such as a type number or other letters 
in the suffix.  There are ruggedized and long-life versions 
of many tubes, usually with four digit type numbers but not 
always.  There is a high-altitude version of the 5R4 often 
seen the WGB which has a large gray base with the envelope 
sitting partly inside it.  I've never seen a 5R4GB so it 
seems to have been a strictly military version. Y on an 
octal tube suffix means its mounted in a low-loss base.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com