[Boatanchors] newbie question

[Bob Macklin]

THE PROBLEM I see is getting a stock of replacement tubes. And there is no longer a local drug store to run to to buy tubes.

My position is that for a person that does not have a supply of replacement tubes available a tube tester is something to consider.

In the past 10 years my Heathkit TC-3 has only found one bad tube. But it has helped me to determine I did not have a tube problem.

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Seattle, Wa.
"Real Radios Glow In The Dark"
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Glen Zook 
  To: Bob Macklin ; Bill Cromwell ; boatanchors at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 8:25 AM
  Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] newbie question


  I have several tube testers and, most of the time, they sit on a shelf!  The best tube tester in the world is the unit itself.  I have seen tubes that check excellent that just would not work in the circuit and tubes that test bad that work fine!


  Remember, receiving tubes and the lower powered transmitting tubes (6146, 807, etc.) last for decades.  I have numerous tubes manufactured during the 1920s that still work fine.


  I would also add a good frequency counter to the list of equipment.  There are excellent counters that run well under $100 these days.

  Glen, K9STH


  Website: http://k9sth.com


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: Bob Macklin <macklinbob at gmail.com>
  To: Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com>; boatanchors at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2013 8:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] newbie question


  Where tube testers work well is when you do not have a supply of tubes to 
  use for swapping. If they say a tube is bad, it probably is.

  A few weeks ago I was having a problem with the 2M converter on my SB-301. I 
  used my Heathkit TC-3 (pretty old) to check the tubes. One of the RF amp 
  dual triodes showed a short in one section. I tried the RF amp dual triode 
  from my 6M converter. It showed a short in the other section. I did not have 
  any spares.

  The end result I put both tubes back in their original locations and both 
  converters are working fine.

  VTVM, RF signal generator, then scope, then tube tester.