[Drake] 6JB6 TUBES

[W4AWM at aol.com]

Ladies and gentlemen,

What all this comes down to is that most tubes will work but you you need to 
take care tuning up, that is, keep the drive down, tune up quickly, not over 
10 seconds at a time if you can help it, and let it cool if it takes you 
longer. Then bring the drive up and check quickly for a final dip. It is then 
advisable to back the drive off slightly. The object here is not to run the pants 
off the poor sweep tubes. They are not designed for it. The last 10 of 15 watts 
you are trying to squeeze out of the rig in not going to make one bit of 
difference at the receiving end, but it will certainly dent your pocket book when 
it comes time to buy a new set of finals.

If you want to do antenna work, get yourself a good bridge, set the tuner or 
matching device with that and save the finals for operating. I am not 
promoting stuff, but the MFJ 259 (  ) is the best investment you can make for a shack 
accessory in my opinion. Get everything set with that, connect the rig, and 
you will find that any further dipping is hardly necessary.

If you can place a small fan on top of the rig exhausting outward, this will 
help, too.

I have my original R-4A / T4X rig that I bought at Freck Radio and Supply 
Company in Asheville, NC back in the early 60s. I am still running the original 
finals. That has to tell you something, and yes, the rig has many hundred hours 
on the clock.

73,

  John,  W4AWM