[Hallicrafters] Ref: 12DQ6

[Glen Zook]

The 6883 is the 12 volt equivalent of the 6146.  The 6883A/8032 is the 12 volt equivalent of the 6146A/8298.  The 6883B/8032A/8552 is the 12 volt equivalent of the 6146B/8298A.  Most, but not all, of the RCA produced and branded tubes, be they 6 volt or 12 volt, had all numbers on each tube.  The second number was added to the tubes when that number was issued.  Then, when the 8552 designation was added to the 6883B/8032A the third number was added to the markings on each tube.

Some, but definitely not all, of the other manufacturers followed suit and put all of the type numbers on the tubes.

The original RCA tube data sheets on the 6146A and 6883A only listed that number.  However, as the second nomenclature was adopted the data sheets for the 6146A became 6146A/8298 and the 6883A became 6883A/8032.  The original RCA data sheets for the 6146B were actually 6146B/8298A and the original RCA data sheets for the 6883B were actually 6883B/8032A.  Then, when the 8552 designation was added to the 6883B the data sheets became 6883B/8032A/8552.

General Electric pretty much followed the same nomenclature as RCA.  Motorola generally used RCA produced tubes that were, for a time, marked 8032 that also had Motorola as the brand name.  Later RCA tubes supplied Motorola branded tubes as 6883A/8032.  The first 8552 (6883B) tubes supplied with the Motorola brand were marked 8032A/8552.  Then, after a while, the tubes started coming with 6883B/8032A/8552 on them.  When I owned the Motorola reconditioned equipment center for the south-central United States, we saw hundreds of the 12 volt equivalent tubes every month because the Motrac mobiles used them.  For the first couple of years (1970 and 1971) we did use the 6 volt 6146A/8298 in certain tube type base stations were still being reconditioned.  However, after some time in 1971 no completely tube type base stations were being reconditioned so we stopped stocking the 6146A/8298.

There are a number of "boat anchor" transmitters/transceivers that run the "filaments" from 12 volts which ran 6146 tubes with the heaters in series.  These include the Heath SB-100, SB-101, SB-102, HW-100, HW-101, SB-110, and SB-110A.  All of those can be modified in a couple of minutes changing the series connection to a parallel connection.

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com


--- On Sat, 12/4/10, Carl <km1h at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:

Ive found NIB 6883's at $5-10 each on various ham for sale sites and have> rewired my TS-830's which use series wired 6146's. The 8032 is the Motorola desigination.