[Hallicrafters] Ref: 12DQ6

[Carl]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Everette" <radiocompass at yahoo.com>
To: "Carl" <km1h at jeremy.mv.com>; "Walt Cates" <cateswa at msn.com>; 
"hallicrafters" <Hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2010 1:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Ref: 12DQ6


> Carl,
>
> I don't know about Richardson having destroyed US tube manufacturing... I 
> sort
> of thought solid state had done that number, so the mfrs decided to dump 
> their
> tooling and technology in China and Russia

Richardson bought controlling interest in several tube companies, ceased 
production and warehoused the tooling. They range from National Union to 
Cetron. Its common knowledge.



... but, I would agree that Richardson
> has all but cornered the market on power tubes and if you want Eimac (the 
> only
> still-US made high power tubes, to my knowledge), you'll probably buy them 
> from
> Richardson if you get new ones.  They may be the only remaining US 
> distributor
> for Eimac.

Burle is still in business and there are several small speciality builders. 
Richardson forced Eimac to drop all their distributors and then jacked up 
the prices about 20 years ago. RF Parts has been the exception distributor 
due to a close relationship with Eimac.


  I buy tubes frequently at work and, in spite of the efforts of
> politicians blinded by political correctness to overrule good sense,  try 
> to
> specify US-made, because foreign 8560AS and 4CX259B, especially Chinese,
> ("National" brand, and most Motey-Rollie replacements are from National 
> these
> days unfortunately) are a total waste of money.

Many Chinese and Russian tubes are as good as or better than the US brands. 
It depends on the tube company and if there are in country military needs.


>
>
> Richardson's prices for Eimac are not certainly cheap and they keep rising 
> at an
> alarming rate -- the 4CX250B runs about $475 right now and the 8560AS is 
> at $525
> each -- it takes two to tango, in a Motey-Rollie transmitter, and two of 
> them
> last about HALF as long as a single 4CX250B in an Ericsson-GE final, both
> tunning about the same power, 250 watts out in the 40-50 MHz range. 
> (Wonder
> howcum Motey-Rollie did that...?)


There is plenty of NOS 4CX250B surplus made in the USA, $50-75 at retail and 
less thru individuals.


   But for tubes in the 50 to 100 watt class, I
> doubt they are much different from most other places.  Eimac doesn't make 
> 6146s
> et al... the ones I get are GE, or maybe Amperex.


Those wont last forever.


> I have been told that Eimac has ceased all glass-tube production; dunni 
> how true
> this is though.


They did that in the mid 90's. Sold the division to Triton who couldnt 
figure out how to build them.

The Chinese have the tooling and are doing a good job finally.


>
> One can often find brand new 6883 et al at hanfests for peanuts because 
> many
> hamd do not know what they are... it's a shame we can't make much use of 
> 6159s
> which are 25 volt 6146s.  They are often literally under a buck each brand 
> new
> in JAN boxes.  Collins aircraft HF SSB radios (notably the ARC-38, 38A and 
> 618S
> series) used these tubes and the military bought scads of them.
>

Ive rewired my TS-830's and SB-102 for 6883B/8032A's. The last NIB pair was 
$10.

Carl
KM1H



> 73
>
> Mike
> W4DSE
>
>
>