[Milsurplus] Query

[Steve Harrisonusa]

> Hi Pete, Jim and all,
>
> Yes, interesting thought, operating a vacuum tube in the vacuum of space.
> But consider the temperature in space and what it would do to the
> elements.
> Could you even light the filament?
> Now that's a cold 807!
> 73, David W1TDD

I have no numbers to quote but I recall this question came up several
decades ago in response to some sci-fi book where some people were stuck
on the moon with no comms. The technological smartie-ash among them
supposedly made some tubes from scrap metal and established comms. But
elsewhere, while discussing the book, someone else came up with the
figures for the density of space vacuum versus the vacuum within vacuum
tubes and IIRC, space's vacuum is several times more dense than required
for a vacuum tube's filament to be able to survive. In brief, space is
just too gassy.

Steve, K0XP