[Milsurplus] Fw: 6AK5/5654

[Francesco Ledda]

On the Nike Hercules, the magnetrons were the only "tubes" could get damaged
by lack of warm up time.  The Mags on the tracking radars were the most
sensitive.

The analog computer had tube type OpAmps, and these really needed warm up
time for the analog computer to work.  Also, the "potentiometers" (Nike
people know what I am talking about) did not like temp variations. So the
real value of the Battle Short SW was to bypass interlocks; the system would
not work without a good warm up anyway!

In the early 80s, the analog computer was replaced by a digital computer;
this still had a battle short switch that bypassed all interlocks and forced
the computer to go in combat mode.

The Nike batteries for the defense of Western Europe, were never turned off.
They stayed on line with all their tubes at temperature ready to go.  No
maintenance guy would ever turn them off without a damn good reason or ever
use the "Battle Short" switch!

Strange, but the cold war times today feel like the good old days!

BR,
KF5RXV


-----Original Message-----
From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of C.Whitaker
Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2014 8:46 AM
To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Fw: 6AK5/5654

de WB2CPN
Practally all the US Navy eqiuipment we used in USAF, TACAN's etc,
had "Battle Short" switches.   I understand that in actual battle, or when
the ship fired the big guns, there could be quite a whack to electronic
equipment.  The switch bypassed the shelf and other interlocks.
Yes, very dangerous, but our stuff was on all on terra firma, so that switch
was totally disabled.
Clete
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On 3/1/2014 1:46 PM, Captains_Z wrote:
> I remember back to my days in the Nam era working on the Hawks and
Hercules anti-aircraft missile systems, that they all had a switch covered
with a red cover called a "Battle Short" switch.  Normally you would have to
warm up the electronics and keep the system hot before energizing the
radars.  This saved the tube life.  If the radars were off and someone
detected enemy aircraft coming in, the "Battle short switch" was energized
and all the time-out safeties were bypassed.  Filaments and B+ on at the
same time.  You had one chance, if the radars came up you lived, so tube
life wasn't an issue.  You only did this once!  There's always a way to put
the envelope if you need to.
>
> Of course DS/GS wasn't happy.
>
>
> John
>
>   
>
>
> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com>
>> To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
>> Sent: Saturday, March 1, 2014 9:52 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] 6AK5/5654
>>
>>
>> Hi Glenn,
>>
>> I have 22 of those tubes here all of which have passed the emissions, 
>> shorts, and leakage tests on my tube machine. I do not recall finding 
>> any bad ones over the years although I have certainly found bad tubes.
>> Maybe the long arm of Murphy's Law tapped your shoulder. How much 
>> current did that IFF gear push through those tubes? For some 
>> applications attaining some critical function may be important and 
>> tube longevity much less so.
>>
>> Artillery shells in use do not last very long at all but they do meet 
>> the functional needs.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Bill  KU8H
>>
>>
>>
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