[NJARC] Western Electric 215A "Peanut" Tube

[Ray Chase]

The WE 215A was used in a series of WE station monitor SH's in the early 
20's and up.  So they were good for all the functions in a SH of that 
time.  Northern Electric (Canada) used their equivalent 215's also in 
SH's and other early 20's sets which were sold to the public.  Western 
Electric's licensing agreements did not allow they to sell to the 
public.  All these sets were good performers and are highly sought after 
today.  Oh, there was also a Canadian set called the Mercury I believe 
that used a bunch of them.  I have quite a few of the tubes although I 
do not know if I have any spares as I have two WE sets and a NE set.  
The 215A's show up regularly as thousands were made but their prices are 
in the $25.00 each range.
Ray

Yardleyite at aol.com wrote:

> Dear Fellow NJARC Members,
>                                             I was wondering if anyone knew 
> what the original applications for the Western  Electric 215A "peanut" tube was 
> and why it was originally produced? I know the  specs, etc. To my knowledge it 
> was used in a few of the early  superheterodyne kits in the mid '20's, but 
> don't know of any "specific"  applications for it. Was it Western Electric's 
> answer to an 01A in a smaller  package? Was it developed for telephone relay 
> amplifiers, hence it's  "diminuitive" size compared to an 01A? 
>  
> I believe it was intended as a "detector-amplifier" like the 01A, but did  it 
> exhibit any specific characteristics like say, a #00 tube or a gaseous  
> detector in Armstrong regenerative circuts, etc? 
>  
> Any insight will be appreciated. I have 5 NOS ones I'd like to build  
> something with someday to make them "sing for their supper" in a early-mid '20's  
> retro receiver project, etc.
>                                                                               
>           Best  Regards,
>                                                                               
>                               Joe Cro N3IBX
>       
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