[R-390] OT (sorta) - long - Vacuum tubes were the 4th largest US export in 2011!!??

[Randy and Sherry Guttery]

On 1/1/2012 10:04 PM, Chris Kepus wrote:
>
> To those of you who know something about current vacuum tube manufacturing,
> could you please enlighten me as to what it is, exactly, that we are
> exporting that are called "Vacuum Tubes"?
>
Sure the old "major" manufacturers are gone (RCA, Sylvania, 
Tung-Sol, GE, etc.) but that doesn't put the US "out of the 
business" making "common" tubes...  but think Industrial, 
broadcast and other communications.  Look up companies like 
CPI (Communications & Power Industries) - the largest 
manufacturer and rebuilder of electron tubes in the U.S. CPI 
owns Eimac, Econo and Beverly Microwave systems.  Look up 
companies like Richardson Electronics and/or Westrex. These 
smaller companies specialize in high value tubes (such as WE 
330Bs and such) but still contribute to the US's output of 
tubes.  Then there are places like Antique Electronics in 
Tempe, AZ - with a inventory of hundreds of thousands of 
tubes (at one time more than a million!).   They sell all 
over the world... which also "counts"...

best regards...

-- 
randy guttery

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