[Test-Equipment] Nixie project

[Richard Knoppow]

-----Original Message-----
>From: hwhall at compuserve.com
>Sent: Jul 3, 2010 12:25 AM
>To: test-equipment at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Test-Equipment] Nixie project
>
>IF the nixies require some ionizing radiation to help them fire, IR or visible light will probably not help. Those are a non-ionizing radations (not to be confused with radioactive radiations). Ne lamps can be sensitive to light, however, and other effects as well but I've not researched the reasons. However, Ne gas should be able to fire (ionize) with sufficient applied voltage alone. I suspect the improved nixie performance noted by the original poster is similar to observations about very-old-stock filament tubes that improve when put in use. The nixies I run in my HB freq counter do get warm over time; maybe that is sufficient to cause a getter action?
>
>When I was playing with He-Ne gas laser construction long ago no one ever hinted that any radioactives had to be inserted in the construction to make them work, so I wonder sometimes about the origins of the info that gas discharge tubes in general must have some form of radioactives to make them work. Perhaps some gases do (i.e., hard to ionize), or some manufacturing methods used that technique to achieve a particular performance effect? 
>
>Wayne
>WB4OGM
>
     Some examples of gas tubes containing a radio-active substance are shown at:

http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/consumer%20products/electrontubes.htm

     I will try to find specific data sheets. I do remember seeing VR tubes of common types with the radio-active trefoil warning sign on them. 



--
Richard Knoppow
dickburk at ix.netcom.com
Los Angeles, CA, USA