Amps
[Top] [All Lists]

FW: [AMPS] 87A Ip Meter Problem (long)

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: FW: [AMPS] 87A Ip Meter Problem (long)
From: measures@vc.net (Rich Measures)
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 14:16:04 -0800


>
>Hi Dick...
>
>You're absolutely right - when HV is physically disconnected from both 
>tubes' anodes, it's just really improbable that those mystical little gold 
>balls we so often hear about -

?  Mystical gold balls?  According to the 'Eimac letter' on my Web site, 
evaporated gold, which is caused by an oscillation condition, poisons 
emission and causes leakage.    (photographs of gold-sputtered tubes 
appear in "Parasitics Revisited" - Sept.-Oct., 1990 *QST*) 

>- the ones that infest the tubes of every amp 
>not fitted with one specific type of equally-mystical parasitic suppressors 

?  At this point, what could be mystical about the means by which VHF 
parasitic suppressors reduce the VHF-Q of the anode resonant circuit?  . 
-  For more info, see"Parasites and Instability in Radio Transmitters" by 
G. W. Fyler, General Electric Company, Proceedings of the Institute of 
Radio Engineers, Vol. 23, Number 9;  September, 1935.  Mr. Fyler 
concludes with:   "... the plate or grid parasitic circuits should be 
damped with resistance.".  So, what could be "mystical" about using 
resistance-wire to construct vhf parasitic suppressors?  .  .  On p.72 in 
the 1926 *Radio Amateur's Handbook*, F. E. Handy recommends the use of 
resistance-wire to reduce parasitic oscillations.  .  Could this long and 
winding brouhaha be related to NIH syndrome and what the Japanese call 
"ringeisho"? 

>-- it's just really improbable that they can cause the tube(s) to draw 75mA 
of Ip!

?  Indeed.  I would say virtually impossible, Dick.  When the leakage 
current from sputtered gold is a fraction of mA, anode to (grounded) grid 
arcs are likely.  Anode to grounded-grid arcs tend to change the 
calibration of meters - or worse.  
>
>In fact, through 29 years of shipping thousands of amps using 8874/ 
>3CX800A7/8877 class triodes, I've personally NEVER seen a tube draw more 
>than a few hundred uA of Ip under "cutoff" bias conditions. 

?  Semi-agreed.  Gassy 4-1000As appear to be an exception.  
-  end - 


Rich...

R. L. Measures, 805-386-3734, AG6K, www.vcnet.com/measures  


--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/ampfaq.html
Submissions:              amps@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  amps-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-amps@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>