EIMAC supported the amateur community for many years. Being a relative
new comer (licensed 43 years) all of the tubes I have used have been
EIMAC. I did got on at the tail end of the 813 era and except for the
low power tubes, 807, 1625, 6146, etc, have only used 4-125, 4-400,
4-1000, 8874, 8877, 3-500 for amp projects.
Having known in the past, K6DC, Merle and W6PO, Bob, has been a
pleasure. Bob helped me on many occasions, loaned me a 2M 8877 amp for
EME contest, helped me do final assy on 160el 2M collinear array, and
gave me a lot of info during many chats on 144.200 while I lived in the
San Fancisco Bay area.
Did these folks know everyting? NO. Does Rich, Tom, and others on amps
today know everyting? NO, BUT ALL THESE FOLKS ARE DAMN HELPFUL TO US
LESS KNOWLEDGEABLE. Just imagine the collective knowledge that can not
be collected.
Now the choices are becoming limited and the choice of tubes for home
brew projects, if new tubes, is more difficult. So maybe some of those
4CX10,000 amps running 1500W output make sense. My never need another
tube. Oh, this puts manufacturer out of business after market is fed.
What tubes other than EIMAC are being used in MOST amps? Oh, Svetlana,
Pride, Amperex come to mind but probably small in number except for the
ever popular 4CX800 Svetlana? I am one to have been DAMN happy to have
had EIMAC supporting my hobby all these years, and currently also.
We hams want the best for the least expense and seldom are the 2
extremes compatible. A look at the manufacturers in the amateur market
over the past 20 years will shed some light on todays plight. I do not
buy new radios yearly, or in fact any other piece to equipment for this
hobby. I scrounge antennas and parts (sorry HyGain and others), I use
equipment over 10 years old (no DSP). I listened to a new FT1000MP MkV
over new years weekend and was not impressed enough to think about
buying one. OK, so I will miss the esp signal, but being patient that is
OK. My small (OK, 5el 20M on 52 ft boom is not small) collection of
antennas on a weird shaped .88 acres does OK, I hope.
OK, a bit more than my $0.03 worth (inflation noted), but maybe others
might agree. If not, that is OK as I often hear a different drummer.
73 de Arne N7KA
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