TUBE DRIVER?

[24d]

I have a Tram and a large tube amp, I need a driver that will dk around 100 and pep 300ish. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'd like to stick with tubes because I feel they sound better but I'm open to any suggestions.

THANKS!

[Night Crawler]

I need a driver that will dk around 100 and pep 300ish. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'd like to stick with tubes because I feel they sound better but I'm open to any suggestions.
THANKS!

Do you know how to build one?
I'd stay away from those TV horizontal sweep tube amps I have a schematic for a 811A triode that will cruise at that power level all day.

[24d]

No, I wish I did. Do you know where I could buy one? What is the down side on using a sweep tube other than repair cost?

THANKS,

['Doc]

The two disadvantages of 'sweep' tubes are cost and reliability. They just aren't used as much as they once were so the cost has gone up. 'Sweep' tubes are not high output transmitting tubes, they have limits. To use them as amplifiers, you have to get very close to those limits to make them effective. So, the chances of going just a tiny bit too far, or over driving them, is always there and has to be allowed for. You wouldn't be using them for what they were designed for, so expect to be very conservative, or replacing them. So why were they ever used to start with? 'Cuz they were dirt cheap and commonly available. So, if they are no longer 'dirt cheap' and commonly available, why use'em?
- 'Doc

[24d]

'Doc,
That is good advice. Here is where I am, I have some sweep tube amps, a 4 tube Elkin (4X12dq6) that works well and would work perfectly for a driver for one. I just didn't want to use it if there was a legitimate problem in using a sweep tube amp OR if there was something better that was readily available,

THANKS!

[Night Crawler]

Here is where I am, I have some sweep tube amps, a 4 tube Elkin (4X12dq6) that works well and would work perfectly for a driver for one.

If you have it and it works use it .

I have a Tram and a large tube amp, I need a driver that will dk around 100 and pep 300ish.

From your original question my thought was that you were in need of a tube amp for the driver the elkin would work fine for that.
The 12DQ6 is still considered a sweep tube since it was used in the horizontal deflection amplifier in a TV but it is more rugged and a lot less costly then the other sweep tubes that were used in some of the other amps such as the
6LQ6, 6JB6, 8950 etc that used the novar or compactron tube socket.

[24d]

Thanks for the responses, I had read so much negitive input about the sweep tube amps I was feeling like the signal would come out of it like it was fired from a shotgun. I'll tune up the little 4 tube and drop it in line! Again, THANKS for the replies.

[Night Crawler]

There is nothing wrong with those type of tubes they just don't stand up as well as a tube that is designed for transmitter service.

I looked at the schematic for the Elkin amp that you have and found that it is actually a well designed amplifier.

It's driven through the control grid with a tuned input and biased. It's using a regulated voltage on the screen grid which will keep it linear as compared to the dime a dozen grounded grid amps such as the D&A ,Palomar, etc which doesn't use a tuned input or biasing.

Some of the ham transceivers and amplifiers used sweep tubes such as Yaesu, Drake, Dentron and Hallicrafters at one I had a Hallicrafter SR-150 80-10 meter transceiver that used a pair of 12DQ6's for the final amplifier and it worked fine.

[24d]

Night Crawler,
Thanks for all your help, especially for going to all the trouble to look up the amp I intend to use. I haven't been on the air in 25 years so I'm taking all my toys to Ray Felts (He made the Elkin amps) next week to have him go though them and make sure it is all ready to go. I'm excited and hope I can get all this old junk 10-8!

As a side note, anyone near enough and can find the time, visiting Ray and his son at Ray's electronics in Elkin N.C is a worth while trip, they have been in business 50+ years and there is not that many old school CB shops around more.

THANKS ALL,

[556]

Black Cat recently restored by Ray.
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