how many of yous have ran tube equpment?

[outlawmobile]

I have never owned a tube set....amp or otherwise. One of these days I will find a decent base and put it in line so as to compare the audio. Obviously "glass on glass" would be optimum but for the time being would one be better off to run a tube radio into a solid state amp or solid into a tube amp.

Seems like a tube radio into the pill amp (quality one of course) might be the way to go for now. Any input fellow tube-a-holics?

mike

I ran a Cobra 2000 into the Varmint.I have never known anyone to run a tube radio into a pill type box but heck I guess it would work just as well.Shawn

[bookie]

my first base was an old tube rig. not sure what it was. but its still in the garage at my parents (i think). i've ran radios and amps. one of my best amps was Palomar of some type it did from 10-40 meters and around 400W. i've got an old 101e around here somewhere, picked it up from a guy in ohio (van man) for $125 flat for mike, speaker, land line patch, and radio. some day i'll dig it out.

tubes are the bast audio you can get. o'yeah i was running an RT-524 for the hick of it untill last month. that thing was loud!!! thats an old tube type military radio.

nate

[928bolo]

I have several tube radios (Browning Mark IV, Tram II and d201, Sonar F23 and Model 5, Cobra Cam 88 , Teaberry Model "T", DAK IX) and run them from a tube amp (MACO 200) and a Galaxy 225 pil.

I'm nostalgic about tube equipment. I like to adjust everything just right. Between the VFO on the radio, the plate and tune knobs of the amp, and the knobs on the antenna matcher I get a good fix. Tuning SSB can be a challenge to get it right.

PS: MJF make a great switch to manage several radios on one or more antennas.

[AK295]

I'm running a Robyn base radio and a Skipper 71b radio. Varmint 250xl and a few Skipper 300's and 300A's and 1 klv200v for amps.
LOVE the clean tube radio and amp sound!

[Chainsaw355]

I run a 12 tube phantom and i have alot of smaller tube amps also.

[Graywolf]

I run a Maverick pushed by a raider at home. and PA629 who that runs tubes ain't lookin for some 6lq6's and Link your in my back door next time I get home I'll give a shout out to ya what channel you run on??

[Whitman]

I use to run a tube modulator. It was hand built here in Memphis. I sold it on eBay awhile ago for around $300. Any one know how a modulator works? I wish I had kept it know.

[rev ike]

yep im a tube junky i have a few things. guess the in croud is not into tubes actually need info myself...blackcat 1080

[BtyMONSTER]

back in the later half of the 70's when i was a teen i ran a 4 tube D&A behind a cobra 89 , into a penetrator on a 10 ft pole with a chimney mount and of course the absolutely necessary (at that time) lollypop . the good ol days ........................i had so much fun with that rig .

[Iceman270]

I run a 3 tube Bearfoot III. Fixing to get new tubes put in it and get her back running 10-8.

[Buckshot1]

Had an old Robyn base, cannot remember the model, but I am pretty sure it had tubes and a Varmint 500 that I know had tubes. The combo was awesome! Talked all over the world on SSB! :D

[psycho]

im courious just to know how many of yous guys have ran and/or run tube radios or amps?

jas.

I ran a 12 Tube D&A Phantom. Back in the early late 1970s that was about the best out there.
With the steel tubes and nice pill boxes..... glass tube amps are senseless.

[Spitfire 441]

Why are tubes sens less?
Nothing like the warm glow and aw some fidelity that tubes give. Crystal clear high level plate modulation. Most accurately reproduces the human voice with all its multiple harmonics. Granted they take a bit of TLC and tubes can now days be a bit pricey. That can be got around if you are savvy. The way I see it if you can read a schematic and love these old tube rigs they are not hard to repair. Usually just replaceing old electrolytic caps is the worst. Get a Sams Photofacts for radio in question, and tune it up.
I got a Firebird 500 free, weak tubes. 1 drivin 3. Ahh you say 6lq6's are $$$. You are correct. Here is a little secret, If its got four tubes (any 4 tube 6lq6 box) use 31lq6 tube, run filaments off line voltage in parallel. Otherwise it is the same tube and go for $18 or less brand new. The thing now will easily do 450 watts peak all day.

[outlawmobile]

Why are tubes sens less?
Nothing like the warm glow and aw some fidelity that tubes give. Crystal clear high level plate modulation. Most accurately reproduces the human voice with all its multiple harmonics. Granted they take a bit of TLC and tubes can now days be a bit pricey. That can be got around if you are savvy. The way I see it if you can read a schematic and love these old tube rigs they are not hard to repair. Usually just replaceing old electrolytic caps is the worst. Get a Sams Photofacts for radio in question, and tune it up.
I got a Firebird 500 free, weak tubes. 1 drivin 3. Ahh you say 6lq6's are $$$. You are correct. Here is a little secret, If its got four tubes (any 4 tube 6lq6 box) use 31lq6 tube, run filaments off line voltage in parallel. Otherwise it is the same tube and go for $18 or less brand new. The thing now will easily do 450 watts peak all day.

Let me tell ya,this here fella knows a thing or 2 about running and maintaining classic/antique equipment.He is local,well kinda local,not rite down the street but he has one of the best sounding stations in our area.As you can see from his equip.list he runs some of the great old classics.I have heard other locals poke fun for not stepping into the present and running newer stuff but ya know its funny 441 could key all over the very ones who would poke fun at his classics.Keep on maintaining those old radios 441,they make the local airwaves sound great[especially that Imperial]Shawn

[Spitfire 441]

Thanx Outlaw mobile.
I am just hopelessly nostalgic for rigs I couldn't own when I was a kid playing radio.
Now I am a kid all over. :D

[psycho]

im courious just to know how many of yous guys have ran and/or run tube radios or amps?

jas.

I ran a 12 Tube D&A Phantom. Back in the early late 1970s that was about the best out there.
With the steel tubes and nice pill boxes..... glass tube amps are senseless.

Glass tube amps today are a very bad idea. Price (12) 6LQ6 tubes. I really don't care about waveform or harmonics, just good, clear, loud audio. I takes some severe abuse to blow a ceramic tube.
The last time I priced new 6LQ6 tubes they were $60 a piece and that was 10 years ago.

[ColorBlind]

Just a thought; you can get tubes from musician's sites like the following:

[Please login or register to view this link]

A lot of guitar amps use or have used tubes.

Al

[rev ike]

i guess you solid state boys will get rid of your cars and start hitch hiking cause gas is gettin pricey too.ill pick y'all up bring you over let you see the glow in the dark world from a real radio operators perspective

[djrebel236]

Back in the day, i had 3 tube type kicker, i believe 1 was a 350 or 450 Skipper base, the other 2 were mobile, i cant remember what the wattage was , but one of them i used melted a wilson 2000 mag-mount down to the trunk of my old car, (what a mess), the only tube type radio that i still have today is a Hallicrafter S-108, it just a receiver but a dam good one, i just need to stock up on tubez for it...Dj

[Jo Jo]

Right now I live in an apartment. But when I lived in a house I ran (still have it to) a Twin Drake set (R-4b receiver, and a T-4xb transmitter with an MS4 Speaker) with the L-4B linear. That radio can talk like no other. I will need to replace the tubes when I set it up again.

[rev ike]

my first box kenrich eagle 200 3x 20lf6 tubes still runs hard to this day

[Av8r1]

I have a Sonar FS-23 base and the Br-21 amp and a power D-104 and man that thing talks!

Had the same radio in my teens.

[Cochise]

Howdy!
ive got a Yaesu 101 and two hec tube amps ones a 500 and the other is a 1200..
all still light up and work just like their sposed to..
LOVE THE GLOW!!
Cochise
COME ON SUN SPOTS!!!

[TwentyTwo-Zero]

I have a Siltronix 1011C, Yaesu FT101E, Tram D201A & Cobra Cam88 packed away in the closet. All work except the Cam88 - needs to be re-tubed...

[TwentyTwo-Zero]

I have a Siltronix 1011C, Yaesu FT101E, Tram D201A & Cobra Cam88 packed away in the closet. All work except the Cam88 - needs to be re-tubed...