On Mon, 31 Dec 2018 11:38:54 -0800, Big Bad Bob   
    wrote:   
      
   >On 12/27/18 19:11, tubeguy@myshop.com wrote:   
   >> The most important tubes ever made.....   
   >>   
   >> 12AX7   
   >> 12AU7   
   >> 12AT7   
   >>   
   >> 6V6   
   >> 6L6   
   >   
   >etc.   
   >   
   >well maybe for audio but you're forgetting why tubes were more or less   
   >used/invented in the first place, to receive radio signals, and the   
   >audio amplifier portion was just a part of that.   
   >   
   >For radios the pentagrid converter tube comes to mind as one of the most   
   >universally used tubes ever for AM radio, in home sets and cars in   
   >particular.  For FM sets there are a number of VHF RF amplifiers.   
   >   
   >Then there's the sharp cutoff pentode, which is ideal for an IF strip   
   >with high gain, relatively low noise, and AGC.   
   >   
   >And don't forget the CRT.  For that one, there was a model that nearly   
   >eveything used for about a decade [higher end sets anyway], a 25 inch   
   >diagonal square color tube from RCA [I forget the number].   
   >   
   >And there are many specialized tubes for microwave oscillation and   
   >amplification that are STILL USED on satellites, last I heard.   
   >   
   >And that magnetron in your home microwave.  That's right, it's a tube.   
   >Invented in the late 30's, for use in RADAR systems.   
   >   
   >So yeah tube audio is one usage, and maybe those tube numbers are some   
   >of the most important in the audio world [especially guitar amplifiers].   
   >  But overall, I think some of the others deserve a mention.   
   >   
   >   
   >/me has even conceived of a 'graviton generator' using something similar   
   >to a magnetron filed with Xe gas.  You'd need tremendous power to make   
   >anything useful out of it, but the resonant cavities [in theory] would   
   >emit gravitons when spinning a heavy gas in tight little circles like   
   >that...   
   >   
   >so yeah, it's likely that tube tech isn't going away any time soon, and   
   >will continue to improve over time.  In space this may become even MORE   
   >important, depending.   
      
   Yea, I know microwaves have tubes, and I did consider CRTs on the list   
   but I was mostly thinking in terms of home radios and audio amps.   
      
   Please add some tube numbers for those small tubes you mentioned above.   
   I would like to see what you and others have to say.   
      
   I also neglected to include some of the major transmitting tubes, mostly   
   because I dont know the numbers. Although I do know the 807 was used   
   quite a lot in the early days. That tube became the 6L6 without the   
   plate on the cap. But the 807 also worked great for audio.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)