Oh nutz, vacuum tubes

Post #31,149 by wharris2 3/7/02 4:21:44 AM Reply	Oh nutz, vacuum tubes Remember when every Radio Shack (hell, half a dozen other places, too) had a tube testing center? Hell, my memory is a bit hazy on the details there, I just remember the things, not the details. We had a black and white television, and if my mind serves me correctly, my parents woke me up to watch either the Moon landing or the first step on the moon or both on it. (I was really too young at the time to remember much, but I do remember grainy black-and-white images.) That's another thing for the class of 2002. The Apollo program is ancient history to them, as much as the American Civil War and World War 1. They stare blankly when you talk about Voyager. They never heard anything about the controversy about what is on the encoded disk on Voyager, which I doubt anyone on Earth could themselves read anymore. Where each demon is slain, more hate is raised, yet hate unchecked also multiplies. - L. E. Modesitt
Post #31,152 by Ashton 3/7/02 4:56:21 AM Reply	Even in '02 - they possess one huge advantage: Impervious to EMP. I don't know what strides have been made in fast, active devices as can stand the humongous peak amplitude (if any such exist by now). But US used to laugh at early MIGS with vac. tube electronics, before we realized why they were there. (Natch we didn't laugh at their also outflying our stuff). Anyway, as transistorization proceeds even unto the toaster - one blast quite a few miles above say, Omaha - can ruin a few trillion transistor junctions = the vast majority of those as are not 'hardened'. (While leaving Omaha pretty much as boring as it was prior) Remember too: M.A.D. is precisely and still, the current 2002 formula for launch. We are <2 minutes away from such a possible Final Solution to the folly-seeking gene in homo-sap. This is not mentioned by pols, natch - but it is true. Sleep tight, Ashton
Post #31,263 by static 3/7/02 6:44:18 PM Reply	Voyager. Actually, to many people "Voyager" means the fourth Star Trek series, not the space-probes. Incidentally, whilst the moon walk was before my time, I do remember the news reports about Challenger exploding. Dad turned the TV during the morning to see the pictures - something he very rarely did. Wade. "All around me are nothing but fakes Come with me on the biggest fake of all!"
Post #31,303 by nking 3/7/02 10:54:30 PM Reply	Voyager Actually to Trekkies you must use "V'Ger" and not "Voyager" and then they are understanding what you are talking about. You must have seen the first Star Trek Motion Picture to understand that one. Heh! "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #31,312 by wharris2 3/8/02 12:35:43 AM Reply	Re: Voyager. Tears are running down my cheeks even now at the Challenger. The class of 2002 hasn't any clue how powerful and/or depressing that is/was. Where each demon is slain, more hate is raised, yet hate unchecked also multiplies. - L. E. Modesitt
Post #31,410 by nking 3/8/02 6:01:51 PM Reply	Challenger I recall it, I was in High School when it happened. An English teacher of mine that liked to joke around told me that Challenge blew up, I thought we was joking until someone turned on a TV set on a cart to show me that it was true. No words could describe that momment when I learned that it was destroyed. All over an O-Ring and ignoring a computer's warning that it was unsafe. "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #31,408 by SpiceWare 3/8/02 5:50:30 PM Reply	Recall testing them at Jewel/Osco When I was in grade school we had a 25" color TV in a really nice wooden console. Whenever the set acted funny we'd get a shoe box, put all the tubes in it, drive down to the store and test all the tubes. There were a bunch of sockets on the tester to accommodate the various tubes(I believe # of pins and space between pins differed). Then you'd set a dial to test the correct socket and get a pass/fail response. The new tubes were stored in the bottom of the tester unit. Darrell Spice, Jr. [link\|http://home.houston.rr.com/spiceware/\|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
Post #31,439 by Steve Lowe 3/8/02 11:38:43 PM Reply	Still use em. I've got 2 guitar amps that run 12AX7 preamp tubes. For the power section the Peavey uses 6L6 and the Boogie uses EL34 or 6L6. There's only one store in the Denver area I've found to test them. For music use, though, I generally buy 5-6 sets online and compare them in the amp and select on sound. It's amazing how different same-brand tubes sound. Source for tubes? Russia. Company called Sovtek. ----- Steve
Post #31,448 by static 3/9/02 1:41:14 AM Reply	Valve guitar amps... I remember reading somewhere some stories about guitar enthusiasts younger than me getting a valve guitar amp for the first time. One of the things that doesn't always occur to them is that, yes, there are actually different types of valves. One story was about one such guy who found his amp stopped working one day, so he pulled out one valve and went into his guitar shop and asked for "six of these". The store clerk was not being observant that day and sold him precisely that. Not surprisingly, his amp didn't work with the 6 new valves. Wade. "All around me are nothing but fakes Come with me on the biggest fake of all!"

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