[TCML] Taylor TUBES

[jimlux]

Ed Phillips wrote:
> 
> 
> futuret at aol.com wrote:
> 
>> I've heard that certain Chinese or Russian 833A's are not that great.
>>
>> Sometimes deals can be gotten on eBay for NOS American tubes.
>> Of course you have to be careful on eBay.  Some venders will let
>> you  return the tube if it's no good.
>>
>> John
> 
>    For what it's worth here is a new note I got on the Tube Collectors 
> list:
> 
> "> > Anybody know where the tubes in this list are being made?
>  > > http://www.rfparts.com/tubetran_specials.html 
> <http://www.rfparts.com/tubetran_specials.html>
>  > Chinese, of course!
>  > Figured! All top quality of course?
> 
> Let me put it this way. If you buy one, and put it in your transmitter,
> and it arcs over and destroys the power supply (which I have seen happen
> with Chinese stuff many, many times), 


You're saying that the HV power supply design didn't accommodate the 
possibility of flashovers? Fine for hackers, I suppose, who are willing 
to accept a rough and ready low cost PS design in exchange for the need 
for occasional rebuilds.

All tubes (even from Eimac/CPI) have the potential for flashovers, not 
to mention the odd spider crawling in.  That's why they have limits in 
the data sheet for "stored energy" that can be dissipated in the tube. 
(typically a few Joules).

The LANL report "High Power Microwave Tube Transmitters" (or similar..) 
from William North (available in various places on the web) covers all 
this stuff in detail.  (FWIW, North just recently died, presumably not 
from HV, although I didn't ask)