gonset 160 meter converter

[W2PFY]

A friend gave me a Gonset 160 meter to AM broadcast converter. It has one tube in it and it is a 12AD6 tube in it. Looks like it may require some sort of B+. I looked it up on Franks Tubes and found out that it has a plate voltage of 12 vdc. Does anyone out there have any information on this converter?

Thanks terry

[WQ9E]

Terry,

The 12AD6 was designed for car radio use and was meant to operate from 12 volts DC for both heater and plate.  The heater has a fairly wide "safe" voltage range since it was designed for the automobile electric system and I am sure it could be operated from AC also.  But all you need for B+ is 12 volts DC.

Radio and TV News had an article "12 volts Heater and Plate" that detailed the operation of these then new tubes.  They were used in the hybrid auto radios that used tubes in the RF and IF stages and transistors for audio.

Here is a good website on the low plate voltage tubes that might be helpful to you:  http://www.junkbox.com/electronics/lowvoltagetubes.shtml   I built an 80 meter receiver using low potential tubes many years ago when I was a novice but it is long since gone.

Rodger WQ9E

[KM1H]

Those are called "space charge" tubes and quite a few were developed for 12 and 28V service in the late 50's to mid 60's.

They naturally do not provide high performance but for 160 its not needed.

In automotive use the radios were hybrids and used germanium power transistors for the audio output.

Carl
KM1H