Looking for data on an Eimax Y-685A
edit: obviously I'm an idiot and didn't realize the typo in the title... Eimac not Eimax... ? Hi all, wondering if anyone has any data on this tube? Potential candidate for a 23cm amp. This came out of a resonant cavity in a 100watt signal generator (this specific module was good for 400-1000MHz). Can't find any data on it, looks similar to a Y-503 but not quite. Have searched through a bunch of Eimac catalogs and found similar planar triodes but not this one. Would like to have some concrete data. Anyone familiar with this? Thanks! 73   
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The YU-106 appears to be a just 3-4 wraps of 3/8"? copper tubing wrapped around the anode.?
The YU-191B? is the real deal, with the coffee can around the anode.... just like all the other water cooled tubes.??
2-3 years ago, several appeared on the used market..... and several? hb HF amps were built using them.? ?I forget what the required water flow rates were.? The folks were using distilled water, external pump, external air cooled radiator ( shrouded between fan and radiator), and once they got the cooling optimized, the amps worked very well.??
?
The beauty was...... there was no noise, nor heat in the shack.? Some of the folks had the hot air from the? radiator exhaust? routed to the outside in hot wx.? ?And routed to the inside in winter.? ?As long as no leaks anywhere, and safety interlocks used, it works fine.? ?IE: with loss of water flow, reduced water flow, water too hot entering the tube, everything shuts down asap, including opening off key line, and shutting the fil off.
?
Note forced air is still required to cool the fil.? 7.5 vac @ 50 amps =? 375 watts.?
?
It's a superb tube....and afaik, it's still rebuildable per Econco. .?
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Dear Alek,
Read your quest for the power meter manual, and herein certainly wish you
success.
Some chap wrote me the other day, looking for the manual for a 10KW
ATU that was only manufactured for a few months many years ago.
He saw a picture of one in my science trailer on some such Internet URL
and took the effort to find my address. Yes, I had a manual and I got a copy
to him for nothing. In color, blah, blah. I was so glad to help someone, and
if I had this manual you are looking for I would get a copy to you, directly.
Fondly,
Hal Mandel
W4HBM
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This is a really long shot.
I am looking for a user manual and more importantly, a schematic for a "Agikawa APM-1H" automatic SWR and peak reading power meter, 1-8 ~ 60MHz.
One is pictured here.
It looks exactly the same as the Macaw PRM-1, for which I have the manual and schemnatic but the active circuitry inside is completely different.
Searches via Google and BAMA have drawn a blank, so I'm hoping somebody might have owned one in the past and still knows where to find the documentation.
I have changed the 2 ICs and 4 transistors. All the diodes check out fine as well but the fault persists. When switched to "PEP", the meter pins on 200W scale and shows around 400W on the 1000W and 2000W scales, without anything being connected to the device.
I would really appreciated any leads, so I can repair it and pass it on to a friend who is getting back into the hobby after many years away.
Thanks and 73, Alek VK6APK.
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While working at Eimac San Carlos I wasn't involved with the Salt Lake City products but I have product announcements for both sites.
"Oct 1989. The YU-191B was a version of the YU106 a water cooled 3CX3000A7, with a special water jacket for Ehrhorn"
A YU-191B should perform exactly the same as a 3000A7 except needing a flow of water thru the anode cooler to keep it from melting down.?
Reid? W6MTF
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Hey Bob ¨C I knew the 3CX1200s were tough little bastards, but I never knew they glowed as bright as that ! Very cool ! ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Robert W5AJ
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2023 6:25 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [ham-amplifiers] 3CX1200 photo? working on AL-1200 today.?? (the HV is off folks)?? Testing filament / blower settings.??? Photo attached of tube with blower/filament on.?? 73
If photo doesn't go through, it's on google photos
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?I have seen some inexpensive sorce? ebay£¨$220/ea), it? is seems a water cooled version of 3CX3000A7 but more power(driving power 535W and 8350W out put) ? ? ? Hsu
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working on AL-1200 today.?? (the HV is off folks)?? Testing filament / blower settings.??? Photo attached of tube with blower/filament on.?? 73
If photo doesn't go through, it's on google photos
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Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
I like the bias boards
?I have them in use all over for years. I remote the pot to adjust rhe bias where I ever I want it.? I run 6000 volts on a pair of 3-1000z tubes.? But sometimes I run 4000 volts. So it's nice to adjust it.
?I have had one fail.? I put an unknown tube in the amp, hit the b plus. The tube flashed and it zapped the transistor. I tossed a new one in, they are 2 bucks and it was back running.? ?
C
The W4ZT board was designed for the Russian tubes. ?It¡¯s great for that. ?IMHO it¡¯s not needed or wanted bd side I agree with Jim come glitch time kiss it bye-bye.
On Thursday, August 10, 2023, 12:24 PM, Jim VE7RF <jim.thom@...> wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
The problem with the adjustable W4ZT bias setup is..... come glitch time,? I can tell you exactly which components will fail.
?
A simple string of 6A10's....or? 10A10's is dead nuts simple.? ?Use the constant current graph to determine required number of diodes for a required idle current.? Then test, then tap more or less diodes for an exact idle current.?
Then install a? SPDT mini? toggle on the rear apron, to tap even more diodes in the circuit.? ?Then you can have a choice of 2 x idle current settings, one for SSB and one for CW.
On any GG high mu triode amp, you can't bias to cutoff on CW...... or you will get key clix.? ? For cw use, idle current is set to 10-40 ma.? ?On? SSB,? you can reduce the idle current by a bunch.? 180 ma on a SB-220? ( and a whopping 220-230 ma on my drake
L4B amps is nuts.? ?I use? 10 x 6A10 diodes on the drake amps.? Then 100 ma idle on 2650 vdc position..and just 40 ma idle on 1900 vdc position.? IMD is superb with 1290 watts pep out in 2650 vdc position.? IMD is superb with 625 watts pep out in the 1900
vdc position.?
Come glitch time, you won't be blowing up a string of diodes..with their 400 amp surge rating.? You won't blow em up in normal operation with their? 6/10 amp? cccs rating either.?
On the drake amps,? I used a miniature DPDT-center OFF? toggle on rear apron.? In center OFF position, ALL 10 diodes are in the circuit...( or max number of diodes you want used in a given string).? The other 2 x positions provide for 2 x taps on the string..for
a total of 3 x bias positions.? Easy peasy.? ?I wired both poles of the DPDT-center off mini toggle in parallel.
?
On that 3x6? HF amp, I had him use a 20 position HD rotary switch. I was a? double wafer unit, so wired both wafers in parallel.? ?Left the 1st 10 x diodes always in the circuit, then tapped off every 2nd or 3rd diode after that with the rotary switch.?
The you can fully adjust the bias...on the fly, in mid sentence.? ?Cool, cuz then it can be biased to class B / C? for FM use. or a bit more idle for CW use, or more for SSB use.? ?He had the 20 position switch in the junk box..so used it.? Garden variety
12 position rotary switches are cheap, new.? ?You can also use 2 x? 12 position rotary switches in series....with position #12 of the 1st switch, feeding the input of the 2nd switch, to obtain a total of 23 positions of bias.
?
For extreme hardcore use, a spst mini toggle can also be used in conjunction with the rotary switch, to tap just the very last diode, for ultra fine adjustment. For 100%? bias regulation, wire a big value lytic across the entire string of diodes. When sucking
more current, the V drop will increase by 10%.? IE: 7 vdc to 7.7 vdc.? With the lytic across em all,? you don't get the increase.? It does not budge.?
?
For really big tubes, diodes? can be wired in parallel for more current...and yes, the current will split 50-50....and also 33.33? - 33.33? - 33.33??
?
I tried EBS? in both dual state...and also tri-state.? None of em are fast enough to cut off the tubes? between syllables on ssb.? ?EBS only works if using PTT ssb.? ?EBS only works on VOX? SSB, between last word spoken...and whn VOX delay times out.?
For qsk CW use, just reduce the idle current to 10-25 ma. ..and ditto with semi break in CW.?
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Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
The W4ZT board was designed for the Russian tubes. ?It¡¯s great for that. ?IMHO it¡¯s not needed or wanted bd side I agree with Jim come glitch time kiss it bye-bye.
On Thursday, August 10, 2023, 12:24 PM, Jim VE7RF <jim.thom@...> wrote: The problem with the adjustable W4ZT bias setup is..... come glitch time,? I can tell you exactly which components will fail.
?
A simple string of 6A10's....or? 10A10's is dead nuts simple.? ?Use the constant current graph to determine required number of diodes for a required idle current.? Then test, then tap more or less diodes for an exact idle current.?
Then install a? SPDT mini? toggle on the rear apron, to tap even more diodes in the circuit.? ?Then you can have a choice of 2 x idle current settings, one for SSB and one for CW.
On any GG high mu triode amp, you can't bias to cutoff on CW...... or you will get key clix.? ? For cw use, idle current is set to 10-40 ma.? ?On? SSB,? you can reduce the idle current by a bunch.? 180 ma on a SB-220? ( and a whopping 220-230 ma on my drake L4B amps is nuts.? ?I use? 10 x 6A10 diodes on the drake amps.? Then 100 ma idle on 2650 vdc position..and just 40 ma idle on 1900 vdc position.? IMD is superb with 1290 watts pep out in 2650 vdc position.? IMD is superb with 625 watts pep out in the 1900 vdc position.?
Come glitch time, you won't be blowing up a string of diodes..with their 400 amp surge rating.? You won't blow em up in normal operation with their? 6/10 amp? cccs rating either.?
On the drake amps,? I used a miniature DPDT-center OFF? toggle on rear apron.? In center OFF position, ALL 10 diodes are in the circuit...( or max number of diodes you want used in a given string).? The other 2 x positions provide for 2 x taps on the string..for a total of 3 x bias positions.? Easy peasy.? ?I wired both poles of the DPDT-center off mini toggle in parallel.
?
On that 3x6? HF amp, I had him use a 20 position HD rotary switch. I was a? double wafer unit, so wired both wafers in parallel.? ?Left the 1st 10 x diodes always in the circuit, then tapped off every 2nd or 3rd diode after that with the rotary switch.? The you can fully adjust the bias...on the fly, in mid sentence.? ?Cool, cuz then it can be biased to class B / C? for FM use. or a bit more idle for CW use, or more for SSB use.? ?He had the 20 position switch in the junk box..so used it.? Garden variety 12 position rotary switches are cheap, new.? ?You can also use 2 x? 12 position rotary switches in series....with position #12 of the 1st switch, feeding the input of the 2nd switch, to obtain a total of 23 positions of bias.
?
For extreme hardcore use, a spst mini toggle can also be used in conjunction with the rotary switch, to tap just the very last diode, for ultra fine adjustment. For 100%? bias regulation, wire a big value lytic across the entire string of diodes. When sucking more current, the V drop will increase by 10%.? IE: 7 vdc to 7.7 vdc.? With the lytic across em all,? you don't get the increase.? It does not budge.?
?
For really big tubes, diodes? can be wired in parallel for more current...and yes, the current will split 50-50....and also 33.33? - 33.33? - 33.33??
?
I tried EBS? in both dual state...and also tri-state.? None of em are fast enough to cut off the tubes? between syllables on ssb.? ?EBS only works if using PTT ssb.? ?EBS only works on VOX? SSB, between last word spoken...and whn VOX delay times out.?
For qsk CW use, just reduce the idle current to 10-25 ma. ..and ditto with semi break in CW.?
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Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
Dear Adrian, VK4TUX,
?
Thank you for your reply to the topic raised yesterday.
(Electronic Bias / SB-220 / Advice)
?
The references you sent are exactly what is available on-line for the
W4ZT board.
?
Unfortunately, there is a divergence of opinion as to what¡¯s ¡°hidden below.¡±
?
In tracing out the Bias Circuit on the ¡®220 schematic, it is apparent that the
W4ZT board is NOT a simple replacement for the Zener diode, meaning the red
and black wires just do NOT plug into the diamond-shaped blocks on the
¡®220 schematic, and that there is a need for an updated connection understanding
as to what goes on in the amplifier when the Zener is clipped and the New El. Bias Bd is installed, and I just don¡¯t have the horsepower to say, ¡°Yo! All this goes here!¡±
?
Hal
W4HBM
?
?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] < [email protected]>
On Behalf Of Adrian Fewster
Sent: Wednesday, August 9, 2023 10:16 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ham-amplifiers] Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
?
This is useful to show the B- end connection to get connection 'polarity' correct ;
?
Popular with AM sb-220 users for the 20v easily set bias. and 5 - 6v for ssb.
?
73
?
vk4tux
?
On 10/8/23 10:45, HaL Mandel wrote:
Gentlemen,
Some years back, Tony King, W4ZT {SK} designed and sold a small board with a blck wire and a red wire
called the Electronic Bias Board.
Does anyone remember how to modify the '220 in order to accommodate this little invention?
I've looked and looked at the factory schematic and have not been able to reinvent that wheel.
I appreciate all your help.
Fondly,,
Hal Mandel, W4HBM
<w4hbm@...>
|
Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
Dear Mike,
?
I saw this photo during my exhausting run of trying to find out what¡¯s
under the hood.
?
Yes, the Black and Red wire are sure visible.
?
For me, though, it left questions unanswered, like ¡°What does the +120VDC
go to?¡± And, ¡°What about the open frame relay and its friendly 100K-Ohm
°ù±ð²õ¾±²õ³Ù´Ç°ù-²ú³Ü»å»å²â?¡±
?
The very last thing I need to do is to fry a set of Eimacs because of stupidity.
?
So I needed to keep looking.
?
All the comments and advice hereon is SO welcome: Thank You All.
?
Hal
W4HBM
?
?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] < [email protected]>
On Behalf Of mfle2001
Sent: Wednesday, August 9, 2023 9:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ham-amplifiers] Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
?
There is a pic of it in an SB220 on
It simply replaces the bias zener diode.
I think its a complicated solution for a non problem, but I might be persuaded otherwise!
?
73
Mike
VK2AMF.
At 10:45 AM 10/08/2023, you wrote:
Gentlemen,
Some years back, Tony King, W4ZT {SK} designed and sold a small board with a blck wire and a red wire
called the Electronic Bias Board.
Does anyone remember how to modify the '220 in order to accommodate this little invention?
I've looked and looked at the factory schematic and have not been able to reinvent that wheel.
I appreciate all your help.
Fondly,,
Hal Mandel, W4HBM
<w4hbm@...>
Mike Fleetwood
Canberra Australia and Sidcup UK.
Worldwide email address is:????? mfleetwood@...
|
Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
The problem with the adjustable W4ZT bias setup is..... come glitch time,? I can tell you exactly which components will fail.
?
A simple string of 6A10's....or? 10A10's is dead nuts simple.? ?Use the constant current graph to determine required number of diodes for a required idle current.? Then test, then tap more or less diodes for an exact idle current.?
Then install a? SPDT mini? toggle on the rear apron, to tap even more diodes in the circuit.? ?Then you can have a choice of 2 x idle current settings, one for SSB and one for CW.
On any GG high mu triode amp, you can't bias to cutoff on CW...... or you will get key clix.? ? For cw use, idle current is set to 10-40 ma.? ?On? SSB,? you can reduce the idle current by a bunch.? 180 ma on a SB-220? ( and a whopping 220-230 ma on my drake L4B amps is nuts.? ?I use? 10 x 6A10 diodes on the drake amps.? Then 100 ma idle on 2650 vdc position..and just 40 ma idle on 1900 vdc position.? IMD is superb with 1290 watts pep out in 2650 vdc position.? IMD is superb with 625 watts pep out in the 1900 vdc position.?
Come glitch time, you won't be blowing up a string of diodes..with their 400 amp surge rating.? You won't blow em up in normal operation with their? 6/10 amp? cccs rating either.?
On the drake amps,? I used a miniature DPDT-center OFF? toggle on rear apron.? In center OFF position, ALL 10 diodes are in the circuit...( or max number of diodes you want used in a given string).? The other 2 x positions provide for 2 x taps on the string..for a total of 3 x bias positions.? Easy peasy.? ?I wired both poles of the DPDT-center off mini toggle in parallel.
?
On that 3x6? HF amp, I had him use a 20 position HD rotary switch. I was a? double wafer unit, so wired both wafers in parallel.? ?Left the 1st 10 x diodes always in the circuit, then tapped off every 2nd or 3rd diode after that with the rotary switch.? The you can fully adjust the bias...on the fly, in mid sentence.? ?Cool, cuz then it can be biased to class B / C? for FM use. or a bit more idle for CW use, or more for SSB use.? ?He had the 20 position switch in the junk box..so used it.? Garden variety 12 position rotary switches are cheap, new.? ?You can also use 2 x? 12 position rotary switches in series....with position #12 of the 1st switch, feeding the input of the 2nd switch, to obtain a total of 23 positions of bias.
?
For extreme hardcore use, a spst mini toggle can also be used in conjunction with the rotary switch, to tap just the very last diode, for ultra fine adjustment. For 100%? bias regulation, wire a big value lytic across the entire string of diodes. When sucking more current, the V drop will increase by 10%.? IE: 7 vdc to 7.7 vdc.? With the lytic across em all,? you don't get the increase.? It does not budge.?
?
For really big tubes, diodes? can be wired in parallel for more current...and yes, the current will split 50-50....and also 33.33? - 33.33? - 33.33??
?
I tried EBS? in both dual state...and also tri-state.? None of em are fast enough to cut off the tubes? between syllables on ssb.? ?EBS only works if using PTT ssb.? ?EBS only works on VOX? SSB, between last word spoken...and whn VOX delay times out.?
For qsk CW use, just reduce the idle current to 10-25 ma. ..and ditto with semi break in CW.?
|
Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
I have been using the one from
Ameritron.
Joe WB9SBD
On 8/10/2023 10:31 AM, Bill K3HZP
wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I have a new version of settable voltage electronic bias system
(EBS) for SB-220 type of amps on my website.?
There are notes on how to set up an EBS in the "off" state and on
how to install it.? There is also a schematic for building a fixed
bias EBS system.?
?? GL, Bill K3HZP
|
Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
I have a new version of settable voltage electronic bias system (EBS) for SB-220 type of amps on my website.?
There are notes on how to set up an EBS in the "off" state and on how to install it.? There is also a schematic for building a fixed bias EBS system.?
?? GL, Bill K3HZP
|
ALS-606S low power and checking MRF150's in circuit
Greetings to the group,? ?
I am looking at a friends ALS-606S amp.? Its symptoms were low gain 4-5 dB on HF and virtually no gain on 6M.?
50W drive gets you maybe 150-200W out across the bands.? Everything I read suggests this should be around 400W out.
I took a quick look inside and there is no apparent damage (no smoked parts).?
I did a quick check on all the chip R's and moved on to doing an in circuit ohmic test of the MRF-150's.
Using a Fluke DVM in diode checking mode I am seeing the diode drops on all four devices from gate to drain (~0.5v).
When checking gate to source three of the four devices measure ~0.45V, and one at ~0.02V.? I'm guessing the 0.02V one has a gate to source short.
This is my first time working on a MRF-150 box.? As I'm trying to determine the extent of the repair ahead does the one dead part mess with the matches and kill the amp gain like this?
I'm also wondering if there is another way to determine if the other three parts are okay or not.? Other things to check?
Any thoughts or suggestions here would be appreciated?
Many thanks...?
Mike? K9MK
?
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Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
Uh oh, a ditto!!
Keep in mind that Heath had a bit of a reputation for being cheapskates when it came to engineering design and parts acquisition, and those stud-mount zeners had barely enough current-carrying capacity to keep them from blowing up.? Why?? They were the cheapest solution. ?
Nowadays a string of 6A10s is cheaper than a correctly sized zener,?and it comes with the benefit of?letting you choose the right?bias voltage,?or even several different bias?voltages.? The QRO guys like them because they ALWAYS have a bucket of 6A10s laying about, and it reduces their BOM count by one device that's sometimes difficult to find, especially when you need to dial in the correct bias voltage.
That reminds me that I need to put a string of these into my LK-500 (pair of 3-500Zs,just ?like an SB-220) that I'm converting for 6 meters. ?
73 Jim N6OTQ
Totally agree. My SB220 6m amp runs great with a few 6A10 diodes in series. Easy ! If you want two bias levels, add a shorting switch. ? ? Whatever happened to replacing the big zener with a string of 6A10 (or similar) rectifiers?? Want variable bias?? Put them on a rotary switch.? You might not want to ruin the face of an SB-220 or other amp, but a 3/32" hole and the switch opposite the hole will work.? Just insert screwdriver.
?
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Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
I have a new one if anyone would like to purchase it. Mike
|
Re: Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
Totally agree. My SB220 6m amp runs great with a few 6A10 diodes in series. Easy ! If you want two bias levels, add a shorting switch. ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Jim Strohm
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2023 10:28 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ham-amplifiers] Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias? Whatever happened to replacing the big zener with a string of 6A10 (or similar) rectifiers?? Want variable bias?? Put them on a rotary switch.? You might not want to ruin the face of an SB-220 or other amp, but a 3/32" hole and the switch opposite the hole will work.? Just insert screwdriver. ? On Wed, Aug 9, 2023 at 8:36?PM HaL Mandel <hmandel@...> wrote: Gentlemen,
Some years back, Tony King, W4ZT {SK} designed and sold a small board with a blck wire and a red wire
called the Electronic Bias Board.
Does anyone remember how to modify the '220 in order to accommodate this little invention?
I've looked and looked at the factory schematic and have not been able to reinvent that wheel.
I appreciate all your help.
Fondly,, Hal Mandel, W4HBM
<w4hbm@...> ?
|
Re: Ameritron ALS-500m Mobile Power Wiring
Thanks Scott for replying. ?So let me try to understand... You had a small SLA Battery basically hooked up in parallel to your main auto battery? ?Without an isolator? ?Maybe this works because most often you vehicle battery was always more charged (higher voltage) because of its bigger capacity, than your small battery. ?I¡¯ve learned that with two batteries in parallel that the batteries could oscillate back and forth charging each other... since you had a smaller one as an auxiliary it may have avoided that scenario. ?And Roger on the smaller gauge wires..to go easier on the alternator and squeeze through the holes. ?What is IPA? ?Thanks for your thoughts...
Dusty
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HaL Mandel
Brandon DX
Robert, W5AJ
Bill K3HZP
K9MK