differences in 6146 A and B

[Jordan Arndt]

You know, I just realized that I have never had to replace a pair of any
type of 6146 tubes, in any equipment that I have owned and used over many
years of operating....I have seen rigs that needed new tubes, but I was not
the owner or at least not the original owner... This covers rigs from the
Viking II , DX-100 and 100B, Apaches, and a Lot of various Heath SB series
rigs... I originally thought it was due to mainly using SSB, but then I
recalled many long hours of AM operation of the V-II and the DX-100....
Tuning the rig properly , while not as crucial as with rigs using sweep
tubes, will really add to the operational life of the tubes..... and a
properly operating ALC circuit will also help keep the output limited and
hence the tubes withing the ratings.... Would you rather have 140 watts out
for 6 months or 110 watts output for 10 years...????   73 de Jordan....

Jim Berry wrote:

> Below is a message from Ludwell Sibley I saved, and will pass along.
>
> 73 Jim K7SLI
>
> >
> >
> > I want to replace the finals in my SB-102.  I can find
> > 6146B tubes locally but not sure if they will work or not.
> >  What is the difference in the 6146, 6146A, and 6146B?
> > Hope this is not a dump question!
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Larry
> >
>
> There is indeed a difference.
>
> 6146W is the military "ruggedized" version of the 6146.  It's
> intended to hold
> up under shock and vibration, e. g., at 50,000 feet over Vladivostok.
> However,
> it carries the power ratings of the basic 6146, particularly a
> dissipation of 20
> watts.
>
> 6146B is the uprated civilian version, good for 27 watts'
> dissipation.  It has
> the longer-lived "dark" heater that takes only 1.125 amps (vs. 1.25).
> It's
> recognizable by the oversized metal-shouldered base.
>
> For our purposes the "B" is likely to last longer, and survive
> overloads better,
> and thus is in higher demand.  The performance, other than life
> expectancy, is
> likely to be identical.
>
> For the record, the 6146A is a mobile-rated version of the plain
> 6146, with
> "dark" heater and designed to work with widely varying heater voltage
> in cop
> cars and such - still rated at 20 watts.
>
> Ludwell Sibley
>
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