GB> Heathkit LMO's TX vs RX tube

[n2ey at AOL.COM]

-----Original Message-----
From: Glen Zook gzook at yahoo.com


>Different tubes were used in different units because of the series/parallel 
>arrangement of the heater/filament string.  



 
This cannot be the reason for the different tubes used in the various LMOs.

 
The 6BZ6, 6CB6 and 6AU6 all have exactly the same heater voltage and current: 6.3 volts at 300 mA. 


--- On Tue, 4/28/09, Allen Jones <w9dz at yahoo.com> wrote:

>>Most all of the Heath SB-301's and 401's use the same LMO which is part #110-40. 
>>The LMO tube in the 301 is a 6CB6 and the 401 a 6BZ6. Anyone know the reason 
>>why? 
 
It is my understanding that the LMOs were made by subcontractors to Heath specifications. They
were viewed as a component; so different subcontractors may have been allowed to substitute various
parts and tubes to keep the price down. 


 
I remember hearing, many years ago, that in those days the 'burden' rate on ham gear was about 100%.
Which meant that if something were to be sold for $200, the direct manufacturing cost (parts & labor)
in it could cost no more than $100. So a dollar saved in parts was $2 off the selling price. 

 
Heath saved money by not having to pay for assembly or testing. But they had the added costs of
designing gear that could be home-assembled & tested without lots of tools or test gear, writing
detailed assembly manuals and packaging lots of parts in little envelopes. 



 
IMHO one of the things
that did Heath in was the printed-circuit board, because they reduced assembly labor so much that
the savings of a kit were all but eliminated.


 
73 de Jim, N2EY
 


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