test Compactrons on your checker This simple adapter, used with the data in the table, may keep your tube tester around a few years longer By W. G. ESLICK

r111S ARTICLE MAY 10EEI' YOUR TUBE checker around a few years longer, even LEADS (A -II WITH PHONE TIPS if it doesn't have a compactron socket. The adapter shown at right, with some information on basing and character- STUD FOR CAP CONTACT istics of compactrons. will let you check COMPACTRON (12 PIN) SOC them on any free -point tester -the type PHONE -TiP JACKS (I -121 PLASTIC BOX socket. set *PLUGS INTO with only one of each kind of OCTAL SOCKET ON up with as needed according to 3 ® qA TESTER information on a chart. 5 e 1®IOe Make an adapter plug from the OCTAL PLUG WITH SHELL base of an old octal tube. Put a stud or some other convenient connecting point on the side as a grid -cap terminal. You now have a plug with nine contacts. Make a 9 -wire flexible cable to run from GO TO A -1 this plug to a small plastic or aluminum CABLE box. The box contains a single 12 -pin compactron socket, 12 phone -tip jacks and 9 short wires with phone tips. The Pictorial of author's adapter. You may be able to dig some parts out of the junk- tip jacks are connected to the compac- box, so use the layout that suits you best. tron socket and numbered in order 1 the through 12. The phone- tipped wires are Setting up Because of that, you could check connected inside the box to the ends of First "break" each compactron into 6AL1 I by setting up your tube tester a 6AQ5. the 9 -wire cable from the adapter plug. its prototype parts. For example, a once for a 6DT6 and then for in your Label them A through I to correspond 6AL11 compactron is a 6DT6 FM de- But since there is no socket with the eight octal pins plus the cap tector plus 6AQ5 audio output checker for it, you need the adapter. connection. pentode. [The compactron directory That is why you need a free -point Now you have a compactron socket published with this article gives you such tester. All sockets in such testers are in- with nine available floating connections information for every compactron made terconnected, but no socket is set up for switches that can be juggled in any way with the up to press date. -Editor) Except for the a particular tube type until are pins and jacks so you can check any heater (always connected to pins 1 and set according to a tube data chart. kind of tube section (, gated -beam 12 in present -day compactrons), the For simplicity, then. we make up pentode, etc.). two sections are completely independent. our compactron adapter to plug only Condensed Compactron Specifications Heater Characteristics Heater Characteristics Similar to Basing Volts Amps Type Description Similar to Basing Volts Amps Type Description Damper. Max. ratings: peak 12BL 6.3 1.2 1AD2 Hv diode 1J3 high -voltage rect. 12DQ 1.25 0.2 6BE3 inv. volts. 5,000; dc output 3A3 high -voltage rect. 12DG 2.5 0.3 2AH2 Hv diode 200 ma diode 2AH2 high -voltage rect. 12EW 2.5 0.33 2AS2 Hv 6BF11 Dissimilar 6DT6 (pins 2, 3, 5, 6, 7) 12EZ 6.3 1.2 high -voltage rect. 12EX 3.15 0.22 3AT2 Hv diode 3A3 double pentode plus power output pentode 12AU7 section (pins 12FQ 4.2 0.6 4HA7 Dissimilar One 6BJ3 Diode 6W4 -GT damper 12B1 6.3 1.2 double triode 4 ,9, 10) plus one Triple triode Three 12AX7 triode sections 12BQ 6.3 0.6 12AX7 section 6C10 6D10 Triple triode Three 12AT7 triode sections 12BY 6.3 0.45 6AF11 Dissimilar double High -mu triode section 12DP 6.3 1.05 6DN7 vert. ose. (pins 9, 10, 12BM 6.3 0.9 triode, pentode (pins 5, 6, 8) plus 6CX8 6FJ7 Dissimilar double triode 11) and 6AG11 Duplex diode, 12AT7 twin triode plus 12DA 6.3 0.75 6EA7 vert. osc. (pins 9, 10, 12E1 6.3 twin triode 6BW8 with separate 6FM7 Dissimilar 1.05 cathodes doubla triode 11) and amplifier 6FY7 Dissimilar 6DR7 vert. osc. (pins 9, 10, 12E0 6.3 1.05 Dissimilar 6DT6 (pins 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) 12BU 6.3 0.9 6AL11 double triode 11) anJ amplifier double pentode plus 6AQ5 6G11 Dissimilar 6DT6 (pins 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) 12BU 6.3 1.2 12DM 6.3 0.8 6AR11 Twin pentode Two 6GM6 double pentode plus 6CU5 1.05 6AS11 Dissimilar double High -mu triode section 12DP 6.3 6GE5 Beam pentode 6DQ6 -B horiz. defl ampi 1281 6.3 1.2 (pins 6, 8) plus 6CX8 Triode, pentode 5, 6GF5 Beam pentode 6DQ6 -B horiz. defl ampi 1281 6.3 1.2 6AV11 Triple triode Three 12AU7 triode sections 12BY 6.3 0.6 6GY5 Beam pentode 6D06 -B horiz. den ampi 12DR 6.3 1.2 6AX3 Diode 6AX4 -GTB damping diode 12BL 6.3 1.2 6GY5 Beam pentode Horiz. deft ampl. Max rat- 12DR 6.3 1.5 18 6A Y11 Duplex diode, 12AX7 twin triode plus 12DA 6.3 0.69 ings: plate dissipation, twin triode 6BW8 diodes with separate w; dc cathode 230 ma cathodes 6HB5 Beam pentode 6GY5 horiz. deft ampl 1281 6.3 1.5 Max rat- 12ES 6.3 2.25 6B10 Duplex diode, 12AÚ7 twin triode plus 12BF 6.3 0.6 6HD5 Beam pentode Horiz. defl ampl. 24 twin triode 6BW8 diodes ings: plate dissipation, w; dc cathode, 280 ma 6BAI1 Triode, twin 6HS8 plus medium -mu 12ER 6.3 0.45 Beam pentode 6EZ5 vert deft ampi 12EY 6.3 0.8 pentode triode 6HE5 6HF5 Beam pentode 6005 horiz deft amp 12FB 6.3 2.25 63011 Dissimilar double Medium -mu triode section 12DP 6.3 1.05 Pentode, gated - 6BN6 plus 6AQ5 power 12BT 6.3 0.95 (pins 3, 4, 7), high -mu 6J10 triode, pentode discriminator output pentode triode section (pins 5, 6, 8), beam 12BW 6.3 0.4 plus video pentode 6J11 Twin pentode Two 6EW6 pentodes RADIO -ELECTRONICS 36