Sunday, April 7, 2013

Skyriter Weekend



The day ended with a Steampunked Skyriter
I sell and give away quite a few transmitter tubes throughout the year to Steampunk people who do everything from use them for decorations, lamps, and night lights.
I generally always have a few pulls and some duds on the workbench so I decided to be silly and rather than only use one small tube I would power a Skyriter by RCA and Sylvania.

The small tube on the left will do 250 watts easily it is a 4CX250B and used in many FM transmitters and many otherapplications.  The big one, a 5762 is nearly obsolete and used in old RCA and Gates AM 1000 watt and 5000 watt transmitters.  2 or 4 tubes are used.  The tube on the right is a 4X500A and will do 500 watts and was pulled from the exciter of an old RCA TV transmitter.  The miniature tube sitting on the heat sink of the big tube is an example of the many tubes used in portable gear used well into the 50s.  Many are still in use although they are obsolete.

8 comments:

  1. So you're joining me and notagain in combining typewriters and bikes. Good idea! Looking forward to a bikecast.

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  2. I've never seen transmitter tubes but they do look cool.

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  3. Well! That's one way to display your wares. I have a feeling that if I ever stumble across a morse typewriter, it would really be at home with your gear.

    Love the look. Those old tubes are really something, aren't they? They have a really beautiful look and feel about them. In a lot of ways, it is a reminder of the artistry that used to be in design, that is becoming increasingly removed in the digital era.

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  4. Skyriter's a good choice for biking. Can't wait to see the posts of your trips.

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  5. Bill, it sounds like you are solving a problem currently faced by Mr Clemens at clickthing. Maybe you could share your noiseless mainspring inisghts? He has a drawstring issue and a sealed spring housing.

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    1. I thought of posting on just that and I decided to wait and do the entire project. Maybe I will do just the main spring and drum.

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  6. @ Richard and notagain. Thanks for the encouragement. I have been wanting to bicycle and type for quite some time.
    I hope to combine one of my favorite trails and typing in a few weeks.

    @Ton and Scott. I may post some 4-400A and 833A tubes made into night lights. Those are some of the most popular among the folks that make night lights and lamps from old transmitter tubes. An RCA 892R is one of the neatest, but most difficult to find; very expensive too even if the glass is fogged.

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  7. Ill give that bikecasting a try... but I fear it will be 4-5 yrs away since I dont have a bike currently and I imagine my boys woukd want to ride so gotta wait until they can ride longer distances

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