----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Harpole" <k4vud@hotmail.com>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 3:46 AM
Subject: [Amps] Part 2 of "babying" radios and tubes, can do or not?
>
> Reading about failures in electronic devices, especially transistors and
> tubes, it appears that the only positive thing the owner can do to baby
> his radio is to leave it on all the time. That is, beyond the normal
> stuff like no static and no lightning, and no out-of-spec operations. I
> am talking about normal in-spec conditions. Apparently, electronic
> devices do not like radical and sudden changes in their state: on to off
> or off to on.
** The military has proven that 24/7 operation is the best, even if not
used, this goes back to vacuum tubes.
OTOH, from what Ive seen from consumer level crap they all seem to run too
much in a small box so something is always stressed, especially the hundreds
of cheapest possible electrolytics packed into every circuit. The SMD rigs
with more intense IC packaging use less electrolytics but I question their
reliability but have no data yet. Even the Japs by their parts from China
often from co owned plants.
>
> It appears that at the molecular and atomic levels of metals (and other
> items), the behavior changes come from the laws of physics where metals,
> for example, spontaneously (or under load) exchange electrons... but these
> changes are beyond the owner's control. Except by keeping the electronic
> device always off, the owner can not stop this physical action (and some
> of these changed occur ON or OFF).
** Way too deep for this forum.Theonly metals I worry about is antenna
survivability in this harsh NH hilltop enviroment
>
> It appears that one can not successfully baby his radio except by leaving
> it always on or always off and running it totally within specs.
** See Part 1
Carl
KM1H
>
> 73,
>
>
> Charles Harpole
> k4vud@hotmail.com
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
>> From: k4vud@hotmail.com
>> To: amps@contesting.com
>> Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2012 07:17:22 +0000
>> Subject: [Amps] "babying" radios and tubes, can do or not?
>>
>>
>> I want to know if there are any REAL benefits from babying a radio or an
>> amp?
>>
>>
>>
>> I hear lots of talk about running lower RF power to "save the finals" or
>> "save the tubes" and even hear people talk about turning radios off for
>> taking a one hour (or less) break.
>>
>>
>>
>> We do know, probably, that high inrush current may stress parts inside
>> tubes. But, there must be some smart folks who test things to destruction
>> who can speak with scientific instead of parental certainty about this.
>>
>>
>>
>> It seems to be true that one can run any of the usual amp tubes at rated
>> specs for hundreds of thousands of hours before they really go bad?
>>
>> I guess tiny impurities in the metal and not a perfect vacuum does lead
>> to failure eventually, but what are the real reasons?
>>
>> What is the real physics condition of a so called "soft" tube? Why?
>>
>>
>>
>> What is really the cause of transistor failure if always operated within
>> specs?
>>
>>
>>
>> And, if you run your 100 watt radio at 80 watts, are you "saving" the
>> radio or just your electric bill?
>>
>>
>>
>> Inquiring minds want to know. Please.
>> 73
>>
>>
>> Charles Harpole
>> k4vud@hotmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> Amps mailing list
>> Amps@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
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