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Re: [Amps] Additional comments, re GU-74B/4CX800A

To: km1h@jeremy.mv.com, invertech@frontierisp.net.au, 4cx250b@muohio.edu, amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Additional comments, re GU-74B/4CX800A
From: TexasRF@aol.com
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2012 10:19:48 -0400 (EDT)
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
Hello All,
 
There originally was a GU91B that for a short while was called a 4CX1600A.  
Then that tube was modified to have a larger anode cooler and renamed  
4CX1600B.
 
I have never seen a Russian type number for the 4CX1600B.
 
The GU84B is a much different tube with a very large anode cooler and  
capable of upwards of 2A average plate current. The heater is designed for 27  
volts. In short, very little in common with a 4CX1600B.
 
There is a Russian data sheet at the ND2X website 
_http://www.nd2x.net/base-1.html_ (http://www.nd2x.net/base-1.html)  that  
shows the details.
 
There is another tube shown, the GU78B that is interesting: Same size as  
the GU84B but higher voltage ratings, 3200v 2.2A cw.
 
73,
Gerald K5GW
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 10/27/2012 8:44:06 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
km1h@jeremy.mv.com writes:

The  GU-84B is not a 2500W Pd tube, even Svetlana USA realized that when 
they  
renamed it the 4CX1600B in another attempt to Americanize Russian tubes.  
Of 
course they had to cheat as usual by raising the maximum Ep from 2200  to 
3300V and reducing the Ip in an attempt to improve efficiency at the  sake 
of 
increasing IMD. In FM BC service that wasnt an issue.

One  only has to compare the anode measurements with the Eimac 
4CX1500B/1000A  
to realize the foolishness of the 2500W Pd  rating.

Carl
KM1H


----- Original Message ----- 
From:  "Leigh Turner" <invertech@frontierisp.net.au>
To: "'Jim Garland'"  <4cx250b@muohio.edu>; <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday,  October 26, 2012 9:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Additional comments, re  GU-74B/4CX800A


>
> Jim, if you operate your GU74B tube at  no more than 800W CW or PEP 
output 
> in
> AB1 SSB service then  the tube will have a very long service life. DO NOT
> push it up to 1000  or 1200 Watts Po like some ham-radio clowns do!
>
> For your  proposed 3 holer, that equates to quite a healthy 2400 W 
output, 
>  or
> circa 1500 to 1600 Watts for popular two-tube amps like the fine  
> ACOM-2000A.
>
>
> As I remarked in an earlier post,  one of my amps with a single GU74B has
> been used as a station  workhorse for over 10 years at the 800W and under
> level and it's still  the original tube. The amp today happily produces 
> 800W+
> Po  and exhibits no sign of power output degradation; so at that rate the
>  attainable tube life when used at or slightly above the original
>  conservative Russian language data sheet spec appears to be  indefinite!
> Precisely as one would expect from a rugged mil-spec  purpose designed SSB
> tube!!
>
> There is so much nonsense  and misinformation in ham circles about this 
> very
> fine  tube.  If you want to know how to optimally deploy these tubes, go  
> look
> at the ACOM-2000A specifications and carefully study the  schematics. 
> Salient
> features are cathode NFB, and an  efficacious tri-state EBS system to 
> achieve
> a small desktop  footprint with adequate blower CFM and quite low fan 
>  noise.
>
> When it come to the outstanding performance of the  GU74B's bigger 
brother,
> the 2500W plate dissipation GU84B, then look  no further than those 
> exemplary
> amps designed and produced by  the Slovakian company OM Power.
>
> Moral of the story is very  simple: don't push any tube beyond its 
sensible
> ratings as per the  manufacturer's data sheet. Work within those 
parameters
> and excellent  results will be achieved, especially in respect of the 
>  GU74B.
>
> The only folk disappointed by the GU74B are those who  flogged them too 
> hard
> and tried to deploy them for purposes  never intended. No surprises here.
>
> Yes, best results with EBS  stem from using PTT mode. Yes, keep an eye on
> maximum plate/cathode  current and always keep it within published 
ratings,
> and use  sufficient CFM cooling.
>
> Leigh
>  VK5KLT
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Amps  [mailto:amps-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Carl
> Sent: Saturday,  27 October 2012 1:26 AM
> To: Jim Garland; amps@contesting.com
>  Subject: Re: [Amps] Additional comments, re GU-74B/4CX800A
>
>  ++SNIP++
>
>
> ** How do you justify that tube life  statement Jim?
>
> From Alpha on down owners have had reliability  problems when pushing 
those
> tubes.
>
> In the real world  few hams run them at 1500W a pair and instead drive 
with
> the typical  100W xcvr and tune for full bore in the 2200-2400W range. The
> higher  power rigs "may" be backed down to 100W but they could also get 
the
>  Magnum version. A pair of 3CX800A7's with a real 800W rating can handle  
> that
>
> for years.
>
>
>>  Incidentally, although some folks have asserted that the GU-74B  life
>> expectancy will be extended if the tube is not pushed to,  e.g., 1000W
>> output, I don't see why that is necessarily true. As  the above numbers
>> indicate, at 1000W output, the tube is only  dissipating 500W, and the
>> other parameters are well within maximum  ratings. Assuming adequate
>> cooling is supplied and that the  filament voltage is maintained, I'd 
>> think
>> the biggest  killer of tube life would be drawing excessive cathode
>> current. At  0.6A cathode current, the tube is being operated
>> conservatively  and still producing 1000W of RF.
>
> ** You are making a lot of  assumptions there Jim. One is that the tube is
> actually rated for long  life at its intended military service. In 
> actuality
> tubes are  changed when a certain number of hours are reached. The GU-74B
>  commercial ratings in AB1 MF/HF service is 550W output at 2000V with a  
> 300V
> screen. The all Russian original spec sheet is the same  as the later one
> that is Russian and English and aimed at capturing  some of the commercial
> market. Then Svetlana simply made the specs to  fit their needs.
>
> The "Limit Operating Values" paragraph is  there for a reason as it is in
> tubes from all countries. The 600W Pd  is an absolute max, not daily
> operating.
>
> You have  enough tubes, set one up in a test jig as a monoband amp and run
> 30WPM  CW thru it 24/7 and graph the Pout degradation at an initial 1200W
>  out. Also do IR tests on the anode using the typical ham amp  cooling.
>
> When you were involved with the ARD-230 did you and  Jerry conform to 
> Eimacs
> 3CX800A7 specs or push them a  bit?
>
> Carl
> KM1H
>
>>
>>  73,
>>
>> Jim  W8ZR
>>
>
>
>
>
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