[Amps] 3-500Z Tubes

Gudguyham at aol.com Gudguyham at aol.com
Thu Mar 11 07:02:30 EST 2004


In a message dated 3/11/04 01:53:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, k4jld at juno.com 
writes:


> Question.  What is my best source for obtaining the 3-500Z tubes?  Are
> Eimac tubes still available?  Do I want the ZG with the graphite anode? 
> Will the G require any changes in the amp?  Do I need a matched pair? 
> What about non-USA made tubes?
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> 

I cannot speak for the longevity of the RF parts 3-500ZG or the Taylors sold 
by RF parts, BUT I can tell you that they work flawlessly on 6 meters up to 
the 1300 watts I get out of them on my conversions, in addition to them being 
very stable.  I have had Eimacs that gave me some problems on 6 meters but never 
a problem with Taylors or the RF parts brand.  I also had a set of Joida's 
(spelling?) 3-500G's in a 6 meter conversion that once gave me 1400 watts out on 
6 meters, boy was I impressed with that!!  I actually recommend the Taylors 
or the RF parts for my conversions.  Again, I cannot speak for longevity, but 
for initial results, I think they are great.  I would recommend a matched set 
for a couple extra dollars.  I always thought this "matched set" idea was a 
bunch of hog wash and just another way to squeeze out a few extra dollars, but 
one time I had a situation where a 3-400 tube was mated with another tube and 
they did poorly as a set, replaced one tube with another and they were full 
output, the same tube removed coupled with another tube made full output as a 
pair.  My conclusion was  the  matching was better, I do believe it may help to 
some extent.  When I do the Sb-200 conversions to 6 meters, I use the Taylor 
572B tubes, I have been able to get 800 watts out of them on 6 meters, but surely 
they are way out of "linear" operation.  I was impressed that they worked so 
well on 6 meters.  So my experience leads me to believe that the Taylor brand 
tubes are pretty good initially.  How they perform in the long haul I do not 
really know.  But on 6 meters, unless you contest every week (no contest every 
week) on 6 meters Hi Hi, they should last a lifetime, on HF, I do not know.  
Just my 2 cents 73 Louie W1QJ
KING CONVERSIONS


More information about the Amps mailing list