[Amps] Worst Tube Socket Ever

[Dave Hachadorian]

The process you describe is the only way I've been able to do it. 
I agree that it is a PITA.  Hopefully, it does not have to be 
done very often.

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ

-----Original Message----- 
From: Jim Garland
Sent: Sunday, March 9, 2014 11:43 AM
To: amps at contesting.com
Subject: [Amps] Worst Tube Socket Ever

Does anyone have any tips for plugging a GU74B into the mating 
SK1A
socket.?  The sosckets iin my amp are recessed below the chassis 
about about
1 inch, and I always have a devil of a time plugging in the 
tubes.  There's
a spring-loaded retaining ring that slides around phospher-bronze 
clips that
press against the tube the screen ring. I think one is supposed 
to be able
to slide the tube into the socket without removing the ring, but 
little
clips bend easily and get in the way. The holes in the bakelite 
socket are
not beveled, so the tube pins have to be exactly aligned with the 
holes or
the tube won't slide it, and that's hard to do, even without the 
retaining
ring getting in the way.  They only way I've been able to insert 
a tube is
to remove the bottom cover of the tube chassis. Then, with the 
retaining
ring around the pick ceramic part of the tube, I slide the tube 
into the
socket. Then  I turn the amp upside down and with a pair of 
long-nose
pliers, compress the retaining ring from below and try to get it 
on the
outside of the spring-loaded clips. Eventually, I succeed in 
plugging in the
tube, but it's about a half an hour of trial and error. What s 
stupid ,
stupid socket design, but I'm not aware of any equivalent 
replacements.

73,

Jim W8ZR

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