Mongrel Shark
- Jun 6, 2012
- 260
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2012
- Messages
- 260
So I have been asked to help clean out my deceased uncles shed. He was a bit of a radio genius, worked most of his life running transmitters for various TV and Radio stations. Among many treasures discovered in the shed. Which I will try to get pics of for those that may be interested. I have found a few boxes of valves. I know nothing about them, but I figure they are probably worth something to someone. The family is pretty short for cash, so if I can help them sell these valves for a fair price I would be very happy. If there are a few I can learn to use for Tesla Coils, that would be cool too. A couple of them look pretty serious. 8 inch long, 3-4 inch diameter. I have seen similar ones used for Tesla coils. Not sure if the ones I have found are any good though. My Uncle was a master of valves, many people used to seek his help with them. There is a room full of test kit I haven't had a chance to look through properly yet, but one device looks suspiciously like a valve tester. I don't have a pic yet, but can get one when I go back there tomorrow. I am only in town one more day, so not sure how much I can go through. As far as helping the family with cash, there are a number of antique radios, amps, and telephones that should get a few dollars on ebay (Unless some could suggest a better site). I think I will put all the valve stuff together for another visit. Somewhere near any test stuff there.
My main question for now, is what sort of kit would I be looking for to test the valves? Also if they have blackened glass inside, are they stuffed? I don't think he would keep broken ones, Although dad (uncles younger brother) suggested my uncle would keep damaged ones, that no longer had their original value, but still worked for other things. He was a master of re-using stuff, to say the least, it would take some time to describe some of the mods he made to some stuff, to be able to "borrow" circuits from them, for other things, via banana plugs and toggle switches installed into cases. For example I found a 4 channel mixer for an 8 track (and the 4 channel 8 track to go with it ) that has extra 3 pin mic ports labeled 100v, 70v, 4 ohm and 8 ohm, I'm thinking its a speaker tester or mic tester? Although its anyone's guess? I know he also did something similar to an old o'scope, to "borrow" some HV from the crt... We are talking about someone that has been making radio transmitters since he was 12 years old, As well as getting most of his test kit, broken, out of bins, and fixing it when others couldn't, then went on to have a 30 year carer in radio transmission. So sometimes he could use stuff that was rubbish to most. Would damaged valves be one of those things? Should I keep damaged ones for myself or try to sell? One of the big ones, in a mile of tissue paper, is labeled 3000 amps.... Could be good for a Tesla driver?
So I know this is all really vague, and my pics today are a bit limited. I need help though. There is several ute (pickup truck) loads of likely valuable stuff to go through... Some I can id ok, and test to see if working, and decide if fixable or parts if not working. Other stuff, like a bunch of old telecom kit from the 70's, and some radio boards from a cabinet rig, loaded with juicy Germanium stuff, has already made it into my salvage box. If anyone has any suggestions of what else to look out for, that could be good. Its the valves that are really worrying me. I'm not in this for parts for me, mostly want to help the family sort it all out. If I get a few germanium bits and maybe a scope, curve tracer, or freq analyse. I will be happy. Also eyeing off a few old Analog Multimeters, but will probably teach my Uncles sons to use the simpler test kit, as they where too young to learn from their dad before he passed on. I was the only family member to pick up any electronics from him. 20 years ago, when I was 10... He taught me to use an analog meter, so I'd like to pass that on to his boys Think I'd rather make my own analog meter anyway....
There is also stuff like this homemade computer. Which appears to send text via UHF radio....
Notice the lack of outputs... UHF unit seems to be the only out, looks like a small single transistor amp on the output? No monitor or anything..
Anyway, I think you all should have some idea of the crazy inventions now.. Here is a pic of one box of mid size valves. There are more boxes of smaller ones, and a few really big ones.
Other stuff that needs to find a home, include a large dummy load. 500w 98-108mc (mhz)...
So anyone got any ideas?
I will try to get pics of what I can tomorrow, even if its just so we can all have a bit of a drool
My main question for now, is what sort of kit would I be looking for to test the valves? Also if they have blackened glass inside, are they stuffed? I don't think he would keep broken ones, Although dad (uncles younger brother) suggested my uncle would keep damaged ones, that no longer had their original value, but still worked for other things. He was a master of re-using stuff, to say the least, it would take some time to describe some of the mods he made to some stuff, to be able to "borrow" circuits from them, for other things, via banana plugs and toggle switches installed into cases. For example I found a 4 channel mixer for an 8 track (and the 4 channel 8 track to go with it ) that has extra 3 pin mic ports labeled 100v, 70v, 4 ohm and 8 ohm, I'm thinking its a speaker tester or mic tester? Although its anyone's guess? I know he also did something similar to an old o'scope, to "borrow" some HV from the crt... We are talking about someone that has been making radio transmitters since he was 12 years old, As well as getting most of his test kit, broken, out of bins, and fixing it when others couldn't, then went on to have a 30 year carer in radio transmission. So sometimes he could use stuff that was rubbish to most. Would damaged valves be one of those things? Should I keep damaged ones for myself or try to sell? One of the big ones, in a mile of tissue paper, is labeled 3000 amps.... Could be good for a Tesla driver?
So I know this is all really vague, and my pics today are a bit limited. I need help though. There is several ute (pickup truck) loads of likely valuable stuff to go through... Some I can id ok, and test to see if working, and decide if fixable or parts if not working. Other stuff, like a bunch of old telecom kit from the 70's, and some radio boards from a cabinet rig, loaded with juicy Germanium stuff, has already made it into my salvage box. If anyone has any suggestions of what else to look out for, that could be good. Its the valves that are really worrying me. I'm not in this for parts for me, mostly want to help the family sort it all out. If I get a few germanium bits and maybe a scope, curve tracer, or freq analyse. I will be happy. Also eyeing off a few old Analog Multimeters, but will probably teach my Uncles sons to use the simpler test kit, as they where too young to learn from their dad before he passed on. I was the only family member to pick up any electronics from him. 20 years ago, when I was 10... He taught me to use an analog meter, so I'd like to pass that on to his boys Think I'd rather make my own analog meter anyway....
There is also stuff like this homemade computer. Which appears to send text via UHF radio....
Notice the lack of outputs... UHF unit seems to be the only out, looks like a small single transistor amp on the output? No monitor or anything..
Anyway, I think you all should have some idea of the crazy inventions now.. Here is a pic of one box of mid size valves. There are more boxes of smaller ones, and a few really big ones.
Other stuff that needs to find a home, include a large dummy load. 500w 98-108mc (mhz)...
So anyone got any ideas?
I will try to get pics of what I can tomorrow, even if its just so we can all have a bit of a drool