Found in the Attic!

[KA9VQF]

Not so many years ago we kept a horse at a place just outside of town. The folks who owned the place had noticed the antenna farm on my Camaro and asked about it.

When I said I was an amateur radio operator they still looked at me like they were clueless so I said ham radio operator.

Then I could see the light come on and almost hear bells ringing. They sent their son into the attic of a shed that looked to me like it was about to collapse and he brought down a wooden box that had dozens of electron tubes in it. Not many had their tube numbers on them in readable condition.

They gave them to me for free..

There were a bunch of sweep tubes an I had visions of finding a useable pair of 6SJ6's for my Tempo One, but it was not to be.

There were several 6146 tubes but it turned out that they were no good. I stashed away a few I knew I could build a crystal controlled QRP transmitter with, but never did get around to building one.

Some of the smaller tubes turned out to be pretty good or at least OK when I tested them with little my tube tester. There is a fellow in town here who is a 'hollow state' audiophile who bought the whole bunch site unseen when I called him to see if he might like to have them. He builds and rebuilds tube guitar amps and old broadcast band radios.

His attic has shelves and shelves of tubes all neatly arranged. Many are in their original boxes sorted by tube number with a little note as to how well they tested on his big Hickok tube tester.

He said he has all these tubes all checked out and ready to go because many times when he is building or repairing a radio or amp the tube he had all checked out simply does not work when he puts it in a circuit.

When one does not work he resolders the pins and it gets another trip through the Hickok and if it fails, it gets tossed. It nearly brings a tear to his eye when he has to actually throw one away.

[N4UM]

A new meaning to "well hung"?

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

Actually I live in an HOA so the wires in the attic are my way of dealing with HOA induced "E.D."

[N8CPA]

Actually I live in an HOA so the wires in the attic are my way of dealing with HOA induced "E.D."

Think what the guy married to the president of that HOA must go through.

[K4KYV]

Pure junk. I'd throw it in the trash where it should have gone two decades ago. Now, I would get excited if I stumbled across a 1920s TRF with '01-As, or a MOPA with '10 driving a pair of '45s.

[WA9SVD]

wow what a find.
I haven't seen a BC-210 in a long time

If you find an SX-88 hidden in a back corner, don't tell Pat (WA6MHZ.) He'll be at your doorstap the next morning!

[NW9R]

I remember years ago, in my first home, when I was about 7-10 years of age. We have a bad storm come thru, and a tail of a tornado caused some minor damage. On top of our 3 story home, was an old weathervane (although not in the attic, interesting nevertheless), that was the shape of a hand with the index finger pointing the wind direction. The weathervane got bent so my dad (brave man) opt'd to remove it from the metal steep pitched roof. A couple of neighbor friends helped him.
The weathervane came off the roof peak and crashed to the ground. Under the hand pointer was a metal ball, and inside, still very legible was a paper.

On that paper it listed all the individuals (about 8 or so) that had helped build that house (before we had it) in the late 1800s. I thought that was neat and many were still alive back then. History.....


Not worth much, but interested tidbit to have...