Guess what this is. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Geoff 555 · 4th Jan 2011, 3:37 pm

Hi all, this is just a bit of fun. No prize unless you happen to want the item.
It is 30years + old.
It is made by Mullard.
It is a glass valve under it's jacket.
It is strongly magnetic.
Has 28 pins.

The masking tape covers up the make/number.

Measures31/4" long and 11/2" diameter.
Cheers.
Geoff.

Please forget the reference to Mullard radio it has no relevance.

Cobaltblue · 4th Jan 2011, 3:41 pm

Hi Looks like an E1T Scaler (counter) tube best regards Mike T

vinrads · 4th Jan 2011, 3:44 pm

Humm 28 pins is it something to do with letters of the alphabet ,some type of letter display?

Cobaltblue · 4th Jan 2011, 3:45 pm

I changed my mind its a trochotron (not sure if I spelled that correctly!) Best Mike T

davegsm82 · 4th Jan 2011, 3:54 pm

Looks like some sort of photomultiplier tube, possibly with a scintillation crystal at the end? (used for measuring low level radiation).

Dave.

Skywave · 4th Jan 2011, 4:07 pm

I think that is a Trochotron, type ET51.
Mullard made a very similar tube and called it an ET1 - but theirs was coloured red.

Al. [Skywave]

richrussell · 4th Jan 2011, 5:11 pm

Looks very much like something I saw in an old Burroughs computer manual. So yes, a beam switching counter unit of some sort. The magnets outside and and electric field from top to bottom are kind like in a magnetron, and shape a beam from a cathode to various targets round the edge and hold it until a pulse causes it to move on to the next target.

I wonder why they didn't put the magnets inside the glass though?

Jeremy M0RVB · 4th Jan 2011, 5:20 pm

Trochotron - like http://www.tubecollector.org/vs10g.htm, http://www.tubecollector.org/et51.htm and a few other types. Some do have magnets inside the glass.

brianc · 4th Jan 2011, 6:23 pm

Interesting. I've never come across such a beasty. It seems to work similarly to a dekatron which uses ionisation in a similar fashion. However, I don't think that dekatrons worked up to 2 Mc/s!

Geoff 555 · 5th Jan 2011, 12:03 am

Hi it's no good, you chaps are just too good. Mullard (foreign made.) CV 5277. also marked ET 51.
Well done.
Cheers.
Geoff.

6AL5W-Martin · 29th Jul 2016, 8:17 am

I have restorated a E1T machine, you can watch them

http://www.wellenkino.de/pt1310/3.AVI (video from counting)

greetings from germany
Martin

jim_jobe · 29th Jul 2016, 10:50 am

I think I sold you some E1Ts a few years ago Martin.
Jim

6AL5W-Martin · 29th Jul 2016, 12:43 pm

hello Jim,

this was another client.
I got this time machine with healthy E1T valves.
btw. they are SQ , long live 10.000h , not like magical eyes

I will use that short time counter on meetings of vintage radio friends for the time measurement of drinking a glas of beer..

The next restoration what is comming here is a R+S FER, it use also 3 of them.

greetings
Martin

4th Jan 2011, 3:37 pm	#1
Geoff 555 Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 981	Guess what this is. Hi all, this is just a bit of fun. No prize unless you happen to want the item. It is 30years + old. It is made by Mullard. It is a glass valve under it's jacket. It is strongly magnetic. Has 28 pins. The masking tape covers up the make/number. Measures31/4" long and 11/2" diameter. Cheers. Geoff. Please forget the reference to Mullard radio it has no relevance. Attached Thumbnails

4th Jan 2011, 3:41 pm	#2
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,865	Re: Guess what this is. Hi Looks like an E1T Scaler (counter) tube best regards Mike T

4th Jan 2011, 3:44 pm	#3
vinrads Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 3,762	Re: Guess what this is. Humm 28 pins is it something to do with letters of the alphabet ,some type of letter display?

4th Jan 2011, 3:45 pm	#4
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,865	Re: Guess what this is. I changed my mind its a trochotron (not sure if I spelled that correctly!) Best Mike T

4th Jan 2011, 3:54 pm	#5
davegsm82 Heptode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Blyth, Northumberland, UK. Posts: 858	Re: Guess what this is. Looks like some sort of photomultiplier tube, possibly with a scintillation crystal at the end? (used for measuring low level radiation). Dave.

4th Jan 2011, 4:07 pm	#6
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: Guess what this is. I think that is a Trochotron, type ET51. Mullard made a very similar tube and called it an ET1 - but theirs was coloured red. Al. [Skywave]

4th Jan 2011, 5:11 pm	#7
richrussell Heptode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 979	Re: Guess what this is. Looks very much like something I saw in an old Burroughs computer manual. So yes, a beam switching counter unit of some sort. The magnets outside and and electric field from top to bottom are kind like in a magnetron, and shape a beam from a cathode to various targets round the edge and hold it until a pulse causes it to move on to the next target. I wonder why they didn't put the magnets inside the glass though?

4th Jan 2011, 5:20 pm	#8
Jeremy M0RVB Hexode Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 458	Re: Guess what this is. Trochotron - like http://www.tubecollector.org/vs10g.htm, http://www.tubecollector.org/et51.htm and a few other types. Some do have magnets inside the glass.

4th Jan 2011, 6:23 pm	#9
brianc Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire, UK, Posts: 1,055	Re: Guess what this is. Interesting. I've never come across such a beasty. It seems to work similarly to a dekatron which uses ionisation in a similar fashion. However, I don't think that dekatrons worked up to 2 Mc/s!

5th Jan 2011, 12:03 am	#10
Geoff 555 Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 981	Re: Guess what this is. Hi it's no good, you chaps are just too good. Mullard (foreign made.) CV 5277. also marked ET 51. Well done. Cheers. Geoff.

29th Jul 2016, 8:17 am	#11
6AL5W-Martin Hexode Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Biedenkopf, [Hessen], Germany. Posts: 425	Re: Guess what this is. I have restorated a E1T machine, you can watch them http://www.wellenkino.de/pt1310/3.AVI (video from counting) greetings from germany Martin __________________ www.wellenkino.de Vintage Scope restorations

29th Jul 2016, 10:50 am	#12
jim_jobe Heptode Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ripon, N.Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 782	Re: Guess what this is. I think I sold you some E1Ts a few years ago Martin. Jim

29th Jul 2016, 12:43 pm	#13
6AL5W-Martin Hexode Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Biedenkopf, [Hessen], Germany. Posts: 425	Re: Guess what this is. hello Jim, this was another client. I got this time machine with healthy E1T valves. btw. they are SQ , long live 10.000h , not like magical eyes I will use that short time counter on meetings of vintage radio friends for the time measurement of drinking a glas of beer.. The next restoration what is comming here is a R+S FER, it use also 3 of them. greetings Martin __________________ www.wellenkino.de Vintage Scope restorations