VR102 Valve

[pwdrive]

i dont know of any audio amps that use vr102 or 6f8?
rob t

Hi Rob, I think it is in vogue for custom built/homebrew audio, googling BL63 or 6F8 seems to reflect this.

Lawrence.

[Steve_P]

The VR102 is sensibly equivalent to the BL63, the 10E/279 and the CV1102.

http://www.r-type.org/exhib/aaa0300.htm

It's a low impedance double triode. Used in the R1155 receiver that was fitted to the Lancaster Bombers. The circuit and use are described in the R1155 manual. which is here...

http://www.vmarsmanuals.co.uk/new/r1155.htm

As far as the 6F8 is concerned.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_6f8.html

If the voltages and impedence aren't too different, they will operate in each other's sockets.

Cheers,

Steve P.

[pwdrive]

Lawrence, whilst I've never come across anything but the R1155 which uses the VR102, I think that if the valve had been made specially for the Air Ministry then it wouldn't have been given the BL63 identity as well - that's very much a civilian number, which I'm guessing came before the VR102 identity.
We need a prewar valve data book which includes it - anybody got one?
Andy

Hi Andy, some A.M. valves appear only to have the civillian number on them but have the A.M stores ref. underneath the civillian number like some of the Marconi KTW62's, it's gets confusing, maybe it varied between different valve manufactures. As you say an early valve data book might help for the BL63. It's certainly an odd one. Would a military number be in a publicly available valve data book back then during the war? if not and the BL63 can't be found listed in one then that might be a clue.

Lawrence.

[Skywave]

The 'Radio Valve Data' book, (Iliffe Books; early editions compiled by 'Wireless World'), 2nd. edition through to 10th. edition: the BL63 does not feature in any of them.
But my original and genuine issue of the C.V Register of Electronic Valves, (1963) does list it: specifies the CV1102 as a 'near equivalent'. It goes on to state the authority responsible for the specification of the CV1102 as the Ministry of Aviation, R.A.E., R.R.E. and S.R.D.E. The BL63 is listed as a double-triode.

Al. / Oct. 22, 2012 //

[pwdrive]

Apparently most of the valves for the R1155/T1154 were made at MOV's factory at Shaw, Oldham. There is a book about the MOV Co.

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

Apparently most of the valves for the R1155/T1154 were made at MOV's factory at Shaw, Oldham. There is a book about the MOV Co.

Lawrence.

Just another thought, the BL63 seems to have a high heater current?
I would have thought that current consumption on an airborne receiver would have been designed to be a minimum?
As far as I can see the BL63 in the R1155 is primarily a switching device?
Would the fact that it was a switching device have anything to do with the high heater current? ie: cathode temp?
Would this suggest that other twin triodes just weren't suitable?
Maybe the BL63 was developed purely for its switching function in a DF circuit and that the MOV Co. kept their in house number (BL63) for other reasons, the various Marconi companies were very astute back then when it came to buisness and finance.
Just throwing stuff up in the air for comments.

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

Ministry of Supply specs. for the CV1102 (VR102) info in PDF link including test circuit.

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

I have exhausted my web search on this valve, this book might be a good read:

http://vyseamps.com/movbody.htm

Lawrence.