Introduction

Tube amplifiers are a popular project among hams.  Many hams like the challenging of hunting for parts to build a high quality amplifier out of inexpensive surplus parts.

Additional information on this subject and related topics can be found in back issues of QST and the following:

Handbook and Handbook CD
Hints and Kinks

Articles

Note: Some of the following articles are in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To view and print these files, you'll need a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader program. (Version 3.0 or later required). More information here.

• Clean Up Your Signals with Band-Pass Filters - Part 1 (84,538 bytes, PDF file)
  QST May 1998, pp. 44-48
  
• Clean Up Your Signals with Band-Pass Filters - Part 2 (78,309 bytes, PDF file)
  QST June 1998, pp. 39-42
  
• Class-E RF Power Amplifiers (177,239 bytes, PDF file)
  QEX Jan/Feb 2001, pp. 9-20

• Using Solid-State Transceivers With Older Tube Amplifiers (39,693 bytes, PDF file)
  A collection of Hints and Kinks from the pages of QST
• How to Test and Align a Linear Amplifier (1,617,794 bytes, PDF file)
  QST May 1952, pp. 39-43, 128
  Alignment procedure for an old tube type SSB amplifier.

"Foot Warmers"

• How To Run Your (Tube Type - Ed.) Linear (975,720 bytes, PDF file)
  QST November 1962, pp. 11-14
  What it can do and what it shouldn’t do.
• A Single 6146 Amplifier (one 6146, 70-90 watts) (1,392,201 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1959, pp. 196-198
  
• An All-Purpose 813 Amplifier (one 813) (1,244,174 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1959, pp. 199-201
  
• A Compact 650-Watt Amplifier (two 4X250B) (2,091,734 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1959, pp. 205-209
  
• 4-250-A's in a 1-Kw. Final (two 4-250A) (2,648,850 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1959, pp. 210-214
  
• A High-Power grounded-Grid Amplifier and Power Supply (one 3-1000Z) (2,139,553 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1968, pp. 199-204
  
• One-Band Kilowatt Amplifiers (two 813) (1,25/8,687 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1968, pp. 195-198
  
• A Compact 3-400Z Grounded-Grid Amplifier (one 3-400Z) (1,308,857 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1968, pp. 191-194
  
• An 811-A 200-Watt Grounded-Grid Linear Amplifier (one 811-A) (1,179,474 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1968, pp. 187-190
  
• Using 2 3-500ZS In grounded Grid (1,351,014 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1971, pp. 201-204
  
• A One-Kilowatt Amplifier Using A 3-500Z (675,237 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1972, pp. 182-186
  
• The SS-2000 Amplifier (one 3-1000Z) (1,477,098 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1972, pp. 178-182
  
• A Sweep-Tube Linear Amplifier (four 6KD6) (1,201,283 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1972, pp. 176-178
  
• A 160-Meter Amplifier (two 572-B) (1,111,682 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1978, pp. 184-186
  
• A Conduction-Cooled Two-Kilowatt Amplifier (two 8873) (1,943,097 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1978, pp. 186-190
  
• A Two-Kilowatt Amplifier Using the Eimac 8877 Triode (one 8877 or 3CX1500) (2,080,841 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1978, pp. 190-195
  
• 1500-W-Output Amplifier for 160 Meters (3CX1500A7) (1,450,439 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1990, pp. 30-46 to 30-49
  
• A Legal-Limit Amplifier for 160 through 10 Meters (8877) (3,168,225 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1990, pp. 30-50 to 30-57
  
• A 160- to 10-Meter Amplifier Using the 3CX1200A7 (2,080,071 bytes, PDF file)
  ARRL Handbook 1990, pp. 30-58 to 30-63
  
• The LKA-1 Linear Amplifier (two 4CX250B) (3,005,289 bytes, PDF file)
  QST June 1975, pp. 39-43, 158
  
• A Table-Top Half Kilowatt (two 811A) (3,111,439 bytes, PDF file)
  QST January 1960, pp. 24-27, 156, 158
• The RCC 230-L Amplifier (two 807s, 230 watts) (3,209,186 bytes, PDF file)
  QST February 1963, pp. 29-32
  
• A Compact High-Power Linear (four 811A) (1,149,475 bytes, PDF file)
  QST June 1961, pp. 11-14
• An 800-Watt P.E.P. Input Linear (two 7094) (529,479 bytes, PDF file)
  QST July 1959, pp. 11-13, 140

Web Links:

• Bill Beech, NJ7P Tube Data Searchable Database
• Comprehensive Tube Data
  1988 Handbook Base Diagrams and Data

Bibliography (Members Only)

ARRL Periodicals Index Search - This database contains the QST index from 1915 to the present and the QEX index from 1981 to the present. For QST issues from 1970 to the present, and some selected articles back to 1922 (when construction articles featuring tubes began in earnest), identifying keywords have been added to the technical articles. By entering keywords (ANTENNA) or combinations of keywords (CONSTRUCTION ANTENNA VERTICAL HF) into the Title words: field, you may create dynamic bibliographies.
Technical article KEYWORD list. Hints for more successful searching

Suggested keywords for more articles like the ones on this page are: CONSTRUCTION TUBE

Sources:

Air Core Inductor
Air Variable Capacitor
Surplus Component
Transformers
Vacuum Tubes

Note: The above links use the TISfind database which is available through the main TIS page.

Article Reprints:

You can get a photocopy of any ARRL published article for $3 ($5 for nonmembers) for each article requested. Contact the ARRL Technical Department (reprints@arrl.org ), 1-860-594-0390) if you wish to get photocopies.

This information was prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay League, Inc., Technical Information Service, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0214. Email: tis@arrl.org (Internet). ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information on the Web free of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs.

If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or distribution of this material, please contact:

TIS Coordinator
American Radio Relay League
225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111
Tel: 860-594-0214 Fax: 860-594-0259
(email: tis@arrl.org)