How to Use, Calibrate, Repair and Upgrade Vacuum Tube Testers

There are 2 books regarding Tube Testers this one and Make your Own Tube Tester - both are excellent but for 2 different purposes - this book takes a serious unbiased view of vintage and new (current production) testers and describes how they work, how accurate they are based on testing method/voltages used, their downfalls and advantages - u will be surprised if "ebay prices" is your guide to what is best vintage tester. Igor touches on how to build a tester which is further elaborated on in much greater detail in the other book mentioned.The only thing I found lacking based on my expectations is how to modify/improve specific vintage tube testers that are high quality but lacking in some areas (they all are lacking in one way or another regardless of how much you spend for a vintage unit on ebay) - there are some basic mods listed to improve functionality or accuracy on some models but problems are identified for example one of the best vintage models is the Heathkit TT-1/1A with only a couple of flaws in design (coped a Weston circuit with same flaws) but not specifically how to correct those flaws.To be fair, to do what I'm asking would take several volumes of books focused on specific manufacturers and models.This book is perfect for a person who wants/needs (this book has a Q&A discussion area that will help you decide if you just want or need a tube tester depending on application) a tube tester but is confused over the multitude of brands, models and functionality. He groups testers based on capability (basic, advanced, mutual conductance and True dynamic mutual conductance) - which believe it or not - this category of "best of consumer models" does not include the most popular and/or expensive brands/models - there are only a small handful that Igor rates in this category and the Heathkit TT-1 is one of them with all its flaws its still more accurate than any consumer/military grade testers based on how it tests a tube and the plate voltages used in the tester. This book also covers modern day tube testers (kits and prebuilt) all in one units and computer/laptop interface models that use much higher plate voltages and does performance curve tracing. He also covers the commercial units of the past from Tektronix like the 500 series (570, 575, 576, 577) curve tracer models that are the size of small refrigerators and can cost upwards of $6K or more on used market - also some discussion of how to modify/convert a Tektronix Tracer designed for solid state devices (transistors, MOSFETS etc..) to test vacuum tubes like the older models could by building a tube test "desk" attachment and power supply.I would like to see a follow-up book that takes the best models (True Dynamic Mutual Conductance) - and expands on - how to troubleshoot/calibrate and improve/modify these models using currently available technology including a computer interface like the current production kits and ready to use products that test tubes at true operating (most tubes) voltages/conditions and tests properly at multiple real input signal frequencies - both AC & DC output current / gain/gm/umhos or mutual conductance and the ability to plot and store performance data using a curve tracer interface to a standard laptop.Igor does include a very good introduction to building your own tube tester that would be more accurate than any vintage model and can almost do what modern PC Based systems can do (except for the curve plotting) using nothing more than tube sockets, a metal homemade chassis to mount sockets and vintage or homemade adjustable regulated DC & AC high voltage/high current power supplies for plate, screen, bias & filament voltages and several high quality bench or handheld DMM & AC Sway needle analog meters, analog frequency generator and a bunch of removeable test leads for connecting everything up with easy to read block diagrams & schematics with plain English explanations of how it works and how to operate the equipment.Included is a picture of my recently refurbished and calibrated (did all the work myself) Heathkit TT-1 w/TT-1A expansion panel (TT-1A adds support for 12 pin Compactron, 5 & 7 pin Nuvistor, 10 pin miniature & 9 pin Novar tube types) - against 2 different "Bogie Reference Calibration Tubes" supplied by 2 different suppliers using 2 - 6L6 tubes.This tester is one of the few that Igor puts in the "true dynamic mutual conductance" category".So if you are seriously considering either buying a vintage or modern tube tester or possibly building your own depending on what commercially available pre-built models can do vs. what a hand-built customized model designed for a specific purpose can do, you need to purchase both books - this one and the one written by Gary Steinbaugh, where this one covers vintage and modern pre-built models and ranks them according to function, operational ease and accuracy vs Gary's book that takes over where this one leaves off and describes in greater detail how vacuum tubes work, what parameters can & should be tested, how these parameters can be accurately tested at correct voltages - and most importantly - ensuring that these tests are repeatable achieving the same results (accuracy & repeatability) and finally how to build a tube testing device, what specific equipment is required (detailed parts lists) and what you can expect in terms of results - also what tests are most valuable to run to grade, match and use vacuum tubes most effectively also which tube types can be accurately and cost effectively tested and which cannot.Chris

The ambitious title of this industrious tome is: ‘How To Use, Calibrate, Repair and Upgrade Vacuum Tube Testers’, by Igor S. Popovich. I have read and reviewed two other of Mr. Popovich’s books here on Amazon, and in each case have awarded him five stars for his tireless efforts in trying to educate me and the rest of humanity about the wondrous world of vacuum tubes.Before I make any inane comments on this historic presentation, I will list the chapter titles in the book.1. How Vacuum Tubes Work2. Testing & Matching Vacuum Tubes3. Emission Testers4. Grid Circuit Testers5. Dynamic Conductance Testers6. Proportional Mutual Conductance Testers7. Hickok-Type Testers8. True Mutual Conductance Testers9. Repairing & Upgrading Vintage Tube Testers10. Testing & Matching Tubes Without A Tube TesterThere is a limited two page index that I enhanced with my own topics of interest, using a handy 2B pencil. I am also guilty of using a yellow highlighter on some words of wisdom I care to locate in the future without going insane trying to find them again, after all it’s my book; I paid for it.I want to make an observation before I document various highlights from the book. That observation is that Mr. Popovich has managed to document, for all future audiophiles and electronic tinkerers like me, a brief history of some of the many vacuum tube testers created. Not only did he list and discuss these museum pieces, but he tore into them and exposed their innards so to speak. He points out the good, the bad, and the ugly indiscriminately. He does all this with an eye to the technical reader as well as musical oriented readers that might happen to purchase this one-of-a-kind, and truly unique book.If I had any doubt whether to buy this book, it vaporized when I saw the picture on its cover! Being a Heathkit addict, I couldn’t wait to obtain a book with a photograph of the Heathkit TT-1 Mutual Conductance Tube Tester on it; which I own by the way. Actually I own the TT-1 A version, but that’s beside the point.The first two chapters discussed similar topics about vacuum tube characteristics that the author’s first two Guitar Amplifier books did. All good stuff I might add and very useful information indeed. Page 19 jumps right into the subject of Testing & Matching Vacuum Tubes which lists vacuum tube characteristic measurements, and points the reader toward the problems that tube tester manufacturers had to deal with. Not only did they have to deal with testing vacuum tube dynamics, but they had to do it in the most economic way possible. This last statement is made obvious throughout the book when he evaluates the various testing circuits manufacturers used. It is a real lesson in creativity to say the least.Throughout the book are little bits of tube tester history. I thoroughly enjoyed this feature and reveled in the brief comments the author makes about the past. Mr. Popovich is not shy about documenting his wonder at the reasoning behind the design of the various pieces of equipment. Imagine the tube testers we could have today, if he could go back in a time-machine and confront those engineers of old.The emission testers discussed include:ȇ Eico 625, Knight KG-600ȇ Heathkit TC-1, TC-2, TC-3 & IT-17ȇ Conar 221, 223 & 224ȇ The Precision 640 (NRI 71) & 660ȇ Triplett 2413 & 3414ȇ The Elettra Provavalvole is looked at as well [yes, I spelled that correctly].……………………………………………………………The grid circuit testers covered include:¤ Seco 78, 88 & 98¤ Sencore “Mighty Mite” testers: TC-114, TC-130, TC-136, TC-142, TC-154¤ Sencore TC-162 & TC-28 (“The Hybrider”)¤ B&K 600 & 606 Dyna-Quik tube testers¤ B&K 607 & 667¤ B&K 625 Dyna Tester¤ Precision Apparatus Company (PACO) 650 & T-62¤ Mercury 1101, 1101C & 1101CT¤ American Scientific Development Company TV-20…………………………………………………………….The dynamic conductance testers include:® SICO model 85, TV-12® Sylvania 139, 140, 219, 220® Jackson tube testers® EICO 666 & 667…………………………………………………………The proportional mutual conductance testers include:§ Weston 798§ Triplett 3423§ Taylor 45D§ Avo Valve Characteristic Meter (MK III)§ Metrix 310CTR§ Simpson 330……………………………………………………….The Hickok-Type testers (note: the Hickok Bridge Circuit is discussed in detail)● Hickok testers● B&K 500, 550, 650, 675, 700, 707, 747● Mercury 100, 1200, 2000● Precise 111, 116● Dynamic DM456● Simple fixes & upgrades for Hickok testers is discussed……………………………………………………….True Mutual Conductance testersÜ Weston 981 & Heathkit TT-1 (yes, these two testers have a relationship)Ü Triplett 3444Ü Sencore MU-140, MU-150Ü RCA WT-110AÜ SECO 107, 107-B, 107-CÜ Modern transconductance testers are discussedNow the book goes into repairing and upgrading vintage tube testers. Choosing and buying a tube tester is discussed, along with safety and other precautions. Very useful topics are presented briefly, and these all add to the book’s value. You will want to read and heed this information I’m sure.Finally the author’s last chapter enters into the testing and matching of vacuum tubes without a tube tester at all! This, after a whole book full of tube testers presented. He covers the use of an ohmmeter and multimeter in checking tubes. How to make your own emission and transconductance tests. Finally, he discusses a DIY curve tracer for matching tubes. Here also two Heathkit semiconductor curve tracers are mentioned, the IT-1121 & IT-3121.To wrap up this rather lengthy review of a great book, let me once again thank Mr. Popovich for contributing a useful and rather priceless book for all of us in the vacuum tube community, now and in the future. The book is a good foundation to work from for all the DIY folks out there, as well as any engineers that wish to re-learn or delve into a period of our technical history that is fast vanishing.In my opinion, you should buy this book, read it, and then stash it away for safe keeping. Of course that advice is mainly for electronics buffs and experimenters. Don’t let this knowledge be lost to time.

Well written and concise. I found the information quite useful. The price is a bit too high but, I bought it anyway.Others sell this book for the same or higher price.

this book is a good overview for people that are just getting into tubes and testing tubes. but that said you can if you look hard enough find most of the information on the internet - but then I have it on my coffee table

At first glance, the book appears to be packed with a solid amount of tube and tester theory. But I went straight to the pages regarding the RCA WT-110a, which I was working on at the time. There are only a few pages about that tester, but just one diagram in the section was enough to unlock the secrets of this tester! I already had the user manual and schematic, but the explanation of the card punch layout was worth the price of admission just by itself and quickly helped me track down the problem with my tester as well as the mistakes I'd already made trying to repair. I do plan on plowing through the rest of the book soon, but it's already paid for itself!

Well laid out; explains complicated information in easy-to-understand language. A big plus is that my personal tube tester is on the cover!

A must read for those interested to explore and learn the specifics around vaccum tube testers

I expected more information on how to do repairs with emission tube testers such as Heathkit and Knight models. There was no information about repairs on these testers.