[time-nuts] Best Nixie clock, ever.

Arnold Tibus Arnold.Tibus at gmx.de
Thu Dec 15 13:51:33 UTC 2005


On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 11:51:10 +0100, Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:

>In message <PKEGJHPHLLBACEOICCBJKEJEFPAA.jmiles at pop.net>, "John Miles" writes:
>>Couldn't resist posting this link I just found to the otherwise-quiet
>>time-nuts list:
>>
>>http://www.jogis-roehrenbude.de/Leserbriefe/Bruegmann-Digital-Roehren-Clock/ Digital-Roehrenuhr.htm

>He's using almost 150 semiconductor diodes, isn't that sort of cheating ?

In fact, it is! On the other hand it represents the state of the art 40 to 50 years back.
But if one think to have to replace them by EAA91(6H2P) - what an amount of space, 
wiring and PWR more!
At that time, in the mid sixties of the last century, when I learned to work and 
design with them in the company 'SABA', it was common since years to use at least 
germanium diodes and selenium rectifiers for power use. 
It was already a big step forward!


>It's impressive anyway...

I can fully understand the 'glowing' love for this art, I still have
a 'spare' box with new valves on stock, it was very creative to work with them.
Unfortunately the reliability was not that high as with modern ICs. 

The short life of the very high integrated circuits today is a nightmare for me. 
One is lost without modern production lines. Repair is often not anymore 
possible, no circuit diagrams, no spare parts...
But:
What about GPS with tubes?
Life goes on.

Thank you for the hint to this remarkable 5 years work!
regards

Arnold, DK2WT









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