Hi Pete,

A good alternative to the 6M5 is the EL83 / 6CK6. They are almost as common as dirt and only require the addition of an earth for the suppressor grid on the socket. You can then plug in either the EL83 or 6M5 and both will work. Plate loading is identical.

I thought I would mention it because you may already have some on hand to try out.

Vaccination is certainly the only way out of this mess now. It's a bit depressing that it had to come to that but everyone should get vaccinated either way.

It's quite literally an "arms race" to save the economy as much as possible.

I just wish that the politicians would cease the blame game and just get it over and done with.
I've been online schooling for two weeks now and won't go back to school until next term. Mind you I've been fully vaxxed since may.
Both state and federal have buggered up in numerous ways but what good will it do to bicker about it every five minutes on (fill in preferred news service here) until the cows come home?

Frank F.

Hello Frank , That's a very interesting conversion and no one has ever told me about that one.
And the good part is a 6M5 could still run !
That's appealing!!
I just got home and I had quick look on the Data sheet of 6CK6 and I'm interested it experimenting with that idea .
Ive never heard of this conversion .
I have EL83 valves here at home too.
Thanks very much for the help and information and I will look into this for a bit of fun ...Thanks Pete.......

Hi Pete,

I found out about it when I was putting together a small Guitar amp for one of the boys. I had an old gramophone amp with push pull 6M5s and not not enough 6M5s to make it go.

Lots of internet searches and I found an article that suggested the swap. I tried it out and it worked a treat. It also left open the possibility of a slightly different sound beam tetrode vs pentode. I have since got some 6M5s and personally I can't hear any difference at all.

This may possibly be the best way to test the sound differences of the two technologies as nothing else in the amp changes.

Frank ,
I have a couple of chassis to pick from to try it out and it's all good fun .I have done the 6BQ5/EL84 a couple of times and so I will try this too.
I have also heard the El803 is possible too, Although I have not checked the Data sheets on it.
Let you know how it goes ..pete

Hi Pete,

I am not sure about the EL803. The anode power rating seems a bit low.

I would have thought that 6CK6s would be harder to get than 6M5s else I would have suggested it.
Maybe not.

They were a video output valve marketed by Philips in the 1950s. Early Philips and Kriesler TVs used it.

I remember getting 6CK6's out of scrapped televisions. I checked and there's 9 in my collection. My recollections of 6M5 numbers was a bit out - there's at least 40 of them. What are they supposed to be worth anyway?

The reason I mentioned it is that I have done it & usually in nippers I join the cathode pin to pin 6 in case I have a shortage. There are 6M5s here, and I think the odd 6CK6 I did move a bunch of TV valves on to a guy who could use them, albeit there are still a few buckets full unsorted in various locations There are also some radiograms that need shifting as I will not be doing anything with them.

Marc

Thanks to all those who contributed their ideas and thoughts.
I have not had a chance to look into it all yet , I had some stuff stolen from the front yard , A set of chairs a few old rare things so that changed my week end and today is car rego day so I have not had time to play Electronics.....Pete...

I had some stuff stolen from the front yard

Time for CCTV?

GTC.
Hi G,
I've never owned any CCT TV type things or an Alarm etc.
I think that Crime rates may have gone up since covid.
Petty stuff ! , It stands to reason if they are not making money due to job losses etc Then they do petty stuff. The dole is $40 per day so I'm seeing people much poorer than I did before and with that comes these little crimes .
It could of been a lot worse ,my old ute was still there!!
It's the mentality of it that's more of a concern to me..It leaves a bad vibe or feeling about home .
Pete.....

Interesting we were discussing the old vehicle at the Dealership for its and the new plastic car dealership.

It has reached the point where there is a limited amount that new generation of part replacers can handle. Virtually no grease nipples now, or understanding of ant form of nipple. It got ignition points and a carburettor: We might be able to understand the latter. Worse still you cannot plug it into a computer to reset the mixture & timing or find out what's wrong with it: You actually have to know.... whoa!

Then there is the killer for the young & hoon's ... Its got three pedals, we no longer teach driving with three pedals even new Fire trucks have two pedals so that modern drivers can operate them.

I did get a giggle out of a virtual reality program where a hoon had attracted undesirable attention and the cop was pointing out his licence said automatic only and what he was driving had three pedals and was not therefore automatic.

Marc

Pete: with who-knows-who creeping about the place during these times, I'd have CCTV and recording in place for sure.