You gotta hand it to 'em. KitchenAid's got guts . . .

[fa_f3_20]

At least some small appliances still made in the U.S.

Up until a couple of years ago, my wife's stepmother was working at a contract manufacturing plant in central Alabama. They made small appliances for several brands; Sunbeam and Cuisinart were two that I recall. We have a Cuisinart food processor that was built there. I'm pretty sure the plant is still there, although I don't know what they are making now.

 

[tolivac]

Chinese tubes!

A couple mornings ago I was going to sign on one of the transmitters here-and would you know it-the chinese made #807 tube that is the 1st RF amp wants to die!It is glowing a beautiful blue purple color- and no output-gassy-so I replaced it with another(the only ones our supply "contractor" gets)we will see how long this one lasts.Its the first stage of the transmitter-if it doesn't work the whole rig won't work.We have to replace these on average every few months or even more often.older made in USA or made in Russia tubes lasted much longer.Chinese parts--don't you love-em!

 

[bongobro]

down the tubes, tolivac?

What kind of radio station are you talking about? I work at an AM station in St. Louis, and we switched to a solid-state transmitter back in 1980!

I'm amazed that someone's still usin' tubes...

just curious, bro'...

 

[tolivac]

unlike commercial transmitters the ones we use generate 250-500Kw of power-5 to 10 times the power of a commercial 50Kw AM station.The agency I work for has some MW solid state transmitters rated for 600Kw-1Mw of power.The one I use are olderShort wave-so far there are no solid state shortwave transmitters over 20Kw.I just got done working on one of these 60yr old monsters-when something goes in these--IT GOES-a flash and many small peices to clean out.A ceramic blocker cap went out.In another-a bandswitch went-had to crawl under the PA tube boiler to fix the switch contacts.The station I am at is an international short wave station-broadcasts to Africa,South America,and Cuba.Many stations still use tubes-FM transmitters,TV transmitters(some are solid state)UHF TV stations use tubes-Klystrons and Klystrodes.These generate 30 to 65Kw per tube stage.Some transmitters have up to 5 Klystrons.Digital TV transmitters have from 1 to 4 Klystrode tubes.A Klystron or Klystrode tube uses a series of resonant cavaties to aclomplish gain.Yuou should see the tubes we use here-they weigh up to 300 pounds and cost as much as a $150,000 house!A website called Jim Hawkins Radio World has pictures of one of our transmitter sites.It is under VOA.