4 tube elkin///

[NITROTURBO4U]

Restoreing a 4 tube elkin...I notice there are 4 12dq6's no driver tubes or sockets..
The others had 2 small driver tubes....Thanks for any info...

 

[JayMojave]

Hello Nitroturbo4U: I would think the power supply filter capacitors will need replacing, as a start.

Cleaning the tube sockets from dirt and dust, and making sure the relay is good to go, is a good call.

The Elkin Amps were neat amplifiers as there use those low cost tubes 12dq6, like you said. My neighbor ran one of these Elkin amps that had 6 of those tubes did about 160 to 180 (if I remember right). The good thing with this amp is that the designer did not have a driver pushing the tubes too hard allowing the to some what cleaner.

Good Luck, let us know how the restoration goes.

Jay in the Mojave

 

[NITROTURBO4U]

elkin 4 tuber

Thanks jay for info.....What u suggest for dead key????Also what would be good max wattage or we call it swing input??Like 2 watts swinging 10 ???

 

[JayMojave]

Hello Nitroturbo4u: Not having one I can only guess that the tubes are probably good for 30 watts each ( a ball park estimation) so 4 tubes x 30 = 120 watts PEP, so dead key at 30 swinging to 120 I'd say would be close. A stock CB at 3 to 4 watts dead key modulating to 12 to 16 would work fine.

This is a good bit of gain even tho its not a thunder and lightening high value of wattage amp.

The Elkin amp I say over at my neighbors place had a RF Power Level adjustment knob that he had turned down some to save the tubes from burning out. This guy ran this amp at a lower power level and always had it on with a good 5/8 wavelength antenna at around 50 feet high. Many of the locals said he was a Big Strap, but probably only had less than a hundred watts.

To double your range you need to increase you output power by 6 dB, than is a 4 times power increase. So a small clean amp will work very well. My 1959 Gonset G11 CB Tube Radio does almost
3 watts out, and works very well. Get a 5/8 wavelength antenna up high.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert