Vacuum Tube Quiz
February 1961 Popular Electronics

February 1961 Popular Electronics

February 1961 Popular Electronics Cover - RF CafeTable of Contents

Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Popular Electronics, published October 1954 - April 1985. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

There are still a lot of vacuum tube guys out there who might remember enough about them to score well on this quiz that appeared in the February 1961 edition of Popular Electronics magazine. My own exposure was mainly with airport surveillance and precision approach radars while in the USAF. We didn't have a lot of the fancy special purpose tubes shown here, but I was able to guess correctly on some of them based on how the tube is constructed and the response curves. Still, I'm embarrassed to tell you my overall score. The VHF and UHF aeronautical band radios also contained vacuum tubes, but we didn't service them. Don H. (from my radar shop), I know you'll take this challenge; tell me your score and I'll tell you mine.

Vacuum Tube Quiz

By Robert P. Balin

Glancing at a tube's symbol or one of its constructional features should remind you of the graph of its characteristic curves or its outward appearance or application. Try to identify the numbered items at left, below, with the corresponding lettered items at right. Answers are at the bottom.

Vacuum Tube Quiz in February 1961 Popular Electronics (tubes) - RF Cafe

 

1. ________

 

2. ________

 

3. ________

 

4. ________

 

5. ________

 

6. ________

 

7. ________

 

8. ________

Vacuum Tube Quiz in February 1961 Popular Electronics (graphs) - RF Cafe

 

See answers below.


Quizzes from vintage electronics magazines such as Popular Electronics, Electronics-World, QST, and Radio News were published over the years - some really simple and others not so simple. Robert P. Balin created most of the quizzes for Popular Electronics. This is a listing of all I have posted thus far.

RF Cafe Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vacuum Tube Quiz Answers

1.    F Triode

2.    H Kinescope (magnetic deflection type)

3.    G Diode

4.    E Pentode

5.    C Electron-ray "tuning eye" (6E5)

6.    A Tetrode

7.    B Kinescope (electrostatic deflection)

8.    D Pentode with remote cutoff grid

 

 

Posted September 8, 2020
(updated from original post on 8/17/2012)