[BC] The ultimate radio?

[WFIFeng@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/04/2005 5:20:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
looey323 at yahoo.com writes:

>   There are already tubes from the Military surplus that run on 24V anode 
> supplies, been around since I have I think.
>     
>    And there are all those 12V anode tubes for car radios.  That were "
> popular" right before transistors.

The thing that I am very curous about, though, is why these didn't make it 
into portable sets? Why did they use the 1 and 3v filament tubes that required a 
67 volt B+? There had to be a reason for these tubes not gaining 
popularity... was it because transistors came out too soon after these were invented?

I am familiar with their existance, (the 12 and 24v types) but because I have 
never seen any, nor any devices that use them, I assumed they were long, long 
gone. I've never even seen one single ad for anything like them in any of the 
surplus places I've browsed. All I ever see are the 1 and 3v filament stuff. 
I have a nice little Halicrafters portable radio that uses those tubes. It's 
AM and SW, and has the connectors for the batteries. I had to modify it's power 
supply to make it more stable. That little radio is a really good performer. 
I also have a military surplus SW receiver that uses a bunch of those tubes. 
It's an amazing little radio.

Willie...