Elkin 6 tube amp question

#252803

I trade for am elkin 6 tube amp, It does not have a load or plate knob. It only has one knob that has the numbers 0-100 at the bottom right hand corner. Does anyone know what that is for, none of my buddies can tell nor could the man who owned it.

#252810

Tinman I've tried to see a few other threads where people posted about these somewhat obscure tube amplifiers also to no avail. "Elkin Tube CB Amplfiers". Not very much about them online elsewhere either. I have the same exact amplifier you do.

I wish I had more pictures of it, but I lost many photos that I had saved on my last PC, which crashed a week ago unfortunately. I'd have shown a clear shot of the front panel, but still if anyone looks they can see the large knob you were trying to describe.

My only guess thus far is that possibly since it's a dedicated "monoband" or single band amplifier, it is already "sort of" pre-tuned to the 11M band and doesn't need drastic tuning like other broadbanded amplifiers might. Perhaps the one knob is more-or-less a "fine tuning" knob only. What does anyone else think, sound plausible or no ?

Or, maybe it's done via the switches. Maybe you put a switch in one postion for maybe tune, dial the knob around. Then flip another switch and use the same dial for load. Or visa-versa, you know what I'm maybe saying. I wonder if that's it ?

The amplifier looks to be constructed nicely, and is very neat in appearance internally. People say these were good amplifiers and that they had a popular following. I've never even plugged mine in to test it, and am also unfamiliar with how to properly operate it. I just didn't want to power it up and start fiddling with switches and knobs. Nothing worse that having a new toy without instructions. And nothing REALLY worse than having a new toy you just burned up because you weren't familiar with it and couldn't wait.

I've been in no rush so figured one of these days I'd read something on these Elkin amplifiers and get the scoop on them.

Foxhunter 351 NJ

#252827

Im glad to see im not the only horse in this race, but I have tested mine pretty well. The top left hand switch is power on or off, the bottom left hand switch is standby and the right hand switch is sideband. I see about 10 watts of deadkey with 4 in and usually with the 2980 I can get 550 out pep on a mfj grandmaster meter. With that said the amp does a good job and is very clean im told. The knob now is a different story, I have turned that thing all over the place and see no difference on the air or on the meter. My amp is the same as yours except I have one more switch, that I have discovered to be low and high. The amps are made here in NC in elkin I am told. If more info arises for me I will sure post it here because Im sure there are more of these amps lurking around. Thanks for your post foxhunter, what would we do without the internet and this site.

#252955

Hey, you're welcome, glad to. It's been a while since I had mine out, I'll have to pull it down sometime soon and look it over. I moved it a few months ago but really haven't looked it over for well over a year at least. Relying on the 'ol memory. Here's a few interesting pictures . . .

Elkin Two Tube CB Amplifier

Elkin Four Tube CB Amplifier

Elkin 8 Tube CB Amplifier

elkin 6 tube
http://www.cbradiotalk.com/vi ... 19&t=29929

Hey you know what also ? There are 3 whole pages of search results that come back by searching "Elkin". I haven't sifted through them all, but might make for some good reading on a slow night on the forum sometime.

Foxhunter 351 NJ

#268944

Try Rays electronics in Elkin, NC.

Ray's Electronics Supply

1032 Elk Spur St
Elkin, NC 28621-2710
Phone: (336) 835-7852

#269065

Tinman590 wrote:I trade for am elkin 6 tube amp, It does not have a load or plate knob. It only has one knob that has the numbers 0-100 at the bottom right hand corner.

That is the Plate Tune.
The Load is a Compression Trimmer inside the amp.

#269067

Foxhunter wrote: My only guess thus far is that possibly since it's a dedicated "monoband" or single band amplifier, it is already "sort of" pre-tuned to the 11M band and doesn't need drastic tuning like other broadbanded amplifiers might. Perhaps the one knob is more-or-less a "fine tuning" knob only. What does anyone else think, sound plausible or no ?
Foxhunter 351 NJ

That's a very good guess your right on the money.

To put it simply what's being done there's a load cap inside the amp which is tuned most likely in the middle of a 500kc range along with the Plate Tuning Cap then the Plate Tune on the front is used like you said as a fine tuning to resonate the final as the frequency is being changed with in that pretuned range. It's called fixed loading I've seen that method being used on the KLM tube amps.

#273008

I run a Elkin 4 tube amp and I never really new what the dial did but I Noticed that the dial affects the output on mine going off the meter on the unit. I run my dial at 90 and everyone I talk to Says its loud and very clear...I have never seen a Manual or any paperwork on them...

#275073

I run a 6 tube Elkin too. That dial has baffled me too. Elkins are very common in this neck of the woods and are highly sought after. Walking Horse's 4 tuber sounds better than my 6 tuber most of the time. One in our local group here has a 12 tube Elkin that will blow your radio off the bench when he keys up. Love them Elkins ! Love anything with tubes for that matter !

"I Hear Mariachi Static On My Radio.......And The Tubes, They Glow In The Dark....."

Bossman
NC

#275097

Walkin Horse wrote:I run a Elkin 4 tube amp and I never really new what the dial did but I Noticed that the dial affects the output on mine going off the meter on the unit.

Bossman wrote:I run a 6 tube Elkin too. That dial has baffled me too.

It's the Plate Tuning Capacitor used to resonant or tune the final amplifier for the frequency it's being used on.

If not not set properly it will damage the amplifier tubes.
It can not be set just anywhere.

#275127

Night Crawler wrote:
Walkin Horse wrote:I run a Elkin 4 tube amp and I never really new what the dial did but I Noticed that the dial affects the output on mine going off the meter on the unit.

Bossman wrote:I run a 6 tube Elkin too. That dial has baffled me too.
It's the Plate Tuning Capacitor used to resonant or tune the final amplifier for the frequency it's being used on.

If not not set properly it will damage the amplifier tubes.
It can not be set just anywhere.

Yea I now understand what it does now since I have asked and done research about it, I have now got my 4 tuber tuned

#291556

i'm new to the forum and to begin i was never around any of Ray's base amps. however i owned as many as 4 of his 8 tubes, 1 of his 4 tubes and a 2 tube all mobile units. after viewing the pics i was amazed at how different they appear and tune. i have been trying to locate one of Ray's 8 tube mobiles but having no luck. we lost a unique pioneer in tube amps when Ray passed away. sorry i couldn't help but i wanted to tell you Elkins is a top notch tube amp. best of luck to you and if you ever own one of Ray's mobile amps i can try and point you in the right direction. waving at you from the Razorback ITA130.

#294798

This was how I started out as far as my first larger base amp. Mine was a 4 tube with 4 1625 tubes though. A teenager in 1983 with an amplifier that would light up like a disco light when you would modulate. I used to turn out the lights and watch that old teaberry model T and the elkins for hours. My tech down in S.C. used to work for the Elkins Service Center. Different people used different colored wire to identify their work. My tech used purple wire. These are fun type amps you can talk on all night when set up properly, very easy on tubes. All you have to do is take number of tubes X 25 watts per tube and let the modulation do the rest....should last 20 plus years....mine did!!! There are all kinds of folklore stories floating around about if there were ever 14 tube Elkins made.....I have read on here, a different forum, that Ray tells that none were ever made and actually that is true as far as I can tell. How the 14 tube Elkin story got started was a man started building a few 14 tube amps on an Elkin design....his last name started with an H. Well, H had a few "bugs" in the amps, so he let another man, MY TECH whose last name starts with L finish the amps. After the teamwork the H & L electronics 14 tube was born!! It uses 14 1625 tubes and has 2 internal transformers and I external transformer. This is the straight of the 14 tube Elkins story. To my knowledge there were only 3 of these ever made. I know where 2 are!! BUT I AINT telling. If you ever see #3 it it will be painted black not the regular Elkins color. The external transformer is is a case about the size of a JB 12, and I can prove all this with a phone number for you to talk to the man who helped make them. God I love to see equipment with a story! Anyway I've written a book but always remember to take up time with a teen who wants to put up a base antenna....might keep them outta trouble.......

#297729

what would the 6 tube Elkin pep out, mine has 6dq6 tubes in it. Was converted to a 6 tuber

#297882

I saw where someone wrote Ray passed away. Hope Not I just talked to him Sat morning and he Looked like he has for 40 years..
Hint ::Tune the Big knob for MAX output..Thats all unless you are experienced with them..
Input SWR and Dead Key are done under The Bottom... 251..

#305749

I had a buddy just send a tram to him about 2 months ago and unless Ray is doing work from the grave, I think he's still with us. Radio arrived in middle of January, fully fuctional and screaming.

CB Radio Talk

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