Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!rutgers!sunybcs!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Does anyone remember the Phantastron tube and how it worked?
Message-ID: <1908@kitty.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Aug-87 09:43:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: kitty.1908
Posted: Wed Aug  5 09:43:03 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Aug-87 01:13:22 EDT
References: <3574@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> <580@saturn.ucsc.edu>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 21
Summary: More *tron devices and circuits...

In article <580@saturn.ucsc.edu>, haynes@ucscc.UCSC.EDU.ucsc.edu (99700000) writes:
> Phantastron is a timing circuit that uses the constant-current property of
> a pentode to charge a capacitor linearly - hence a linear rather than
> exponential sawtooth generator.

	Ah yes, the phantastron circuit.  Believe it or not, the name
originated from some British engineering group who thought the circuit
operation was "fantastic".
	While many phantastron circuits used the 6SA7 pentode, the circuit
could be implemented with any pentode which had a sharp suppressor grid.
The phantastron was a circuit, and not a particular tube.  For those of
you who remember their ubiquitous "Terman", the phantastron was a variation
of the Miller sweep circuit.
	The phantastron should not be confused with the "phanotron", which
was a cold-cathode diode rectifier tube.
	Anyone remember the "aerotron"? :-)

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
<>  UUCP:  {allegra|ames|boulder|decvax|rocksanne|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry
<>  VOICE: 716/688-1231        {hplabs|ihnp4|mtune|seismo|utzoo}!/
<>  FAX:   716/741-9635 {G1,G2,G3 modes}    "Have you hugged your cat today?"