Dekatron Glow Transfer Counting Tubes

For technical data, please refer to the Dekatrons of the World reference.

Glow transfer counting tubes, commonly known as dekatrons, are cold-cathode decimal counting devices. Dekatrons pass an ionization glow around a ring of cathodes by sending a single or offset double or triple pulse to intermediate guide electrodes, causing the glow to advance to the next cathode. Though a few dekatrons were manufactured with speeds as fast as 1 MHz, most were used for applications below 100 kHz. Dekatrons double as both counter and display; the count position is viewable through the top of the tube as a glowing dot. This combination of display and computation in a single component was not replicated in a solid state device until the introduction of LED smart displays in the 1970s.

Dekatrons come in three basic types: counters, computer counters and selectors. Counters have a single output cathode, which is pulsed once per full rotation. Computer counters have multiple output cathodes, usually four. Selectors have 10 output cathodes. Contrary to popular misconception, dekatrons were not widely implemented in computers. Only one computer is known to have made significant use of dekatrons, the AERE WITCH. Completed in 1950, each of the WITCH's memory stores contained 90 GC10A dekatron tubes; the WITCH was a major consumer of Ericsson dekatrons until it was decommissioned in 1973.

The world's first production glow transfer counting tube, the short-lived GC10A, was filled with helium, but all other early and common British and US dekatrons are 4 kHz neon-filled devices. Faster dekatrons, in the 10-50 kHz range, are usually filled with argon or a helium-hydrogen mix, popular among hobbyists for the distinctive purple glow. Dekatrons rated at 100 kHz appear to be filled with some sort of Penning mixture which exhibits improved ionization characteristics, allowing for higher counting speeds. A small handful of dekatrons operate at 1 MHz; such tubes use hydrogen as the fill gas and typically have shaped cathodes and other internal complexities.

While most dekatrons are decimal counters, there are also a few base-12 counters, a handful of unusually constructed Soviet base-10 dekatrons which can also function as base-5 counters, and one binary counter, which operates like a flip-flop.

 


Ericsson GC10A
 

The GC10A (also known as the GC10/A), is widely considered to be the world's first commercially released dekatron. Designed and manufactured by Ericsson and released in 1949, the GC10A is a two guide, ten position device, and is packaged in the archetypal Ericsson elongated envelope that is used in many of their later dekatron products. Unlike most other dekatrons, the GC10A is filled with helium, which gives the tube its distinctive illumination color. The GC10A's complex internal construction included cathodes that were spot-welded to suspended rings and fixed in place with perforated mica supports. This labor-intensive process was abandoned in later tubes, which use a series of ceramic disks and stamped plates to support the cathodes.

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Ericsson GC10A Dekatron Tube
ETL GC10B Series
 

Devices included in this entry:

ETL / Baird Atomic GC10B counter (octal base; pictured in thumbnail)
ETL GC10/4B computing counter (octal base)

ETL CV1739 computing counter (octal base)

This is one of the earliest models of dekatron, a 4 kHz neon-filled counter with 1 output cathode. Originally manufactured by Ericsson, the GC10B was heavily cloned by numerous European manufacturers and can be found in dozens of slightly different variants. The stamped plate and ceramic internal construction of the GC10B was considered so much of an improvement over the GC10A's welded rings that Ericsson patented the process. The tube's distinctive tall narrow envelope and virtual immunity to outgassing make it a favorite among collectors.

The GC10/4B is Ericsson's computing counter variant of the GC10B. The GC10/4B is identical to the GC10B in all important respects, with the exception of having four output cathodes available instead of the single output cathode of the GC10B.

ETL GC10B, GC10B/S Datasheet (PDF)

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ETL GC10B Series Dekatron Tube
Transitional GC10B
 

This mysterious device is an undocumented transitional form between the first generation Ericsson GC10A and GC10B glow transfer counters. This tube is marked as being a "GC10B" in the standard early Ericsson white print, but instead of neon, the tube is filled with helium much like a GC10A. This strange device also has an identical internal construction to the Ericsson GC10A shown above. We are unsure how this tube came to exist; it could be an early prototype or engineering sample of the GC10B that predates the decision to use a neon fill gas, or it could be a manufacturing error or specialty item for a specific vendor.

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Transitional GC10B Dekatron Tube
Sylvania 6802 & 6909
 

Devices included in this entry:

Sylvania 6802 counter (octal base)
Raytheon CK6802 counter (octal base)
Sylvania 6909 counter (octal base; pictured in thumbnail)


The 6802 is Sylvania's original octal-base counter, designed to compete with ETL's GC10B. Sylvania later upgraded the 6802 design to the 6909, which replaces the neon with a Penning mixture and is capable of impressive 100kHz operation. Unfortunately, the 6909 is extremely prone to outgassing, making the 6802 ultimately a much more practical and long-lived device.

Raytheon made second-source versions of these tubes, prefixed by a CK identifier in the part number. The CK variants of these tubes are electrically identical, despite their vastly different internal construction.

Sylvania Decade Counter Tubes (PDF)

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Sylvania 6802 & 6909 Dekatron Tubes (CK6802)
ETL GC12/4B
 

The GC12/4B is a counting tube oddity: a 'dekatron' that is designed to count in base-12 instead of base-10. Base-12 tubes served an important niche function, since the hour of the day is typically measured in 12 or 24 positions, they allowed designers to save an entire tube in any device that measured the time of day.

The GC12/4B is a 4kHz bidirectional counter with a neon fill gas, and is in every way identical to a GC10/4B with the exception of six extra cathodes in the counting loop, to allow for a divide-by-12 function to be carried out in a single tube.

The explosion in popularity of nixie clocks and similar devices has made these tubes rather hard to get, as they are hotly contested in the open market by hobbyists for use as hours indicators in dekatron-based clocks.

ETL GC12/4B Datasheet (PDF)

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ETL GC12/4B Dekatron Tube
ETL GC10D
 

The GC10D is a single pulse tube with three guides and forty cathode positions. The maximum counting speed is rated at 20kHz, but only when fed with a sine wave input pulse. When driven with a square wave, the maximum speed is only 10kHz. This is one of the most failure-prone dekatrons ever built; the tube's fill gas is over seventy percent helium, and is almost always absent by the time the tube falls into the hands of a collector.

ETL GC10D Datasheet (PDF)

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ETL GC10D Dekatron Tube
ETL GS12C
 

The GS12C is a strange card in the Ericsson dekatron family: a base-12 selector with a maintenance base. This unusual base allows for connection of wire leads directly to the base of the tube, without any need for a socket. The duodecal sockets used on other ETL selector dekatrons will not work in their standard form on a tube like the GS12C, as a base-12 selector would require 14 pins to connect all of its cathodes.

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ETL GS12C Dekatron Tube
Ericsson GC10/2P
 

Ericsson's sole entry into the miniature counting tube arena, the GC10/2P is a rather unusual device. This tube uses a unique construction style in which cathode and guide rings are constructed from single sheets of folded sheet metal, similar to the method employed by the 'Wales Counter' described above. The cathodes are held in a ceramic sandwich that confines the glow to the top portion of the tube, taken together the entire counting ring is much easier to manufacture than the complex arrays of welded cathode pins seen in many tubes. This tube is a bidirectional double pulse device, with a full 30 cathodes and a neon fill gas. The tube's 1khz counting speed puts it squarely at the bottom of the pack compared to other miniature counting tubes, though to be fair, many of those tubes are much less versatile unidirectional devices. The GC10/2P was a rather short-lived tube, and it is fairly rare as a result.

ETL GC10/2P Datasheet (PDF)

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Ericsson GC10/2P Dekatron Tube
ETL GS10E
 

The GS10E, despite its pedestrian appearance, is a quite rare tube; as it appears to be the last model of dekatron Ericsson manufactured before switching over to compact envelope counting tubes. In outward appearance this tube looks like a standard ETL bidirectional selector with no shade ring, there is no obvious enhancement to explain the existence of this part within ETL's vast array of dekatron products. This tube appears to use some sort of Penning mixture, the exact gas mix is unknown, but the tube illuminates with a pale orange hue that is noticeably different from the earlier neon filled ETL tubes like the GC10B. The tube's 10Khz counting speed is slower than the hydrogen-rich ETL high speed tubes, but faster than neon filled tubes like the GS10C. The near total lack of GS10E's in the tube collector marketplace suggests that very few units were actually manufactured.

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ETL GS10E Dekatron Tube
ETL GS10H
 

The GS10H is a two-guide compact envelope dekatron, manufactured by ETL and it's various subsidiaries. GS10H tubes are neon filled but slightly faster than ETL's earlier dekatrons, the GS10H has a rated counting speed of 5khz, compared to the GS10C's 4khz count speed. The GS10H utilizes a 17 pin base, and will fit into 27 pin beam switching tube sockets as well as the 17 pin sockets specifically designed for this tube.

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ETL GS10H Dekatron Tube
ETL GC10/4C
 

The GC10/4C neon-filled bidirectional counter is a later model British dekatron, no doubt intended to be a replacement for the GC10/4B. Though the GC10/4C is nearly identical to the GC10/4B from an electrical standpoint, it is quite different in construction. The tube abandons the long, phallic envelope common to previous Ericsson counters in favor of a short, compact envelope that is no longer than a standard octal tube. The 8 pin base is actually the same diameter as the tube envelope: the bottom of the glass envelope narrows to allow it to fit within the inside diameter of the base. The result is an aesthetically pleasing tube that will fit in any device designed for a standard-length octal tube, while still maintaining a distinctive shape. The lineage of the GC10/4C is a bit of a mystery... it is a fairly hard to find tube, and does not appear in any of the standard Ericsson databooks. Collectors are still unsure of exactly how or where it fits into Ericsson's dekatron product line.

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ETL GC10/4C Dekatron Tube
ETL GS12D
 

Devices included in this entry:

Baird Atomic GS12D selector (modified duodecal base; pictured in thumbnail)

ETL GS12D selector (modified duodecal base)

The GS12D is a base-12 selector in a standard Ericsson selector envelope... with a twist. It is impossible to fit all the pins necessary to preform a full base-12 selection function onto a duodecal base; the GS12C shown above solves this with the use of a 'mainteinence' style base, but glow transfer tubes do fail after a while, and the direct solder connections of the GS12C make replacement a chore. The GS12D abandons the maintenance style base in favor of a duodecal base with two extra flying leads that exit from either side of the base. The flying leads control the tube's guides; all of the other pins on the base being consumed by output cathodes and the tube's anode. The GS12D is a neon filled tube, and it's maximum counting speed is the 4kHz that one would expect from a neon filled dekatron.

Base-12 tubes are heavily sought by nixie clock hobbyists for use as hours indicators in various clock projects. The GS12D will serve for this function, but the combination of the need to solder directly to the tube's flying leads and the rarity of duodecal sockets make the tube less than ideal for this purpose.

ETL GS12D Datasheet (PDF)

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ETL GS12D Dekatron Tube
ETL GCA10G & GSA10G
 

Devices included in this entry:

ETL GCA10G direct-drive counter (modified 17 pin base)

ETL GSA10G direct-drive selector (modified 27 pin base; pictured in thumbnail)

These strange devices are known as 'direct drive' glow transfer counting tubes: dekatrons specially designed to be coupled to a Nixie display tube without any intermediate hardware. The GSA10G has a series of ten supplemental anodes arranged equidistantly around the inside of the tube, one for each output cathode. Nixie tube cathodes are connected to these anodes, as the glow transfer passes by a supplemental anode the flow of current will jump between it and the primary anode, causing the appropriate character in the Nixie tube to illuminate. The primary anode has a series of fins around it's perimeter, which isolate the glow transfer to specific supplemental anodes during operation.

The GCA10G is an earlier counting-only variant of Ericcson direct drive technology, and lacks many refinements, such as the finned primary anode and curved secondary anodes. (GCA10G's with late date codes seem to adopt these features.) The GCA10G's lack of selector output cuts the pins on the base down to 18, compare this to the GSA10G, which has a monstrous modified 27 pin base with an extra pin in the center of the socket.

Unfortunately the GSA10G and GCA10G were a technology that few actually felt was necessary. Dekatrons already directly indicate their count position, and few felt the substantial additional cost of a Nixie tube was worth it just to give counter operators an Arabic character to stare at. Very few direct drive dekatron part numbers were made and fewer still were used in products. The GSA10G example shown here is actually an Ericsson development sample; the label includes terse warnings about the lack of future supply.

ETL GSA10G Datasheet (PDF)

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ETL GCA10G & GSA10G Dekatron Tubes
Burroughs BG08220-K
 

The BG08220-K, manufactured by Burroughs, is a glow transfer counting display that defies all conventions of dekatron construction. The most obvious difference between the BG08220-K and other dekatron tubes is that the BG08220-K is not even a "tube"; Burroughs constructed the device using a glass sandwich system similar to the construction style used in their Panaplex displays. The BG08220-K is a base-24 device, the only base-24 counting tube such known, and the non-guide cathode positions are elongated and easily seen through the front of the device. The tube also has four guides, double the amount used in a standard dekatron, and is filled with neon gas for easily visibility. The BG08220-K is designed primarily for display instead of counting, and has only a single output cathode located at the 6-o'clock position.

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Burroughs BG08220-K Dekatron Tube
Mullard Z302C
 

The Z302C is one of the only dekatron tubes manufactured by Mullard that was not merely a clone of a more popular Ericsson part number. It's internal construction is somewhat unusual, as Z302C tubes are designed to be directly coupled into multi-stage counters with no intermediate active components. Though the tube has 30 cathodes it is not intended to be driven in a 2-guide fashion, as the tube only has one set of guides, located in the first position after each main cathode. The second electrode positions are designated as 'extinguishing electrodes' and are wired in two groups, based on whether the given extinguishing electrode precedes an even numbered cathode position or an odd numbered position. In normal operation the extinguishing electrodes are not tied to a phase shifted version of the input pulse signal, they are driven by the successive charge and discharge of an external capacitor network. The zero position extinguishing electrode , shown in the inset photo to the left, sits outside the count loop and is tied to a -300 volt supply. When the glow transfer reaches the zero position electrode, the sudden increase in current draw produces a pulse at the anode of the tube, which can be directly propagated into the guide of an adjacent counter. Overall, this system of counting is rather clumsy, requires a separate -300 volt supply, and limits the tube's count speed to a mere 1kHz.

The tube can be driven in a normal two-guide fashion by tying all the extinguishing electrodes together, but it should be noted that all commonly available dekatron drive circuits can only drive this tube in a counterclockwise direction. Clockwise counting is impossible because the gap in the counting loop at the zero cathode position prevents the glow from transferring properly.

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Mullard Z302C Dekatron Tube
Mullard Z504S & Z505S
 

Devices included inMullard Z504S Series this entry:

Mullard Z504S selector (13-pin compact base; pictured in thumbnail)
Mullard Z505S selector (13-pin compact base)


The Z504S and Z505S are European 13 pin double pulse selectors in stubby compactron style envelopes. The Z505S is significantly smaller in dimensions than its American made counterparts like the 8035, but can only count at 50kHz compared to the 100kHz counting speed of the 8035. The example we have has unfortunately lost its fill gas, but in operation the tube would have glowed orange, suggesting some sort of mixed gas Penning mixture.

The Z504S is the standard 4kHz counterpart to the Z505S and is identical in envelope and internal construction other than its more stable neon fill gas

Z504S Datasheet (PDF)
Z505S Datasheet (PDF)

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Mullard Z504S & Z505S Dekatron Tubes
Raytheon 7978 & 8262
 

Devices included in this entry:

Raytheon 7978 selector (13-pin compact base)
Raytheon CK8262 selector (engineering sample,13-pin compact base; pictured in thumbnail)


Though Raytheon manufactured many second source variants of Sylvania dekatrons like the 6802 and 6910, Raytheon developed few new dekatron part numbers themselves. The hard to find 7978 and nearly unobtainable 8262 are the only two dekatrons existent that were manufactured exclusively by Raytheon. With the exception of its pedigree the 7978 is otherwise a fairly standard neon filled compact dekatron, it operates in a conventional double pulse fashion and counts at 5kHz. The tube's electrical characteristics are very similar to a Sylvania 8353, though its envelope and pinouts are different. The 7978 tube is substantially rarer than an 8353 however, and heavily sought by collectors seeking a example of a Raytheon-manufactured tube.

The 8262 is Raytheon's high-speed counterpart to the 7978, it's strangly colored mixed-gas fill is responsible for the tube's brisk 100kHz counting speed. The 8262 is so rare as to practically only exist in the annals of tube lore, but as a counting device it is probably best left to the crushed velvet shelves of tube collectors. Raytheon's high speed decade counter gas has a notorious habit of vacating a tube's envelope long before the tube falls in the hands of a modern hobbyist, which makes the 8262 an extremely poor choice for a dekatron-themed project.

Raytheon 7978 Datasheet (PDF)

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Raytheon 7978 & 8262 Dekatron Tubes
RFT Z562S
 

The Z562S is a German made compact envelope dekatron selector. The Z562 is a neon filled tube very similar to the Sylvania 8353, but has a faster maximum counting speed of 5kHz. The taller than average envelope of the Z562 has a high domed top and heavy shade ring, this tube is a uncommon but visually appealing choice for use in a project.

RFT Z562S Datasheet (PDF)

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RFT Z562S Dekatron Tube
RFT Z563C
 

The Z563C is RFT's counting only variant of the Z562S selector tube shown above. This tube has the same envelope and identical stats to the Z562S; a 5kHz maximum counting speed with a neon fill gas. Unlike the Z562S which has a 13 pin base, this tube has a standard 9 pin 'Magnoval' base, and uses commonly available sockets. Four of the pins on the base are stubs and not connected to anything, this tube has only a single output cathode.

RFT Z563C Datasheet (PDF)

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RFT Z563C Dekatron Tube
Rodan DK23
 

Even the Japanese joined the dekatron market with tubes like the DK23, a single-pulse counter with three guides and forty cathode positions. Counting speed is rated at a capable 20 kHz and the fill gas is unknown, but appears to be some sort of Penning mixture consisting of a melange of hydrogen, neon, and other trace gases. Though difficult to find, these tubes are much more robust than ETL's competing single-pulse GC10D, and rarely fail from outgassing.

Rodan DK23 Datasheet (PDF)

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Rodan DK23 Dekatron Tube
Rodan DK24
 

Another uncommon Japanese counting tube, the DK24 is Rodan's selector counterpart to the single-output DK23. The most striking feature of the DK24 is its unusual base, a 14 pin loctal style with a metal keying post and ring epoxied to the bottom of the tube. The DK24 has similar specs to the DK23; single pulse configuration with forty cathodes, a 20kHz counting speed, and a Penning style fill.

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Rodan DK24 Dekatron Tube
Soviet Anod OG-3
 

The OG-3 is a single-pulse dekatron with 40 cathodes and an unusual extra output cathode. This dekatron's 20 kHz counting speed is largely due to its helium-hydrogen fill, which gives the tube a purple discharge. The OG3 is currently the most common dekatron in the world, as Soviet surplus floods the international market. This example is a somewhat rarer metal base variant. It should be noted that while it was historically common to blindly refer to all Soviet tubes as being manufactured by 'Sovtek', the example shown here was actually manufactured by Anod.

Soviet Dekatron Datasheet (PDF)

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Soviet Anod OG-3 Dekatron Tube
Soviet Anod OG-4 Series
 

Devices included in this entry:

Soviet OG-4 counter (octal base; pictured in thumbnail)
Soviet OG-7 counter (octal base)
Soviet OG-9 counter (octal base)


The OG-4 is a double-pulse, bidirectional counting tube with a neon fill gas. The OG-4 is a very slow dekatron: it has a rated counting speed of only 2 kHz. The OG-7 is identical to the OG-4, but with an argon fill gas. The OG-7 also has identical pinouts and internal construction as the OG-4, but its counting speed is rated at a brisk 50 kHz. The OG-9 is similar to the OG-4 in appearance, but is a 'computing' tube with multiple output cathodes. All of these tubes were manufactured in both bakelite and metal base variants. The OG-4 and OG-7 are reliable and readily available due to the abundance of Soviet-era surplus on the seondhand market, and the present day builder should should give these parts their full attention when selecting a tube for a modern project.

Soviet OG-4 Datasheet

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Soviet Anod OG-4 Series Dekatron Tubes (OG4, OG7, OG9)
Soviet Melz OG-8
 

The OG-8 is a very unusual high speed counting tube. The tube is a single guide, unidirectional design with a metal octal base. The tube has 20 bent cathodes under a heavy shade ring, five of which are brought out to individual pins on the base. The tube's rated counting speed is 100Khz and the fill gas in unknown, though it appears to contain a mix of hydrogen and other gases. The OG-8's anode voltage is much higher than other dekatrons: the tube must be driven at over 500 volts to achieve ionization. Normal dekatron driver circuits have trouble spinning the OG-8, and the home experimenter should not expect a stock spinner design to work reliably with this tube.

OG-8 Datasheet (PDF)

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Soviet Melz OG-8 Dekatron Tube
Soviet Anod A-101 Series
 

Devices included in this entry:

Soviet A-101 selector (13-pin base, pictured in thumbnail)
Soviet A-102 selector (13-pin base)
Soviet A-103 selector (13-pin base)


The A-101 is the Soviet's basic neon filled selector dekatron, a double pulse selector with an unusual 13-pin base. Rated at a mere 1kHz, the A-101 is one of the slowest dekatrons ever made. The A-101 is likely the most common dekatron in the world, as Russian and other eastern European sellers have been dumping their surplus tubes onto eBay at a rapid pace. The 13-pin base, for which one will most likely never find sockets, is a good reason to give this tube a wide berth and just buy an OG-4 instead.

The A-101 design saw significant improvements in the A-102, which introduced an argon fill, and the A-103, which incorporates some minor internal changes.

Soviet Dekatron Datasheet (PDF)

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Soviet Anod A-101 Series Dekatron Tubes
Soviet Anod A106
 

The A-106 is the selector companion to the Soviet-made OG-8 counter tube shown above. Like the OG-8, the A-106 is a unidirectional tube with 20 shaped cathodes that angle in the direction the tube is intended to spin. Unlike the OG-8, the A-106 has a large phenolic 13 pin base, and each output cathode is brought out to a separate pin. The A-106 is a fast tube; it's maximum rated counting speed is 100kHz, but it also requires a higher anode voltage than many dekatrons and will not function reliably with most of the spinner circuits available on the Internet.

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Soviet Anod A106 Dekatron Tube
Soviet Anod A108 Series
 

Devices included in this entry:

Soviet A107 selector (12-pin miniature base)
Soviet A108 selector (12-pin miniature base)
Soviet A109 selector (12-pin miniature base; pictured in thumbnail)


The Soviet made A107, A108 and A109 share a highly important pedigree, they are the smallest dekatron part numbers in the world. Packaged in the same envelope as an IN-2 nixie tube, each is tinier than even Elesta's minuscule ECT-100 selector. The unusual qualities of the A-107, A-108 and A-109 do not end with size however. Unlike most dekatrons which count in base-10 increments, these units are base-5 counting tubes. The structure comprises ten shaped cathodes that can either act as output cathodes or guides, these units are unique among the world of dekatrons in that every cathode is brought out to a separate pin, half of the cathodes must be tied together to form a guide for counting operation. The shaped cathodes limit the tube to unidirectional counting, but maximum counting speeds are quite respectable; the neon-helium filled A-108 can count at up to 10kHz and the mixed gas A-109 will count at up to 100kHz, whereas the high speed A107 can count at a blistering 1MHz. The A-107 has an additional oddity, it is not a direct view device. The A-107's counting loop is completely covered with opaque silvering and the glow transfer can not be seen under normal light levels.

The Soviets did have a scheme to use this tube as a base-10 counter, in which no cathodes were designated as outputs. To pull it off, even and odd number cathodes were each fed half of an out-of-phase signal from a flip-flop circuit. Standard dekatron offset guide pulses will not work for this, the signals on the even and odd numbered cathodes must be exactly 180 degrees out of phase for the tube to count correctly. Such a system was highly impractical, as it required a transistor across every cathode that needed to double as an output as well as the active components necessary to generate the flip-flop signal.

Soviet Dekatron Datasheet (PDF)

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Soviet Anod A108 Series Dekatron Tubes (A107, A108, A109)
Soviet A-201 Polyatron
 

Though the A-201 looks similar to a dekatron, this strange device is actually a polyatron tube, also known as an inverse dekatron. The A-201 operates in reverse of a normal dekatron; the tube has a ring of ten anodes surrounding a central cathode and an encircling screen electrode. The polarity of all supply voltages and incoming pulses are reversed, and removal of the tube's cathode from active participation in the counting process prevents the cathode poisoning that can foul normal dekatrons. The encircling screen electrode provides an additional layer of protection against cathode poisoning, by collecting the majority of the sputter material from the cathode and preventing it from fouling the glass of the envelope. The A-201 is not designed for direct view of count position, as the glow transfer occurs in a slot approximately halfway down the length of the tube. Much like a magnetic beam switching tube, the A-201 can be directly coupled to a Nixie display for indication of count position. However, the A-201 is slow compared to its dekatron contemporaries: the tube's maximum counting speed is only 10kHz. Unlike most other Soviet glow transfer counters, which were manufactured at the Anod (Anode) factory, these A-201's were made by Plasma Labs, which is best known for it's lasers and high power transmitting tubes.

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Soviet A-201 Polyatron Dekatron Tube
Sylvania 6476A
 

The Sylvania 6476A is an early USA-made neon filled selector. This tube is double guide, with a run-of-the mill 4kHz counting speed and a 12 pin duodecal base. The example shown here has seen heavy use, resulting in a very uneven glow discharge across the cathodes. Sylvania was a prolific manufacturer of dekatrons and the 6476 was one of their most common models.

Sylvania Decade Counter Tubes (PDF)

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Sylvania 6476A Dekatron Tube
Sylvaina CT-783
 

Most Sylvania CT-prefixed counting tubes, like the CT-4251, are merely internal part number versions of more common production parts. The CT-783 is different however, in that it appears to be the only internal part number Sylvaina tube which never saw a commercially released companion. The CT-783 is a three guide tube with forty cathodes, possibly the only 3 guide tube that Sylvania manufactured. In all other regards the CT-783 bears much in common with the much more readily available 6802, including the same envelope, base, and internal structure.

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Sylvaina CT-783 Dekatron Tube
Sylvania 6910
 

Devices included in this entry:

Sylvania 6910 selector (duodecal base; pictured in thumbnail)
Raytheon CK6910 selector (duodecal base)


The Sylvania 6910 is a high speed dekatron selector with a Penning fill gas and a 'duodecal' B12E base. In operation, this unusual gas mix produces a sickly yellow glow discharge that is difficult to capture with current camera technology. The 6910 has a maximum counting speed of 100kHz, but the tube's Penning fill is extremely prone to outgassing, and the tube itself has an astoundingly high failure rate. Due to this, the 6910 should be avoided for use in new projects and is likely only of interest to completionist collectors.

As with the 6802 and 6909, Raytheon made a second-source version of this tube that was prefixed by a CK identifier in its part number.

Sylvania Decade Counter Tubes (PDF)

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Sylvania 6910 Dekatron Tube
Sylvania 8035 / CT-4251 Series
 

Devices included in this entry:

Sylvania 8035 / CT4251 selector (13-pin compact base; pictured in thumbnail)
Sylvania CT-4251 selector (13-pin compact base)

Sylvania 8353 selector (13-pin compact base)

The 8035 is a high speed selector tube in a small compactron-style envelope. The 8035 has a Penning fill gas and a maximum counting speed of 100 kHz. The tube has a standard 13 pin base, and will fit in both 13 pin Nixie tube sockets, and 20 pin sockets like those used for the 6167 and MO-10R counting tubes. Early internal versions of this tube are only marked with the CT-4251 Sylvania internal part number, and lack the 8035 designation.

Sylvania also released the 8353, internally identical to a 8035 but with a neon fill.

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Sylvania 8035 / CT-4251 Series Dekatron Tubes (8035, 8353, CT-4251)
Sylvania 7155 & 6879
 

Devices included in this entry:

Sylvania 7155 computing counter (7 pin base)
Sylvania 6879 computing counter (7 pin base; pictured in thumbnail)
Westinghouse 6879 computing counter (7 pin base)


Sylvania's entries into the miniature counting tube arena, the 6879 and 7155 are tiny and quite unusual. Both tubes are packaged in a standard 7-pin T51/2 envelope with top nipple, and both use a common 7-pin socket instead of an obscure 13-pin socket like the slightly larger EZ10. Both tubes are designated for computer use, and have three non-common output cathodes at counts 8,9 and 0. The Sylvania 7155 is an unusual tube: a 100kHz double pulse bidirectional counter in miniature, and is one of the smallest, fastest dekatrons ever made, surpassed only by the most advanced Elesta and Soviet dekatrons. The 6879 is a slower neon-filled device, and is only rated for 5kHz.

Sylvania Decade Counter Tubes (PDF)

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Sylvania 7155 & 6879 Dekatron Tubes
Elesta EZ10A & EZ10B
 

Devices included in this entry:

Elesta EZ-10A selector (13-pin miniature base; pictured in thumbnail)
Elesta EZ-10B selector (13-pin miniature base)


One of the most unusual counting tubes ever made, the EZ10A and EZ10B are unidirectional bent-cathode selectors in a miniature envelope. The EZ10A/B have a thirteen pin base, with three center pins surrounded by a ring of ten pins for each of the cathodes. The EZ10A appears to be an argon filled tube and has a rated counting speed of 300 kHz, while the EZ10B is filled with hydrogen, and is rated at 1 MHz. Both the EZ-10A and EZ-10B are single guide selectors with only 20 cathodes in their counting loops. The guide pins are split out and brought to two separate pins, with one pin for the guides on the left side of the tube and the other pin for those on the right. This makes it possible to use the EZ-10A and EZ-10B as both a base-5 and base-10 selector. Even though the EZ10A and EZ10B have identical pinouts, they are not interchangeable, the higher voltage required for the EZ10B will actually damage an EZ10A if it is used as a drop-in replacement.

It is of special note that the EZ10B is a very late model of dekatron, the tube was not put into general mass production until 1961. EZ10B's are also horribly failure prone... hydrogen gas is a notorious cage-breaker, and can ooze through the glass envelope even when the tube is in storage.

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Elesta EZ10A & EZ10B Dekatron Tubes
STC G10/241E
 

If a dekatron and a pixie tube were fused together in some sort of horrible, The Fly-style matter transporter accident, a nomotron would probably be the result. Nomotrons function on the principles of glow transfer in the same manner as dekatron tubes do, but instead of relying on an external surround to indicate count position, a nomotron has a metal shield inside the tube which directly indicates count through punched or stamped numbers. The G10/241E, made by STC, is a fairly standard representative example of the nomotron form factor. The G10/241E is a unidirectional tube, with angled sheet metal cathodes hidden under its metal shroud. Unlike many other unidirectional tubes, the direction of the glow transfer is not controlled by the slant of the cathodes. Instead, each guide cathode has extremities constructed of different alloys with different maintaining voltages. These multi-alloy cathodes are reported to substantially increase the count accuracy of the tube, but require numerous additional external components in the form of resistor-capacitor networks attached to the guide cathodes. The count position indicators on this tube are not stamped on the metal, but rather printed on a mica disc mounted above the shroud. The tube has a stubby wide envelope and an attractive metal duodecal base.

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STC G10/241E Dekatron Nomotron Tube
Tesla 11TU7
 

Tesla's 11TU7 nomotron represents what would seem to be a final logical endpoint for a world that contains both dekatron counting tubes and pixie tubes, a glow transfer counter with actual numeral-shaped discharge indicators like a pixie tube. Despite appearances the numerals at the top of this tube are not actually cut into the shield, but are instead printed on a mica sheet. Holes punched in the shield backlight each numeral when the given cathode is selected. The 11TU7 is a 20khz unidirectional device; the tube's shaped cathodes are hidden below it's metal shroud. The tube is attractively packaged in a stubby blue painted envelope with yellow print and a metal duodecal base.

Unfortunately, the example shown here is outgassed, so you will have to use your imagination to picture what an functioning 11TU7 looks like. In operation, the tube produces an orange discharge beneath the currently selected number.

11TU7 Specification Sheet (JPEG)

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Tesla 11TU7 Nomotron Tube
Elesta EZ10
 

Nomotrons are strange devices. However, even among the world of nomotrons, the EZ10 is unique. With its tiny miniature envelope and 50kHz counting speed, the EZ10 is the the smallest, fastest nomotron currently known. Like the more readily available EZ10A and EZ10B, the EZ10 has 20 shaped cathodes, an argon fill gas, and a tiny 13 pin base. The pinouts of the EZ10 are somewhat different than the more common EZ10A; the guide cathodes are tied into even and odd groups instead of left and right groups, which prevents the tube from operating in a base-5 configuration. Unlike other nomotrons, the tiny mask plate at the top of the tube does not have any number markings. Another unusual feature is that the mask plate in the EZ10 does not extend down to cover the tube's internal structure, which allows the cathode and guide structures to be easily seen through the side of the tube.

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Elesta EZ10 Dekatron Nomotron Tube
Elesta ECT100
 

The EZ10 may be strange, but the ECT100 is truly bizarre. The ECT100 is a 1 MHz bidirectional hydrogen-filled selector with only 20 cathode positions. This seemingly impossible feat is accomplished by a highly innovative internal design in which both guides and cathodes are driven with pulse waveforms. The tube has four distinct cathode structures, each of which is arranged as a ring of five spade-shaped posts connected to a central disk. Two of the cathode structures are designated as output cathodes, and the other two are designated as guide cathodes. In operation, the two output cathodes are driven with alternating waveforms and the two guide cathodes are driven with slightly delayed signals from the output cathodes. By reversing the connections between the output cathodes and the guide cathodes, the rotation direction can be reversed, allowing for a complete bidirectional base-ten count operation to be carried out in a tube that has only 20 cathode positions.

With all of the ECT100's cathodes tied up as waveform inputs, a rather interesting method must be used to read the tube's state. Below each of the tube's output cathode spades is a forked sense anode, which projects upward around either side of the spade. When a given spade is ionized, the glow will exit from slits on either side of the spade, enveloping the sense anode. This causes a probe current to flow back through the anode, which is sensed on one of the tube's ten supplemental anode pins.

The ECT100's combination of speed, function, and size make it likely the most advanced dekatron ever made. Despite this, it was birthed into obsolescence, its release coinciding with the introduction of small-scale integrated circuits. As a result, the ECT100 was narrowly implemented in its time, and is virtually nonexistent today.

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Elesta ECT100 Dekatron Tube
Western Electric 6167
 

The Western Electric 6167 is a very unusual counting tube. Instead of having pins or bent cathodes like most other dekatrons, the 6167 uses tiny springs for its cathodes. Each spring has a small finger, which exits the top of the spring and hangs over the center of the adjacent cathode. It requires less maintaining voltage to hold a glow discharge within a tube-shaped cathode than upon the surface of rod-shaped cathode, and the 6167 is designed to take full advantage of this phenomenon. During operation the glow will rest in the center of each spring, jumping to the finger only during glow transfer. The 6167's unusual cathode construction makes it a unidirectional tube, with ten output cathodes and ten guide cathodes. The guide cathodes are spit into two groups of five, to allow for base five or base ten counting. The tube actually has 21 cathodes: a single "zeroing" cathode sits outside the counting ring and feeds into the first count position at an angle. The tube can be reset to the zero position by pulling the zeroing cathode to ground without interrupting the counting loop. The tube also has a supplemental anode, which sits between the normal anode and the final output cathode in the counting loop. This anode is used to provide a carry without interrupting the counting loop - the supplemental anode is pulled low as the glow transfer passes by it.

It should be noted that even though this tube uses an unusual 16-pin base, it can be used with normal Cinch 13-pin nixie tube sockets due to the cylindrical void located in their center. The 6167 will also fit 20-pin sockets like those used for the MO-10R beam switching tube.

Western Electric 6167 Datasheet (PDF)

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Western Electric 6167 Dekatron Tube
Ericsson RYG10
 

This bizarre device could easily be considered the most unusual counting tube ever made. The Ericsson RYG10 is an early two-electrode magnetic beam switching tube, which utilizes the crossed-field effect to implement a 10 stage decade counter in a single tube envelope. Unlike a Dekatron, which displays its count through the ionization of a low pressure fill gas, the RYG10 is a hard vacuum device that uses phosphor coated targets to display count position. These funnel shaped targets, which are located in a ring at the top of the tube, are lit sequentially by the rotating electron beam projecting from the center of the tube. A specially designed socket and external magnetic ring are required for the RYG10 to function correctly; the socket includes a raised flange that centers the magnet in the proper position relative to the tube's axis. The RYG10 has a maximum counting speed of 1 MHz.

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Ericsson RYG10 Magnetic Beam Switching Tube

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