| ETL GS12D Dekatron Tube | |
| Written by AnubisTTP on 2009-01-25 |
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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)
ETL GS12D dekatron counting tube. Note the two extra flying leads exiting the side of the base.
Baird Atomic GS12D dekatron counting tube.
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