Happy day, finally found my TV7DU while unpacking many boxes
 

Had about a hundred moving boxes to unpack, found stuff I'd forgotten I had, but couldn't seem to find the TV7DU mil spec tube tester I knew I did have. But today found it :banana: in a box I had labeled "TV7DU", DUH! :D
This tester is a Gm tester, which runs the tube in a circuit that somewhat simulates that in an actual TV, radio, or audio amp.

Some time ago I did find my emissions tube tester. That one does compactrons, though. An emissions tester just sees if the cathode can still emit the specified amount of electrons. Usually, that's good enough, as it's usually the cathode "running out of electrons" that causes tubes to go dead.

From what I've read, those are really nice. I've tried bidding on them but they always ended up out of my range. It's always nice to find something like that, that you aren't sure where you stored it.

I have a Precision 10-12 that is "Electronamic." It doesn't measure Gm, but it does a dynamic test that similates actual use to some degree.

John

I had one, had no idea it was special. Left it out in the toolshed, hanging on a nail. Figured since it had no chart, it was useless. Then one day I googled it. It lives in Singapore now! Paid my heating bill for awhile...

I've got one - paid 3 dollars at a yard sale for it. :D Older gentleman at the yard sale didn't know what it was, and said "a fellow just left to go get some money to buy it" - but I was first with the money. I was surprised when he said 3 dollars, and thought about offering more, but I wanted to get out of there ASAP.

My meter sticks, and I got it with no adapters. I scrounged a few socket savers from eBay buys. I first used it to test my 100+ 12AU7A tubes, all scrounged from old Conn organs. I think I can still quote all of the settings. 5 hours after starting, I gave up for 2 days - my fingers were getting numb!

My emissions tester is an old Sencore TC131 tube tester - Dad had one when I was a kid - I think I tore up his meter when I was 3 or 4 years old and the tester was new. I cooked the power tranny in it too - (8 volts across a 5GH8 for 36+ hours will do that) Mine is an eBay find, manual and all, but with sockets needing replacement. Great tester, but lies occasionally when testing IF tubes and the like.

Cheers,

I think I fell for Bethany over a TV-7. She was like 10 or so, it was when her aunt-Whom I was dating- first started bringing her around. Bethany wanted to "See my Radios"...OK, 10-yr old girl, old radios, yeah, we'll be outta here in no time flat. Wrong. "What does THAT one do ? Turn THIS one on ! I wanna hear the OTHER one..." She sees the trusty TV-7 on my desk/workbench..."What's THAT thing ?!?" A tube tester. "Show me how to work it. Now, show me again. Now, get out of my way..." That young 'un sat on my lap for the next hour or so, tested EVERY tube she could get her mitts on...Kim, the aunt, piled up on the couch, & was soon snoozin' away. Me, I'm blown away by this kid who's goin' to town on my TV-7, & doing it RIGHT...Checked the voltage, settings, the whole 9 yards, for every tube she cked...But that's how she's ALWAYS been-Show her how to do something, & then Get Out Of Her Way. Yeah, I'll admit it-Kid has me FIRMLY wrapped around her little finger...