14-05-2021, 09:53 PM
About four years ago, in quite peculiar circumstances I made contact by phone with a man who could freely travel between Russia and Poland. Here, I shall remind that Russia is not EU member, thus travelling to this country could be sensitive as well as problematic issue. That’s why we’ve been in touch only by phone. This man told me while talking about old TV sets that he knows a workshop in the former Soviet Union that regenerates picture tubes according to the old traditional procedure. It was very surprising information therefore I rushed to prepare two round CRTs to be sent: Russian 31LK2B and Tesla 25QP20. Acquaintance of my acquaintance picked them from me. After two months CRTs finally got to a workshop. After three months there was no feedback as well as after six months. Eventually, after ten months when I had given up hope I received two fixed CRTs with new electron guns. One of the CRTs had phosphor changed. All the way back the CRTs took, was using private mean of transport. Workshop did really good job, even though it was so time consuming. I decided to prepare another CRT to be sent. This time it was a old radar CRT, which was supposed to replace broken model 12AP4 from TV TRK12. Balloons from both CRTs are absolutely the same. The genuine CRT 12AP4 had an anode socket pulled out, thus it was impossible to have it fixed in a standard way. Workshop had to adjust electron gun with electrostatic focusing like in 12AP4. Similar project is carefully described on a widely known American website. After about a year, I got radar CRT with a new electron gun ready to be assembled to TRK12. Phosphor wasn’t replaced. It has interestingly antique, yellow colour. I attached a photo. I asked my colleague to inquire if workshop was able to repair pre-war CRT. I got a reply that it is feasible. Nonetheless, the kind of a gun, that was going to be inserted instead of the old one, should be precisely described. Summing up:
- there is still a workshop, that has been repairing CRTs according to a traditional way.
- there is no direct contact with the workshop, what makes information flow more difficult.
- spoken language - Russian
- cost of transport and rebuild of CRT is substantial and is understandable only to pre- war television in my opinion. These costs, unfortunately, are known at the end, and consequently can be a painful experience – that’s workshop and my acquaintance work style
- CRT is transported always using private mean of transport. It increases package’s safety. Nevertheless, there is still real risk of damaging CRT.
- colour CRT aren’t rather repaired
- workshop has also old CRTs, for example trioda 23LK1B ready to be bought.
I have several models of Soviet radar picture tubes. I am convinced that they can replace the popular models installed in old English TVs. In the next few months, I will do tests and share my comments. Many Russian radar tubes can still be purchased from well-known auction sites. Their only drawback is, of course, the slow phosphor. Half a loaf is better than nothing.
It was Trevor who inspired me to write this paragraph. This forum brings together many kind people. This is worth emphasizing.
- there is still a workshop, that has been repairing CRTs according to a traditional way.
- there is no direct contact with the workshop, what makes information flow more difficult.
- spoken language - Russian
- cost of transport and rebuild of CRT is substantial and is understandable only to pre- war television in my opinion. These costs, unfortunately, are known at the end, and consequently can be a painful experience – that’s workshop and my acquaintance work style
- CRT is transported always using private mean of transport. It increases package’s safety. Nevertheless, there is still real risk of damaging CRT.
- colour CRT aren’t rather repaired
- workshop has also old CRTs, for example trioda 23LK1B ready to be bought.
I have several models of Soviet radar picture tubes. I am convinced that they can replace the popular models installed in old English TVs. In the next few months, I will do tests and share my comments. Many Russian radar tubes can still be purchased from well-known auction sites. Their only drawback is, of course, the slow phosphor. Half a loaf is better than nothing.
It was Trevor who inspired me to write this paragraph. This forum brings together many kind people. This is worth emphasizing.
