RE: CONtrol of ELectronic RADiation

["Paul Bacchiocchi" <bacchioc@ici.net>]

>The "B" batteries in the old tube portable radios supplied the high voltage
>(as opposed the the low voltage needed to light the tube filaments) to the
>grids and plates of the tubes. As I recall, that was around 45 volts. Some
>"B" batteries, because they consisted of as many as 30 individual cells,
>were the size of a brick, weighed nearly as much, and cost a fortune.

>Battery radios back then were really only meant for emergencies!


"B" battery voltages for the tube portables could run from 22.5 V for the
really small portables, to 90V for the Trans-Oceanics and similar behemoths.
Likewise the "A" battery voltage would either be 1.5V if the filaments were
parallel connected (and could have been 1 AA cell, or whatever was needed if
they were in series (9V for the T-O).  The Trans-Oceanic battery took up
nearly half of the cabinet, but would last 200 hours, as opposed to the
earliest shirt pocket size radios where the A battery life was maybe 4
hours.