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Old 27th Aug 2005, 6:55 am   #1
K2GLO
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Question RTD Valves

I am new to the forum. I live in the United States and have collected vacuum tubes for 50 years and have a large collection of receiving and transmitting tubes including some European valves.

I recently found on eBay a NOS ECL80 valve with a "RTD" logo along with its original "RTD" labeled carton. It was offered by a seller in England. This fascinated me since my initials are "RTD". Long story short, I won the bid and have the valve. I can not find any information on "RTD". The valve and carton do not indicate the country of orgin but I assume it to be from the Europe, possibly England.

I am seeking information on "RTD". Was "RTD" an actual valve manufacturer or was it a company dealing in electronic equipment that purchased valves from an independent valve manufacturer who manufactured and printed the "RTD" label on valves for "RTD"? In either case what is the orgin of "RTD" company?

Thank you for your help

Robert T Deuel, K2GLO
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Old 27th Aug 2005, 8:24 am   #2
mikelect
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Default Re: RTD Valves

Hi Robert I've had a Google on RTD and all I can find is this reference not a great deal of info I'm afraid.

http://audiosonica.blog.excite.it/permalink/70309

HTH Mike
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Old 27th Aug 2005, 10:45 am   #3
paulsherwin
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Default Re: RTD Valves

Robert, I've never heard of RTD either. The ECL80 was primarily a TV valve (very common!) and your example is likely to be late production, maybe 70s. At this time UK production had ceased and valves were being sourced from all over the place, especially Eastern Europe and the USSR, and relabelled. Some of these relabellers are very well known (Pinnacle, Colomar, Bentley Acoustic) but there were many more smaller operators and I suspect your RTD originates from one of those.

Best regards, Paul
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Old 29th Aug 2005, 10:03 pm   #4
Heatercathodeshort
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Default Re: RTD Valves

Hello,
As a school lad in 1960 I worked for the firm that 'produced' the 'RTD' valves. It stands for RADIO and TELEVISION DISTRIBUTORS'. The firm was called D and B Television and their address was 131/131A Kingston Road, South Wimbledon, London S.W.19. The old telephone number was 'Cherrywood 3955' long since gone with the wind... The valves were often reclaimed from old equipment, were tested, cleaned and finally the name 'RTD' together with the valve number were printed using an old ADANA printing machine. I printed thousands and when Mullard changed the valve printing to yellow in 1963, the old ADANA was overhauled and we also changed to yellow ink! If the old firm purchased 'surplus' new valves, I had to scape the numbers off with a razor blade and reprint them RTD!
Hoping this may help solve your mystery. Regards. JOHN.
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Old 29th Aug 2005, 11:48 pm   #5
paulsherwin
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Default Re: RTD Valves

John, that's an amazing story!

Paul
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