These early triode tubes were argon gas filled and use 5 volts for the filament and 1 amp. Shown above is a UV-200 tube. The box is from a later design UX-200 tube. RCA started producing this four pin triode in 1920.
The UV-201 triode tube could be used as a detector or amplifier and were not gas filled like the 00 tubes of this era. Like the UV-200 it uses 5 volts for the filaments and draws 1 amp of power. RCA produced this tube starting in 1920 and ended production in 1922 to make way for the UV-201A
This RCA Radiotron UV-201A is an example of the earlier 01A tubes. Like the 01 tube the 01A could could be used as both detector or amplifier, but it usess only 1/4 amp of power. The 01A was developed to draw less power so the batteries of the early radios would last longer. Production started in 1922. .
The earlier 01A on the left with later designs, the Wizard brand ST in the center and the Cunningham 301-A on the right. Both have the newer UX base with long pins. The first number designates the manufacturer although later on some manufacturers would use the same first number. Cunningham used the number 3 .
A rare Magnatron DC-201A rainbow tube next to a Wards Super Airline Gold tube. Rainbow and Airline gold tubes are highly sought after by early 20's battery radio collectors.
This Deforest Audion D-01A has an isolantite base, a form of ceramic.
The standard 01A tube uses 5 volts at .25 amps of power for the filaments.
Like the 01A, the 01B uses 5 volts of power but only .125 amps of current to light the filaments.
The 01C also uses 5 volts for the filaments, but only .06 amps of current.
General Electric of Bridgeport Conn. introduced the 99 tube in 1925 under the RCA brand. This detector/ amplifier triode uses 3 volts for the filament and draws only .06 amps.
The UX-199 detector/amplifier was manufactured from 1925 - 1931.
The UX-120 is an amplifier only radio tube. It uses 3 volts for the filament 135 volts plate voltage, but draws .13 amps, about double what the UX-199 draw.
The WD-11 was first produced in 1922. This triode tube uses just 1.1 volts for the filament voltage and draws 1/4 amp.
Early WD-11 and the later design, WX-11.
The WD and WX-11 tubes had an unusual pin design with one large pin and three smaller ones.
Produced from 1923 -1926, the WD-12 was developed by Westinghouse Electrical & Manufacturing for RCA. This brass based, tipped triode uses 1.1 volts for its filaments and draws 1/4 amp.
Above is the early WD-12 (left) with the later design WX-12 which had a bakelite base.
The Crosley Pup was designed for the WD-12 tube.
In 1922 the patents of John Ambrose Fleming on the manufacturing of vacuum tubes expired. In 1923 the Deforest Radio Telephone & Telegraph Company began manufacturing vacuum tubes and this was one of the first types produced.
Deforest Radio Telephone & Telegraph Company advertises it's line of DV radio vacuum tubes.
The type 20 has a nickel base and thoriated filament which uses half the current of earlier oxide coated platinum filament and are gettered.
First sold in 1926 with a bakelite base. Electrically identical to the DV-2 but with a UX base made of Isolantite, a form of ceramic.
The DL-2 uses 5 volts for the filaments, 150 volt plate voltage and draws 1/4 amp.
The DL-2 could not compete with the performance of 01A's and type 99 tubes and was discontinued in 1928.
The QRS Redtop tube is a four pin triode with a UX type base.
The tube has a five volt filament voltage and used 1/4 amp.
The 12A type tubes appeared in 1924. They use five volts filament voltage and draws 1/4 amp. The tube pictured to the left is a Radiotron UX-112A triode power/output tube.
First sold in 1927 the 71A tube is a power/output tube used in the last audio amplification stage to boost output higher than an 01A tube could. The tube pictured to the left is a Cunningham 371-A tube. Like the 12A, the 71A used five volts filament voltage and draws 1/4 amp of power.
The Sodion S-13 is a gas detector triode. The S-13 uses 4 volts filament voltage and draws 1/2 amp of power. It was designed by H.P. Donle, Chief Engineer at Connecticut Telephone & Electric Company.
Lee Deforest built upon John Ambrose Fleming's two element rectifier tube by adding a third element and created the first detector/amplifiying tube Audion was the first successful radio tube made. The Audion is a gas triode tube. Only 100 of these tubes were made. Each tube was hand made.
E.T. Cunningham started manufacturing these bootleg tubes in 1915.
Find out more by watching our video on Mr.Cunningham -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih-KIqGneNo
Otis B. Moorhead was arguably the second most successful radio tube bootlegger in history, right behind E.T. Cunningham. He started manufacturing radio tubes in 1915 and ended up supplying radio tubes to the U.S. and British governments during WW1 despite being in violation of Lee Deforest's patents. To find out more about Otis B Moorhead, check out our YouTube video about his life - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJEryEQD2sU&ab_channel=RoaringTwentiesRadio