4th Doctor's Etheric Beam Locator

DoctorWho8 · Jan 17, 2013, 05:24 pm

Old friend Purple had a rare find whilst delivering something to a guy's house. Low and behold what he found on a shelf.
http://purpleblancmange.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/if-you-go-down-to-the-vault-today-yesterday-actually/#comments
Further research by commenter Mark Quested discovered it was a Reflex Klystron VA22A valve used in Radar and communications from the 1950's.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

Scarfwearer · Jan 17, 2013, 08:38 pm

Here's a cropped frame grab from Genesis of the Daleks. Not very clear, I'm afraid.

Crispin

DoctorWho8 · Jan 17, 2013, 10:21 pm

That's the one. Here's a direct link to a high quality pic. Even the same color. http://www.museumoftechnology.org.uk/expand.php?key=940
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

Rassilons Rod · Jan 17, 2013, 10:38 pm

I find this very cool. Always loved that scene and that prop... No idea why

galacticprobe · Jan 18, 2013, 06:23 am

A friend of mine who is still on active duty, and in the supply chain, used to work on the fire control radars and these klystrons were part of them. Now I'll have to send him this info (photo and the part's number - thanks, Bill!) to see if he's got any bad ones that have been returned from the fleet. (Maybe I'll get lucky this time and not be too late for scrounging a part. Fingers crossed!)

Dino.

warmcanofcoke · Jan 18, 2013, 05:16 pm

One of the problems with vintage parts is availability.
here is the part you are referring to:

(I put this image here so that future generations of Tardis Builders can see the part if the link one day fails.)

I have noticed similar parts on ebay - and while they are not the same item - there is a ruler next to it to help with scale.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Varian-VA-113-Reflex-Klystron-Tube-MICROWAVE-OSCILLATOR-DEVICE-H44-/220793774295?pt=US_Radio_Comm_Tubes&hash=item336855a0d7
Varian VA-113 Reflex Klystron Tube MICROWAVE OSCILLATOR DEVICE H44

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Varian-VA-115B-Reflex-Klystron-Tube-MICROWAVE-OSCILLATOR-DEVICE-H23-/320708716109?pt=US_Radio_Comm_Tubes&hash=item4aabbaa64d
Varian VA-115B Reflex Klystron Tube/ MICROWAVE OSCILLATOR DEVICE H23

Maybe this will help some one with designing a replica prop.

galacticprobe · Jan 19, 2013, 05:19 am

Going by the look of the prop as it's being held in Crispin's screen grab, and the "average" man's hand size, I'd guesstimate that round base to be about 3 inches in diameter, which looks pretty close to the modern variation next to the ruler that Nate (warmcanofcoke) posted; and good call on that, Nate, for as we've seen too many times, links to great reference images do go dead.

Also, while poking around for info (or a possible surplus source) for a VA22A Klystron I found this image of one from a different angle:
EthericBeamLocator(VA22Aklystron).jpg

It doesn't have the little screw sticking out of the bottom as in the screen grab (just visible) or in the "Museum of Technology" image where you can really see how it's screwed in place, but the above one could be "unfinished". Notice, too, the flat tops on the central discs on this grey one. It's hard to see that detail in the screen grab, and the red paint on the one in the "MoT" image along with it being very edge-on with the discs makes it very difficult to call, but I would guess that one VA22A Klystron is much like another: that meaning they all had flat tops on the discs. In fact, the outstanding image of one of these (in red) that Rob posted here http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=4278 shows flat tops on those discs... unless Rob rendered that one, but he must have noticed that detail somewhere; he's also a killer renderer. (Incidentally, those were intended to dissipate heat when the thing was used for its intended purpose, providing microwave radar pulses.)

My guess is the grey one was made for military use, while the red one was for the civilian sector (difference in paint is all). So hopefully that other angle and guesstimate of a 3-inch base should help with extrapolating some of the other dimensions of the piece, and will help refine the details on that render. Once again, eddyc, you've shown that your talent for 3-D rendering a prop is amazing! (http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=4276)

Dino.

EDIT: I've separated out the virtual builds of this prop, and adjusted the links above. -- SW

Kingpin · Jan 19, 2013, 02:00 pm

I don't think the grey one's military use, you can see spots of red paint on the black rim of one of the connectors.

DoctorWho8 · Jan 19, 2013, 03:24 pm

Purple followed up by saying he's been using acetone to strip away the paint and he's seeing red under the gray. So it may be they are red by default and got repainted to signify being used by different departments/companies?
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

galacticprobe · Jan 20, 2013, 05:51 am

Quote from: Kingpin on Jan 19, 2013, 02:00 pm
I don't think the grey one's military use, you can see spots of red paint on the black rim of one of the connectors.

Quote from: DoctorWho8 on Jan 19, 2013, 03:24 pm
Purple followed up by saying he's been using acetone to strip away the paint and he's seeing red under the gray. So it may be they are red by default and got repainted to signify being used by different departments/companies?
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

Both of these are very possible. And trust me, after being in the military for 29 years I can assure you that even the Coast Guard takes things like this and will paint them either grey, black, or white depending on where it's going. Grey, probably inside some equipment; white, probably outside on the superstructure of a Cutter; black if it's going on the hull of a "work boat" such as a buoy tender... if they leave it red it's destined for an Icebreaker. (We paint those hulls red for obvious reasons.)

If this was in use in the Navy it would definitely have been painted grey no matter where it was going: "Haze grey, and underway!"

Dino.

markanthonyquested · Jan 23, 2013, 06:29 pm

Quote from: DoctorWho8 on Jan 17, 2013, 05:24 pm
Old friend Purple had a rare find whilst delivering something to a guy's house. Low and behold what he found on a shelf.
http://purpleblancmange.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/if-you-go-down-to-the-vault-today-yesterday-actually/#comments
Further research by commenter Mark Quested discovered it was a Reflex Klystron VA22A valve used in Radar and communications from the 1950's.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

Speaking of Mark Quested...

...Hello!

Over the past few days, I have learnt that there have been variants made of the same Klystron valve; VA220, VA221, VA222, etc. Plus, some were bright red in colour whereas others were a greenish colour. I have managed to purchase a couple of the green valves and four of the red valves, and these are currently en route to me.

Today, I received a 1950s magazine advert, which advertised these valves; I am going to scan the advert and will post it on-line.

The valves were used in oscillators and transmitors, as well as RADAR.

Assuming they all arrive safely, I'll post some photos of them.

In the meantime, may I please ask for a favour of somebody?...

I would like to take some photos of then after they have all arrived, but I also wish to compare them to the Klystron valve that doubled as the Doctor's Etheric Beam Locator. However, I do not have a DVD copy of Genesis of the Daleks. If somebody else has a copy, may I please ask whether you could take some screenshots for me? I especially want a good screenshot of Nyder looking at tge gadget through a magnifying glass and also a screenshot of Nyder holding the device when questioning the Doctor. If anybody can help, I would sincerely appreciate it.

warmcanofcoke · Jan 23, 2013, 06:51 pm

I'm afraid the best shots I could find on the DVD are these:

not very helpful I'm afraid - the camera doesn't really focus on it - most of the time they focused on the Time Ring - it kind of makes sense as the Time Ring was a major plot point for the show.

markanthonyquested · Jan 23, 2013, 06:54 pm

Thank you!

DoctorWho8 · Jan 23, 2013, 07:23 pm

Greetings, sir!
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

markanthonyquested · Jan 30, 2013, 08:02 pm

My Etheric Beam Locators arrived today; all six of them! (I am happy, but my bank balance is weeping!) I also have received the magazine advertisements that I also ordered.

In reality, an Etheric Beam Locator is actually a Varian Klystron VA220 and Varian Klystron VA221. Originally invented in the 1950s, the Varian Klystron VA220 and VA221 manufactured in the USA by Varian, and they were designed to operate in microwave relay systems.

VA- 220, Tube VA-220; Röhre VA- 220 ID35869, Reflex Klystron

VM Tubes: 3 - Klystrons

The Museum of Technology, the Great War and WWII"

Each model came in several variants, such as VA220A, VA220B, VA220C, VA220D, VA221A, VA221B, VA221C, VA221D, etc. The different letters represented different frequency ranges (for example, VA220A related to Frequency (mc) 7425-7750).

Here are some photos taken by the sellers (I'll eventually take some of my own):