The PHILCO Phorum
Loktal Philco only? - Printable Version

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Loktal Philco only? - Jake Blake - 10-13-2019

Is the Loktal tube design unique to Philco only?   Icon_question

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Radioroslyn - 10-13-2019

No they were designed by Sylvania primarily for the auto radios and two way radios. Since they lock in they don't wiggle out as a vehicle bounces down the road. Sylvania was the main supplier of tubes for Philco.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - morzh - 10-13-2019

All early transoceanic radios by Zenith are loctals.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Jake Blake - 10-13-2019

Thanks Terry.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Jake Blake - 10-13-2019

Thanks Mike.
Ron indicated earlier that Philcos came with (glass) Sylvanias, as opposed to the metal tubes RCA  and others used.  I think  Zeniths  were included,
and they must have continued on with the Loktal versions when the came out.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Tucker - 10-14-2019

I’ve got a Zenith 10s464 console that uses a loctal tube. I belive Bendix may have also used them.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Jake Blake - 10-14-2019

"  . . . that uses a loctal tube"

Only one?

RE: Loktal Philco only? - amptramp - 10-14-2019

I have a Crosley 1528 radio that uses a 7F8 twin triode for AM and FM oscillators.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Tucker - 10-15-2019

Yep, it only has the one #1232 tube. All the other tubes are octal.  I also have a Zenith 12h670 that I haven’t restored yet. That one has 7 loctals and 5 octals.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - mikethedruid - 10-15-2019

I remember working on a Silvertone three band radio back when I was a kid. It used loctal tubes for all its tubes.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - EdHolland - 10-15-2019

Our 1947 Zenith 12H090 uses a mixture of Octal, Loctal and miniature 7 pin valves. It is quite the electronic cocktail.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Jake Blake - 10-15-2019

". . . quite the electronic cocktail."   Icon_lol 

If it's all original, it's a good cocktail!

RE: Loktal Philco only? - Tim Tress - 05-08-2020

Zenith and Colonial (Silvertone) both used Loktal tubes heavily. Both companies, along with Philco, had Sylvania as a tube supplier. There was a lot of anti-RCA sentiment when they came out with their metal tubes, and when Sylvania introduced the Loktal tubes a few years later, they were eagerly accepted.

RE: Loktal Philco only? - amptramp - 10-03-2020

Midwest also used loktal tubes.  Lots of them.  Many of their sets were high tube count.