TV Audio Tube Makes a Transceiver
Helge Fykse has constructed a radio transceiver using the PCL86 tube, a component originally designed for audio amplification in 1960s European televisions. The device utilizes a crystal oscillator and power amplifier for transmission, while switching to a direct conversion receiver mode where the triode acts as both oscillator and mixer. This project highlights the versatility of vintage vacuum tubes as an alternative to modern surface-mount electronics.
- ▪The PCL86 tube features a 300 mA heater specification that allows multiple tubes to be connected in series.
- ▪In transmit mode, the device operates as a conventional crystal oscillator and power amplifier.
- ▪A switch allows the device to transform into a direct conversion receiver where the triode serves as the oscillator and mixer.
- ▪The PCL86 was a standard audio amplifier component found in most European TV sets during the 1960s.
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| Original publisher | Hackaday |
| Canonical URL | https://hackaday.com/2026/09/18/tv-audio-tube-makes-a-transceiver/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:00:58 +0000 |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
TV Audio Tube Makes A Transceiver No comments by: Jenny List September 18, 2026 Title: Copy Short Link: Copy It’s not often we see a tube project here, so [Helge Fykse]’s PCL86 transceiver is a welcome find. If you know anything about the European Pro-Electron device naming system you’ll be familiar with it as it applies to tubes. The first letter denotes the heater specification, for example “E” is for a 6.3 volt heater. Everyone wants the familiar 6.3 V devices, but they have a set of cousins which often pass unnoticed. “P” tubes have a 300 mA heater designed such that all tubes in a device could be connected in series at the same current. Of those tubes the PCL86 is a mundane example, filling the function taken in the semiconductor years by the LM386.
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