AVO Valve Characteristic Meter 163 ( VCM163 )User Group Page.

Return to Vintage Radio Index

Hello, and welcome to the AVO VCM163 User group page. At present we have no members, except myself. But hopefully in the future more people will want to become an active part of the group. Ownership of an AVO VCM163 is not necessary.

My ideas for the user group are as follows;

  1. Provide links to download manuals etc.
  2. Provide information on the use of the VCM163.
  3. Provide ammendments to the manual.
  4. Provide stories about where and when people managed to find their VCM163.
  5. Provide support for users, i.e, sourcing spare parts etc.
  6. Provide a registry of VCM163 Serial numbers.
  7. Provide details of how tests are performed for clients who wish to purchase valves / tubes.
  8. Provide a forum for discussion about the Valve/tube tester.

 

LINKS TO DOWNLOAD MANUALS

Here is the best link that I know of so far: http://bama.sbc.edu/avo.htm

INFORMATION ON THE USE OF THE VCM163

 

AMMENDMENTS TO THE MANUAL

12BH7A pin connections are wrong. (Standby for the correction)

CV4014: Use the details of M8303

E424N UX5 valve connections are 284 130 000

STORIES ABOUT HOW AND WHERE WE GOT OUR VCM163'S

  1. Electramech's VCM163 has been owned by me for approximately 15 years. I purchased it at a Government surplus auction (I can't remember the cost) from the Australian company called Telecom.

USER SUPPORT AREA

Testing KT88's - Note that the large base of KT88's will interfere with the pin connection switch housing. An adaptor could be made to extend the height of the socket, or the edge of the pin connection switch housing can be filed down.

Replacing sockets - This is not overly difficult. I find that I need to replace the valve sockets after about 200 tests. It's easy to determine if you need to replace the sockets, because you will notice that readings on the meters fluctuate slightly when there is a vibration etc. Make sure your soldering of the sockets is first class!

The Trap. When testing many valves in a session, be careful changing from 12.6 Volt filament valves to 6 volt filament valves. It is easy to forget the Decade Voltage Filament switch! I have done it myself a couple of times. It's remarkable that the two valves survived, they get really bright and really hot!

 

REGISTRY OF VCM163 SERIAL NUMBERS

USER SERIAL NUMBER COUNTRY
ELECTRAMECH 1490 AUSTRALIA
     
     
     

INFORMATION ON HOW VCM163 TESTS ARE PERFORMED

 

VCM163 NEWSGROUP

I am currently investigating how to form a newsgroup.