Parks, Tektronix, and Beaverton

Hey Bill:

I was listening to the old SS #130 last night (catching up) and heard
you talking about that 6CW4 converter you have. I'm not familiar with Parks
Electronics, but the 6CW4 nuvistor was used in the preamplifiers of many
Tektronix oscilloscopes. I have a hunch that "Parks Electronics" was the
side-job for some Tektronix engineers...possibly ones that are in our fine
homebrew community, although I'd have expected them to raise their hands by now.
I wonder if "Parks Electronics" is in any way related to "Parks Metals", which
is a full-service metal fab shop here in Beaverton...among other things, they
make the metal chassis and cabinets for DCPWR.com, one of the many ham-run
businesses that offers PowerPole parts and accessories.

There's a new "Tektronix Museum" in Beaverton, staffed by volunteers. It's in
its fledgling state. I've not visited yet, but plan to. Some of the inventory
comes from Stan Griffiths W7NI, who is one half of "Bill and Stan's Tektronix
Resource website". One of the many amazing things Stan did in his lifetime in
high tech was to run a very successful service organization...and along the way,
amassed a most impressive collection of Tektronix instruments. His "garage" was
featured in an Oregon Public Television special on the history of Tektronix.
Much more of a museum than a garage, with quite a fascinating curator, as well.

An email went around about a year ago listing all known Tektronix hams - past
and present - there were literally thousands of hams on that list, many are
today in the top ranks not only of homebrewing, but of high tech business
worldwide.

Anyway, you might be able to learn the genealogy of that converter by contacting
the guys at the Tektronix Museum. Their website isn't fully fleshed out yet but
does have contact info, and most are hams.

www.vintagetek.org

If there's a legit Tek connection, they might want to put that converter in the
museum, too.

73 and keep the Solder Smoking

Dave W8NF
Hillsboro, OR