SBT-11A Photographs

I attempted an upload of these four photographs July 17 but something didn't work.
These show an SBT-11A rectangular, mica window, Soviet era GM tube in a simple ABS probe housing, and one with a somewhat damaged tube outside. Too much flexing broke off the ground pins.
One tube has no SBT-11A designation on the back, but the one inside the probe case does have this lettering. The C5T-11A appearance is Russian syrilic for SBT-11A.
Now, here goes an attempt at attaching photos...

Sonarflash wrote:

I attempted an upload of these four photographs July 17 but something didn't work.
These show an SBT-11A rectangular, mica window, Soviet era GM tube in a simple ABS probe housing, and one with a somewhat damaged tube outside. Too much flexing broke off the ground pins.
One tube has no SBT-11A designation on the back, but the one inside the probe case does have this lettering. The C5T-11A appearance is Russian syrilic for SBT-11A.
Now, here goes an attempt at attaching photos...

Good photos! They show the tube inside the case is clearly an 'A' version, I can't see the print on the other one though, the shiny surface has reflected the flash making it unreadable. A shame about the broken ground pins, a very difficult repair if they have snapped flush with the casing. I have one pin socket being supplied with a kit I ordered but I also thought I would try to 3D print another - if I can figure out some way of installing suitable female pins into it.

Thanks Chris. Man do I ever have difficulty navigating and posting these! The flash doesn't matter. That damaged tube is the one without any stencilling on that area. The side has "SBT-11" and "1981", but no 'A'.
If I get desperate, I could get one of the ham club members to TIG or MIG spot weld a lead. I connected a 10 meg resistor to the anode pins, then used a solid wire to probe the hollows. My GK+ showed the tube still works. I might even rig some kind of pressure connection if I ever need the tube.

I can barely imagine the difficulties of trying to post being sightless!

I think atttempting to TIG or MIG weld a wire onto the stubs of the pins would kill the tube for sure. You can get special solders and fluxes that allow soldering to stainless steel - I even have them in my workshop but I have not attempted to use them. As you suggest, a plastic casing with some protruding screws might be the best bet, or even some of that conductive (silver-based) epoxy may work and certainly worth a try in the first instance.

I'm still waiting for my order and I expect another week's wait at least.

Well one of my SBT-11A tubes has turned up - the one that was included with a geiger kit. It does indeed have the 'A' printed on the back in the same font and colour so I guess it is genuine.

Hi All, & Chris
I also just received another SBT-11A from Sovtube. I had a sighted relative check, and yes, it had the Syrilic SBT-11A on the back.
I tested it on my newest, GKmini from Brohogan, John Giametti in Denver Colorado, which he had assembled and sent to me. It worked perfectly.
I'm getting to love these little rectangular mica window detectors. I now have 4. One in a plastic project box with mesh, one unmounted, one with busted ground pins; and, The new one which I tested with 4.7 megohms + 10 meghoms, the latter resistor twisted about the 3 anode pins.