Type VA-842 klystron
date: label: date made
content: ca 1960
name: label: maker
content: Varian Associates
notes: label: Description
content: During the early 20th century, scientists developed radar–a means to transmit and then detect radio waves reflected by metal objects. Most radar units used electronic tubes to generate the radio waves and many different types of tubes were invented.
label: Description
content: The model VA-842 klystron tube from Varian Corporation is one of the largest radar tubes made. This klystron operated for over 29,000 hours (about four years) in the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar at Thule, Greenland. Banks of these klystrons generated the radio waves transmitted by the huge radar in order to detect missiles aimed at North America.
label: Description
content: The VA-842 klystron provided 1,250,000 watts peak power output with an average power output of 75,000 watts. The radio waves ranged from 400 to 450 megahertz in frequency. Varian donated the klystron to the Smithsonian in September 1964.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: subject
content: Radar
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
label: See more items in
content: Communications
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Varian Associates
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: EM.325744
label: catalog number
content: 325744
label: accession number
content: 257190
label: model number
content: VA-842
objectType: label: Object Name
content: klystron
label: Object Name
content: radar tube
label: Object Name
content: pulse amplifier klystron
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: copper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 120 in x 33 in x 24 in; 304.8 cm x 83.82 cm x 60.96 cm