Are vacuum tubes/valves radioactive?

[Pio1980]

Tubes used in aviation are generally radioactive, but at very low levels. Atmospheric radiation (due to radiation from space and higher altitudes) is quite variable and wreaks havoc on the output of equipment with tubes, so they are doped with isotopes like cobalt 60, so that tends to swamp out the variability that comes from atmospheric, making the radiation effects on tube activity more stable.

Such tubes in military equipment are isolated out and dealt with appropriately in the bone yards for the birds, so it is not likely that they escape into the wild. The biggest bone yard for the AF is here in Tucson.

Tubes for commercial audio and radio gear I know nothing about.

Enjoy,
Rich P

Can I assume, Bendix?

 

[gadget73]

Because they glow in the dark.

If its blue, then you know.

Google "cherenkov radiation", thats what radioactive glow actually looks like. Its actually very pretty. That green glow most people associate with it I suspect comes from the paint used on radium dial clocks.

 

[triode17]

yes, the 12ax7a in my phono stage gave me mutant powers. i can now convert ordinary plant and animal matter into a disgusting brown substance that I've yet to discover a use for.

research continues....

You could always grow s**t potatoes like Matt Damon did in the Martian.