Written in 1947 under the sponsorship of the Philips organization in The Netherlands, this book is one of the most authoritative and comprehensive treatments of the nature and function of the vacuum tube at that time. Tube technology had been at a near standstill in the crucial years of the 1930s and 40s due to a worldwide depression com- .bined with the outbreak of World War II in the late 30s. This book is the first of the world-famous Philips Technical series, and is the harbinger of the explosive growth of electronics as part of the modern world's impending transformation from an industrial- to a communications-based economy.

The book examines, step-by-step, the underlying physics of electron theory as it relates to tubes and moves systematically through metals, chemistry, materials, construction and manufacture.

The author thoroughly discusses valve properties, how they function for various applications and feedback techniques. Action of various grids is described, as well as electrode capacities, what curved characteristics do, curvature of transfer characteristics and what to do about these, and power amplification.

Two chapters characterize rectification in RF, IF, and power supplies. Oscillators, frequency conversion, gain control and automatic volume control are all delineated carefully. Noise, short-wave properties, negative feedback and hum problems are also analyzed fully. The author also describes microphonics, how and why tubes age, and proper ways of feeding signals to these devices. A set of useful appendices and a full index complete the book.

Deketh's Fundamentals of Radio- Value Technique, in its 33 chapters and 558 pages, is a thorough and systematic exploration of all the important basic information any user of vacuum tubes will need to understand and use these devices.