{"type_number":"PC86","canonical_url":"https://tubeofile.com/tubes/PC86","manufacturer":"Philips","tube_type_key":"small_signal_triode","tube_type_display_name":"Small Signal Triode","base_name":"Noval","description":"UHF triode for use as grounded-grid amplifier, oscillator or mixer for television receiver front ends in bands IV and V (430-860 MHz). 300 mA series-heater version of the EC86, designed for series-string AC/DC television receivers.","is_directly_heated":false,"completeness":"high","notes":["Series-heater (300 mA) version of the EC86. Electrically identical sections — only the heater voltage/current differs (3.8 V at 300 mA vs 6.3 V at 200 mA).","Designed for grounded-grid operation at UHF. Pins 2, 6, and 8 are all connected to the control grid, and pins 3 and 7 are both cathode — this multi-pin arrangement reduces lead inductance for VHF/UHF performance.","The 4CM4 is the American RETMA designation for the PC86.","Max heater-to-cathode voltage is asymmetric: 100 V (cathode positive) vs 50 V (cathode negative). Max Rkf = 20 kOhm.","Equivalent noise resistance (Req) is 230 Ohm — unusually low, reflecting the tube's design for low-noise UHF front-end service."],"references":["https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/030/p/PC86.pdf"],"source_urls":{"r_type":null,"tdsl":"https://tdsl.duncanamps.com/show.php?des=PC86","radiomuseum":"https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_pc86.html"},"raw_equivalents":["4CM4"],"equivalents":[],"similar":[{"type_number":"6CM4","reason":"American designation of EC86 — 6.3 V parallel heater, not series-string compatible","has_detail_page":false},{"type_number":"EC86","reason":"Identical electricals but 6.3 V parallel heater — not a drop-in in series-string heater circuits","has_detail_page":true}],"pins":[{"pin_number":"1","function":"Anode","function_code":"a","notes":null},{"pin_number":"2","function":"Control Grid","function_code":"g1","notes":null},{"pin_number":"3","function":"Cathode","function_code":"k","notes":null},{"pin_number":"4","function":"Heater","function_code":"h","notes":null},{"pin_number":"5","function":"Heater","function_code":"h","notes":null},{"pin_number":"6","function":"Control Grid","function_code":"g1","notes":null},{"pin_number":"7","function":"Cathode","function_code":"k","notes":null},{"pin_number":"8","function":"Control Grid","function_code":"g1","notes":null},{"pin_number":"9","function":"Anode","function_code":"a","notes":null}],"specs":[{"key":"Vh","display_name":"Heater Voltage","value":"3.8","numeric_value":"3.8","unit":"V","param_group":"heater"},{"key":"Ah","display_name":"Heater Current","value":"0.3","numeric_value":"0.3","unit":"A","param_group":"heater"}],"sections":[{"section_number":1,"section_label":"Triode","tube_type_key":"small_signal_triode","specs":[{"key":"Va_max","display_name":"Anode Voltage (max)","value":"220","numeric_value":"220","unit":"V","param_group":"absolute_max"},{"key":"Pa_max","display_name":"Anode Dissipation (max)","value":"2.2","numeric_value":"2.2","unit":"W","param_group":"absolute_max"},{"key":"Ik_max","display_name":"Cathode Current (max)","value":"20","numeric_value":"20","unit":"mA","param_group":"absolute_max"},{"key":"Vhk_max","display_name":"Heater-to-Cathode Voltage (max)","value":"100","numeric_value":"100","unit":"V","param_group":"absolute_max"},{"key":"Rg_max","display_name":"Max Grid Resistor","value":"1","numeric_value":"1","unit":"MΩ","param_group":"absolute_max"},{"key":"Va","display_name":"Anode Voltage (typical)","value":"175","numeric_value":"175","unit":"V","param_group":"typical_operating"},{"key":"Vg","display_name":"Grid 1 Bias Voltage","value":"-1.5","numeric_value":"-1.5","unit":"V","param_group":"typical_operating"},{"key":"mAa","display_name":"Anode Current","value":"12","numeric_value":"12","unit":"mA","param_group":"typical_operating"},{"key":"ra","display_name":"Anode Resistance","value":"4857","numeric_value":"4857","unit":"Ω","param_group":"typical_operating"},{"key":"gm","display_name":"Transconductance","value":"14","numeric_value":"14","unit":"mA/V","param_group":"typical_operating"},{"key":"mu","display_name":"Amplification Factor (μ)","value":"68","numeric_value":"68","unit":"—","param_group":"typical_operating"},{"key":"Cgp","display_name":"Grid-to-Plate Capacitance","value":"2.0","numeric_value":"2","unit":"pF","param_group":"capacitances"},{"key":"Cgk","display_name":"Grid-to-Cathode Capacitance","value":"3.6","numeric_value":"3.6","unit":"pF","param_group":"capacitances"},{"key":"Cak","display_name":"Anode-to-Cathode Capacitance","value":"0.2","numeric_value":"0.2","unit":"pF","param_group":"capacitances"},{"key":null,"display_name":"Max Negative Grid Voltage","value":"-50","numeric_value":"-50","unit":"V","param_group":null},{"key":null,"display_name":"Equivalent Noise Resistance","value":"230","numeric_value":"230","unit":"Ω","param_group":null},{"key":null,"display_name":"Max Anode Voltage (no current)","value":"550","numeric_value":"550","unit":"V","param_group":null}]}],"synced_at":"2026-04-07T12:49:56.622Z"}