Roger and Ute Brown wrote:
I have an 833A tube which I will use for a special project. I notice,
however, that it seems to have very small flakes deposited inside the
envelope. From what I surmise, they apparently jarred loose from the
"getter." Has anyone run across this phenomena before - and more
importantly, could I expect the tube to function OK with these deposits?

No, that's metal that has outgassed from the hot cathode and plate. It
happens when the tube gets some hours on it. Eventually it will fail.
You may well have a huge amount of life on it before it does, though.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."