I want to thank everyone for all of the info on tubes. I was about
to query AMMRL on minimal tube standards for a 500 MHz that gets a lot
of usage from "routine" samples. Many samples of short duration going
in and out of the probe I would assume is more demanding on having
non-hazardous tubes rather than a few long running samples.
In any case, once you set a minimal tube standard for your spectrometer,
how do you enforce (i.e. police) that standard. I'm sure we all have more
demands on our time than we can handle now, such that a routine "tube patrol"
is not really practical. My guess would be that managers or their staff
(if any) could take a quick look at the tubes brought in by users in the
course of the normal spot checks most of us do for proper instrument
function and usage. Since this will be by definition, spotty at best, some
significant punishment or cost to the user or user's group must be imposed
in order to maintain standards during the majority of time when there is
no one watching over user's shoulders. Since many of us are already known
as "bad guys" for the strict rules and regulations we impose on usage of
our precious instruments, I would be most interested in reading your comments
on how to maintain tube (and possibly other) standards without adding
bullet proof vests to next years budget allocations.
I will post a summary assuming I can figure out how to do that with vi.
Best Wishes for a Healthy Happy Holiday Season to everyone out there.
Herb Schwartz Director: Major Instrumentation Center
Chemistry Dept. Rensselaer
Troy, NY 12180
vnmr1@nmribm.chem.rpi.edu (518) 276-6779