The CV64 is an early Radar cavity magnetron. The requirement for Radar is a high peak power pulse of RF energy followed by time for the receiver to detect any return signal. The efficiency of the magnetron is of the order of 30% and the input pulse would be 130 kW. The CV64 has a peak output pulse power of 40 kW in the S-band (3,300 MHz 9.1 cm) but an average power of 350 Watts. The high voltage is triggered into the magnetron by a modulator such as the CV57 beam tetrode or the later CV85 trigatron. The AI Mk VIII radar used the CV64 as did the H2S Radar.
The magnetron is electrically a diode and in use the flat sides of the central cavity are located between the poles of a powerful magnet (1,350 Gauss). The magnetic field causes the electrons to spiral outward from the cathode to the anode. The cavities in the anode block produce the powerful microwave energy.
The thread to fix into waveguide is 15 mm diameter. The probe has been broken off.
The exhibit has a paper tag that dates it to at least 1944 when the polythene was added.
The protective polythene can be seen clearly on the filament connections.
The metal envelope is 75 mm in diameter, and is 153 mm overall. The anode block measures 36 mm across the faces.
