The GC10/4B is a cold cathode bi-directional decade counting & display tube with intermediate outputs. In use the discharge would cause one of the cathodes to glow and its position would indicate a number. The cathodes and guide electrodes are all arranged around a central common anode. The orange glow of the neon discharge allows the position of the discharge to be seen and thus functions as a indicator. An output pulse is achieved once for every ten input pulses allowing cascaded devices to form the digits of a decade counter. The maximum input pulse rate is 4,000 pulses per second.
This exhibit has a clamp around the base cap and fixed nuts to the side. This would allow the tube to be mounted on a vertical panel with the valve base attached to wires rather than a chassis.
The central anode is shielded from the pinch in a ceramic tube. All of the guides of a set (G1 or g2) are connected together between a ceramic disc.
The central anode and around the outside each cathode has a pair of guides between it and its neighbour.
The IO base and fixing clamp.
The end window envelope is 28 mm in diameter, and excluding the IO base pins, is 85 mm tall.
