🔍 Key Concepts

• Magnetron construction – what basic vacuum tube family it belongs to (diode vs triode vs multi-cavity device) • Magnetic field source – whether the magnetron normally uses a built‑in/internal magnet or separate/external magnets on typical marine RADAR sets • Magnetron function in RADAR – whether it generates the high‑power RF pulses or serves as a stable low‑power oscillator

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: Does a magnetron have a control grid like a triode, or does it operate mainly between a cathode and anode with resonant cavities? • Think about where the strong magnetic field around the magnetron physically comes from in most commercial/marine RADAR units – is it built into the tube assembly or provided by separate coils/magnets? • Consider what part of a RADAR set needs very high peak power (transmitter) versus very stable, low‑power frequency (local oscillator). Which of these best matches the magnetron’s job?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify if the magnetron is structurally more like a diode or a triode (how many active electrodes does it really use?). • Confirm whether, in standard marine RADAR equipment, the magnetic field is built into the magnetron assembly or supplied externally. • Check whether the local oscillator in modern RADAR is typically a high‑power pulsed device or a low‑power stable frequency source, and whether that matches how a magnetron operates.