|
February 1953 Radio-Electronics
 [Table of Contents]
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics.
See articles from Radio-Electronics,
published 1930-1988. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
|
 February 1953 was just a little more than four
years since Messrs. Brattain, Shockley, and Bardeen announced their invention of the
transistor. This full-page advertisement by Raytheon ran in Radio-Electronics
magazine announcing the world's first commercially available PNP germanium transistors.
It was a big deal. Model numbers CK721 and
CK722. CK721 handled
about twice the collector current (12 mA) as the CK722, both with collector voltages
maxing out at around 8 volts. The introductory price for the CK722 was $7.60, which
in 2018 money is equivalent to $72.27* At that cost, it is hard to believe they got anyone
to replace vacuum tubes with transistors. Fortunately, economy of scale rapidly brought
prices down. Interestingly, CK722 inventor
Norman Krim (the "K" in CK?) promoted a business relationship with
Tandy Corporation / Radio Shack in selling transistors to hobbyists, and in the early
1960's became CEO of Radio Shack.
*
Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator
Raytheon PNP Germanium Junction Transistors Ad
 Now Available!
Collector Voltage (volts) Collector Current (ma.) Base Current* (μa.)
* Grounded Emitter connection
For the first time in history, Germanium Junction Transistors are commercially available.
Raytheon Junction Transistors, types CK721 and CK722 can now be obtained for your experimental
and developmental use.
Here's another first for Raytheon! Leaders in the development and production of Electron
Tubes and Germanium Products, Raytheon now leads the way in production of this important
new electronic development.
For price and delivery information of Raytheon Germanium Junction Transistors, write,
phone or wire your Raytheon Tube distributor.
Posted August 29, 2018
|
