Thanks to Thomas K4SWL for alerting us to this video — he had it on his excellent SWLing Post blog.
Many things crossed my mind as I watched this video:
— Pocket protectors! Pete recently noted that this was a common fashion accessory among electronic techs and engineers back in the day.
— HP test gear.
— “Extreme cleanliness” that doesn’t seem quite so clean.
— 550 transistors per hour. Now we have upwards of 50 billion on a single chip.
— The Germanium salami that Pete mentioned in our last podcast.
— Hints of Silicon’s impending replacement of Germanium.
— A transistor factory in Spring City, Pa. that “hums with excitement” (seemed kind of sleepy).
— The 1957 assumption that Philco transistors would be in the first orbiting satellite. Then came Sputnik.
— The transistor that moves like a “Gulliver through Lilliputian lands.”
— Our voices or accents seem to have changed, at least the voice used in products like this. No one talks that way today.
— As I watched, I tried to remember if Pete’s CK722 was made by these folks. But no, that was a Raytheon product. Here is a nice short description of the early days of the CK722: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CK722 We need to learn more about the hobbyist Carl Todd.

http://www.semiconductormuseum.com/Transistors/GE/OralHistories/Todd/Todd_Index.htm
“vacuum welcome mats” @ 8:16
Have you ever been in a situation when during a trip, or after a party, we had to share expenses with friends? I bet you did. We all had at least once in our life this eternal problem of splitting expenses fairly. https://cxdojo.com/product-drama-podcast-9-how-to-lead-a-startup-during-a-pandemic
Very interesting stuff. Thanks for shearing it. Paul. De HS0ZLQ /G0MIH.
Still have CK722’s. They came from a Radio Shack in Nashville, TN (30 miles from my Novice QTH in Murfreesboro) There were in a package with a couple each of PNP, NPN Germanium/Silicon transistors. Still have the original package and most of the transistors. If I find them, maybe I’ll post a picture?
Yes Dave, send me the picture and I’ll try to post it. Thanks, 73 Bill
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