A FREE Book from the Early Days of Ham Projects with Transistors: The CK722 -- The Device that Got Pete Juliano Started in Homebrew

 

Pete N6QW sent this amazing book to me this morning.  Pete wrote: 

"The book was the size of a Notebook and had a gray cover. I built some of the projects like the CPO. If you had a CK722 then you were there."

You can get the book for free here: 

 http://n4trb.com/AmateurRadio/RaytheonTransistorApplications/Raytheon%20Transistor%20Applications.pdf 

The impact of the CK722 on Pete Juliano, on ham radio, and eventually on SolderSmoke was quite profound. Back in 2015,  I wrote about this on the blog: 

I knew Pete had a lot of experience with transistors, but I didn't realize just how far back this experience reaches.  Pete writes, "The March 2015 issue of QST  had an article about a 1953 transistor transmitter project which was really advanced technology since the transistor was only invented about 5 years before that time...  About 1953 at the age of 11, I built my first solid state audio amplifier using the venerable CK722 from Raytheon. The transistor did look a bit strange in that cool blue cube shape with a red dot on the side to identify the collector. What a joy and surprise to me that it worked the first time power was applied...  It  was the CK722 that in large measure started me on a life’s work and engagement in a wonderful hobby. That CK722 path also led me to designing and building a QRP solid state version of the Collins KWM2 which I call the KWM-4."  I asked Pete why an 11 year-old kid in 1953 felt compelled to build a solid state audio amp.   The answer is very cool:  Pete's father had introduced him to crystal radios at age 8.  Pete wanted an amplifier for his crystal set, but his dad was worried about him building high voltage tube gear.  So that's how Pete got his VERY early start with transistors.

We are really lucky to have Pete Juliano sharing his vast tribal knowledge with us.

----------------

You can see a complete set of SolderSmoke posts about the CK722 here: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=CK722

Wikipedia has a nice article on the CK722.  The design contest Raytheon sponsored would be the kind of contest we could really get into!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CK722

Thanks Pete.  And thank you Raytheon! 

CLASSIC GERMANIUM

Ted, AJ8T, alerted me to this very interesting page.

"The CK722 holds a unique place in the history of the transistor. Introduced by Raytheon in early 1953, the CK722 was the first low cost junction transistor available to the general public. It was an instant success. Countless "build it yourself" articles were published in the popular electronics press and electronics/hobbyist magazines describing how to use the CK722 to build all types of devices such as radios, oscillators, electronic voltmeters, photoelectric alarms and hearing aids. Eager to learn about the exciting new transistor technology, the public responded enthusiastically to the CK722 - hundreds of thousands of these transistors were bought by experimenters, radio hams, engineers and others interested in this technology over the next few years. In addition, there is a sentimental aspect to this device. Many of the talented and dedicated professionals and amateurs who have been responsible for the tremendous rise of the electronics industry over the past four decades can still remember the time when, as a young hobbyist, they were able to scrape together enough money (maybe through saving allowance or cutting the neighbor's grass) to buy that first CK722 - can you still recall the smell of solder and the absolute delight of hearing a local radio station coming through "loud and clear" on the newly constructed one transistor radio powered by, of course, a gleaming, bright blue CK722? This webpage and book have been constructed to help preserve the special legacy of the Raytheon CK722."

Check it out:

http://www.ck722museum.com/

The Transistor at 75, and the Raytheon CK722 (Pete's First Transistor)

 

https://www.eejournal.com/article/the-transistor-at-75-the-first-makers-part-1/

Part 4 is especially interesting to us because of the N6QW-CK722 connection: 

     Raytheon: Raytheon started making vacuum tubes in 1922. During World War II, the company made magnetron tubes and radar systems. Raytheon started making germanium-based semiconductor diodes in the 1940s and, just months after BTL announced the development of the transistor in late 1947, started making its own point-contact transistors using germanium salvaged from Sylvania diodes. After attending the 1952 BTL transistor symposium and licensing the alloy junction transistor patents from GE, the company quickly started making germanium transistors including one of the most famous transistors of that generation, the CK722, which was simply a rejected commercial CK718 transistor with downgraded specs for the hobby market. (Jack Ward has created an entire museum around the Raytheon CK722 PNP transistor.) Raytheon exited the semiconductor business in 1962.

Here are all of our blog posts on the CK722: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=CK722

Here is our post on Pete Juliano's CK722: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/03/pete-juliano-homebrwing-with.html

Making Transistors in 1957

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.

Pete Juliano: Homebrewing With Transistors SINCE 1953!

I knew Pete had a lot of experience with transistors, but I didn't realize just how far back this experience reaches.  Pete writes, "The March 2015 issue of QST  had an article about a 1953 transistor transmitter project which was really advanced technology since the transistor was only invented about 5 years before that time...  About 1953 at the age of 11, I built my first solid state audio amplifier using the venerable CK722 from Raytheon. The transistor did look a bit strange in that cool blue cube shape with a red dot on the side to identify the collector. What a joy and surprise to me that it worked the first time power was applied...  It  was the CK722 that in large measure started me on a life’s work and engagement in a wonderful hobby. That CK722 path also led me to designing and building a QRP solid state version of the Collins KWM2 which I call the KWM-4."  I asked Pete why an 11 year-old kid in 1953 felt compelled to build a solid state audio amp.   The answer is very cool:  Pete's father had introduced him to crystal radios at age 8.  Pete wanted an amplifier for his crystal set, but his dad was worried about him building high voltage tube gear.  So that's how Pete got his VERY early start with transistors.

We are really lucky to have Pete Juliano sharing his vast tribal knowledge with us.


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

SolderSmoke Podcast #244 PETE IS BACK! TR-7, CK722, BFR106, HP8640B, High-School Receiver, 10 Min TX, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #244 Is available:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke244.mp3

Video version at:

(118) SolderSmoke - YouTube

HE’S BACK! HOORAY! PETE JULIANO N6QW IS BACK! SOLDERSMOKE COMMUNITY WAS SENT INTO A COLLECTIVE FUNK BY PETE’S ABSENCE. ---------------- Pete’s TR-7 (SEE VIDEO ABOVE) CK722 The BFR106

Pete's new blog: https://hamradiogenius.blogspot.com/ ---- Update on the high school project: Mixers made. Harder than they seemed. First QSO with the DC RX. Allan W4AMV Homebrewer TRGHS Ten Minute Transmitter – Better than the MMM! AF4K (SK) crystals. Other supporting projects: Farhan in Hyderabad. Rick N3FJZ, Walter KA4KXX, Andreas DL1AJG Electronics for Biologists. Peter Marks VK3TPM (fighting the siren call of the Si5351) . Steven VK2BLQ built a beautiful one. Daniel VE5DLD will build three of them with his students. Orlando PY2ANE is building one in Brazil. This week: The Bandpass Filter. (Thank you Hans Summers) --- SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION: BECOME A PATRON VIA PATREON. I am posting some fun stuff for the Patrons. AMAZON SHOPPING ADS Now on both the left and right columns. CHECK OUT Mostly DIY RF in the right hand column. ---- My HP8640B Lives to Fight another day. Two new DMMs A low-end Fluke and a AstroAI 6000 Electrolytic Replacement Controversy Continues

Mailbag: -- Dave AA7EE is blogging again! Yea! -- Mike Rainey AA1TJ back in the Hobbit Hole Building a WWVB receiver. -- Farhan is coming to FDIM. -- Tony G4WIF reminds us that 39 bucks for JUST a 60 MHz counter would be great! -- Dave VE3EAC again helped me fix my HP8640B. -- Dean KK4DAS finalizing 10 meter DSB rig. FB. Upgraded my NanoVNA. -- Mike KD4MM giving me a Nano VNA for the SolderSmoke Shack South. -- Ian VK3LA asked what happened to Chuck Adams content. Good question. -- Don ND6T and I have been discussing envelope detection. -- Nick M0NTV working on AM modulators. He has a new video. -- Ciprian YO6DXE built a Ten Minute Transmitter. -- Steve EI5DD Connacht Regional News: https://www.docdroid.net/YJAV800/crnews0223-pdf

Hyderabad DC RX Workshop

Farhan explaining the receiver in Hyderabad

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/03/pictures-from-farhans-hyderabad-high.html

The Father of the CK722 (and RadioShack!)

Steve Smith of SolderSmoke's West Coast bureau sent us the link to this article about a very interesting guy who made enormous contributions to the radio art. Three cheers for Norman Krim!
http://tinyurl.com/7qsdq22

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

SolderSmoke #91 STEREO SPECIAL

Be sure to listen to episode 91 of the SolderSmoke podcast:

http://www.soldersmoke.com

September 14, 2008

TOPICS:

Sardinia!
ON5EX's QRSS MEPT leads us back to bike riding
Watching Jupiter, listening for Jupiter
KF6KYI's I-tunes QRSS
Stan, 9H1LO's new grabber
Laptop motion detectors as earthquake detectors
Nuclear fusion in the shack
Philo T. Farnsworth
Building a QRSS freq standard
SPRAT CD
Forget about stocks: SSDRA now selling at $399.89
SolderJokes
QST articles on-line! FB!
Jim Williams and the joy of fixing things
STEREO SPECIAL: Roger Hayward's new binaural DSB project
Antenna woes
MAILBAG:
G0WAT on HOGCON 2008 (21 Sept in Herts.)
AJ8T on Russian rovers with laser reflectors
KA9OOI on language and low pass audio filtering
WB6TNL says NO to rat neurons in QRP gear
KB6QR "beknacked" vice "knackered" ?????
NR5A has a Drake 2A
7J1AWL on the air from Vietnam
KC0PET goes solar
OZ1CJX Bad case of Knack, may need professional help
K8WPR says Knack keeping him away from wild women, bars
AJ8T on CK722 museum
AG5RS works Texas balloon from Dubai (via net)
KI4SGU POW radio parts
N8WQ on schematic drawing program
KF4LMZ has QRSS-itis, finds 10.140 rock in CB rig

The Transistor! 1953 Bell System Film -- Great Stuff!

Thermatron fans beware!  There is some trash talking of tubes in this 1953 Bell film.  But there is also a lot of recognition of the contribution made by our beloved valves.  I especially liked the report on the historic 1915 phone transmissions from Arlington, Virginia. ( I drive past the transmitter site every work day).  FIVE HUNDRED TUBES combined to send the human voice from Arlington to both the Eiffel Tower and to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  FB OM!  59!

I was disappointed, however, that this film failed to recognize another momentous 1953 achievement in sold state electronics:  In that year, 11 year-old Pete Juliano built his first solid state amplifier -- an audio amp using a CK722 transistor.  Read about it here: http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/03/pete-juliano-homebrwing-with.html

The fact that Pete was homebrewing solid state circuits at the time that this film was made is a reminder of the vast experience that he has, and of how much technological progress we have made in such a short period of time.

SolderSmoke Podcast #197: Farhan, Fame, 'Fest, Testgear, SSB History, Dishal Dystopia, QRP CW, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #197 is available:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke197.mp3

Up in NYC, met Dave W2DAB. got Steve Silverman's HP 8640B Sig Gen.

Farhan's visit to SolderSmoke HQ

Got me a TEK1401A Spectrum analyzer

Farhan at "Geekfest" @W7ZOI   http://w7zoi.net/Farhan-visit.html

BITX40 Modules.  5,000 already.   1,000 a month.

The BITX pronunciation problem. 

QRP Hall of Fame.  I suspected April 1 reprisal!    "I am unworthy" 

Like in Wayne's World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBEn3a4TIUw

Dusting off my Tuna Tin 2, Herring Aid 5 and Farhan's key from India.

The Manassas Hamfest:  OLD crystal gear.   20's and 30's stuff. Leon Lambert RX and Philmore Fixed Crystal Detector. 

 Reminder of how YOUNG the radio art is.

RELATED:  Bell System 1953 Transistor Documentary.  11 year old Pete and his CK722.

Bought some good stuff from Charles AI4OT.

Armand WA1UQO gave me a big collection of Electric Radio.  So much history and HB wisdom in there. Frank Jones and Lafayette Radio.  Jim Lamb and 1930s SSB.  

Is the CK-722 the source of Pete Juliano's affinity for Juliano Blue?

Was Wes Hayward already using Juliano Blue?

"Your rig sounds real good for a homebrew rig!" 

"Well, your rig sounds pretty good for a Yaesu!"

Related topic: Going over the Waterfall:  The SDR Superiority Syndrome.  Feathering.

ARRL Arduino Book   by Popiel.    Very nice.  Right level.  Lots of good info.

BENCH REPORT:

Pete's Dishal Dystopia --  Is the perfect TRULY the enemy of the good enough?

Bill's  NE602 RIG: 

Replaced OLED.  Blue one seems noisier.  Shielded it with  copper flashing.

Made me yearn for bigger boxes WITH A HOOD!

DOCUMENTING WITH LTSPICE

MAILBAG:

Special Thanks to our correspondent in the Dayton Xenia Metropolitan area -- Bob Crane W8SX.

Jack Welch, AI4SV 5R8SV -- Our Man in Antanarivo -- Sent me a GREAT BOOK "I, Libertine" by Frederick R. Ewing.   EXCELSIOR!

https://qrz.com/db/5r8sv

Bruce KC1FSZ https://www.qrz.com/db/kc1fsz  Building Scratchbuilt BITX.  On the way put the VFO where the BFO should go and had a DC RX.  FB

Greg, VK1VXG   Suggestion for WA8WDQ on Arduino serial plotter

http://www.instructables.com/id/Ultimate-Guide-to-Adruino-Serial-Plotter/

Ben KC9DLM  Mercury PTO.  In a syringe!   No thanks! Maybe add some high voltage and selenium.  And a radium dial!  Yea!

http://webshed.org/wiki/Mercury_PTO

KY3R's metalized cigar boxes!  FB On Blog.

Richard WB2PEF has revived his Doug DeMaw 8P6 rig.  FB.  But bothered by PTT thump.

Update on Dave AA7EE (from Mike KC6SAX)

AI4OT and N2CQR

N2CQR AND W2DAB