2N2222A transistor and transisitor history

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My the phone preamp used three 2N2222A. It is very, very quite.

You may being thinking, I am crazy. Yet allow me to lay some facts on you.

a. the max. noise level of a 2N2222A, is 4db. No more
b. its dc current gain is 50 to infinite, at 10na/10volts
c. its dc current gain is 75 to 325, at 1.ma/10volts. Which is much better than some of the more new transistor designs for high gain. Believe me, any thing above 375 in gain, is only better noise level. Not a better transistor. And its real Vceo is 50 volts, not 40 volts.

Once it is built, you will never want for another preamp. Because you will never lose that smooth warm tones of a 2N2222A. Will not believe your ears.

Quote: You may be thinking, I am crazy. Not a better transistor.

Yup, I think you are crazy all right.
 
There is only one great phono preamp. And I designed and built it for the US Government in 1961. And it uses only three transistors. A transistor that was designed in 1956. That is still made today, for as low as 3 cent each per 100.

My the phone preamp used three 2N2222A. It is very, very quite.

These guys say different. I highly doubt that 2N2222's were from 1956. Back in those days, transistors were almost always PNP types made from germanium. The 2N2222 is a silicon, NPN type. If it was introduced in 1962, you couldn't have built anything with them in 1961.

Did you disremember the date or device used here?
 
Mister Gimp

I could use those Ge. transistors.

This is not a joke. I can use them for constructing Fuzz Boxes, Wah Wahs, and Reverb Driver amps for my grandson and his band.

One friend of mine offered to give me his 2N404's, but he checked, he had already toss them. But if you truly do not need or desire them. I would be happy to take them off your hands.

Take Care

Ivey
 
Miles:

I am not a person that throws mess on a wall, to see if it sticks.

Development of silicon transistors started in 1952. They did not appear on the open market for use in electronic equipment maker until 1959.

America had jet planes in 1944, they did not show up until 1948.

Companies invested heavy in Ge. techology. They needed to make their investment back. But world events forced Amercia to push it electronic techology forward, sooner that it wanted to.

First Nuclear Missile Submarines
Second. The Russians launched the first satellite.

If you would just think back to the early sixes, you will remember Transistor Radios were sold by how many silicon transistors it had, not Ge.
transistors.

North American needed to upgrade the F-100 from C to D model. The new radar system transmitter could not put out the energy needed for the system range of 8 to 10 miles. The reciever unit used Ge. We used the new silicon TO-59 transistors in the transmitter. 1959-60

The 2N2222A was designed 1956. It came out for production use in 1959. When the cost came down to $9.47 each. Companies felt it was worth the risk to use the new TO-18.

NASA pushed for the release of the all silicon development in 1964. Because the Ge. could not handle the rigger of space travel.

Do you remember the TO-18/2N2484, it came out in 1967. One of its first commercial users was Standel Amplifiers in California. They used it for the Gibson Solid State Amps in the early 1970's. And do not forget Fender in 1964 to 1968, UNivox, Westbury, and on and on.

So, lets find some peace. You do not doubt me. And I will never doubt you.

Take Care

Ivey
 
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But there is every reason to doubt you. The 2N2222A was designed by a team headed by Jack Haenichen at Motorola in the early 1960s. He joined Motorola in 1959 and at that time Motorola had not produced a single transistor using silicon : they were all germanium. Motorola introduced the 2N2222A at the 1962 IRE conference. Just check out the semiconductor museum website.
I would also be intrigued to know why the US government wanted a phono stage. I can see their need for jet planes, but not special super-duper phono stages.
 
To Answer your questions:

Barretta:

Your two questions first:

I was part of a group in a electronic division. We worked on any and everything that they sent our way. Be it aircraft equipment or mods, ship equipment or mods, road vehicles, or even high alt. gas balloon instrumentation.

The US had many submarines left over from WWII, which was upgraded to PUFFS. But they still had their old ventilation system in them. This caused a large problem with the tape machines, that were being used to record the Russian ship's prop signatures.

The subs also had snokels, that at times allowed sea water to enter into the subs. With bad ventilation, high humidity, and diesel oil, in the air. The tapes often were bought back ruin and worthless.

So, the Spooks, the intelligence people ashore, wanted to do record recordings. They required a good phono stage preamp to play back the records, for putting them on tape.

The phono stage preamp, had to be simple, clean. And above all. Easy for the average military tech at the time, to be able to repair.

We could have designed it as complex as we wanted. But not everyone is as smart or had the knowledge that we had.

Make it SIMPLE.
Second question:


In the US, we have a system called JAN. Joint Army Navy. The 2N2222A, not the 2N2222 was developed by others for military use. It was develop using the "Planar Process". If you are so sure about transistor develop in America. Then you will be aware that the silicon process of transistors was begun in 1954, by Gordon Teal of Texas Instruments.

Motorola, made only Ge transistors until Jack Haenichen came along, and was move from one transistor develop project to another, within Motorola.He improved the angular process and the "star" process to develop the 2N2222 for mass production of silicon transistors. Opening up the way to get silicon technology out to the American public. Lowering the cost of it manufacture.
He did an outstanding job, I am not taking away his honor.

Small up start companies like Texas Instrument, General Instrument, Siliconix; were making the JAN 2N2222A for military use and government agencies like the CIA, and private security government contractors.

A lot of things was happening in the world, that force America to abandon its Ge. technology long before they were able to capitalized on their investments into Ge. technology.

The Berlin Crisis
The Russians launching the first satellite.
The Russians development of a long range bomber.

So the government stepped in to push along our technology advantage forward. To stay ahead of the Russians.

Barrette and all others: I did not join this forum to have debates. I felt that with all my knowledge and experience, I could add to those who desired it, before I die.

I am not trying to step on any ones pastures, I just feel that I been here a long time and soon I may have to go. I want to leave something behind. Because everything that I am, is in my brain. And when I die, I will take it all with me. It is the only true thing that I really own. Which no one can take from me. And I have this desire to share it.

ARNLF:

Our English speaking cousins, the British, developed jet engine technology in 1936-39. In 1944 they developed the allies first operational jet fighter.

And they did not share that technology with us Americans; who had fought and die side by side with them from 1940 to 1945. Until 1944.

That delay on the part of our British cousins, open some deep wounds. Which led America to drag her feet in sharing with our British cousins, all the secret technology we took from Germany.

That delay on the British part, cause us to enter into the Korean Conflict with the mediocre P-80 Shooting Star. Where we lost some flyers to Migs. Those 10 years, caused us to delay our development of a swept wing fighter until 1950 with the F-86 Sabre.

I am not here to contend, just to be a part of the forum. Most of you have wives that you can argue with, if the need arise. I am not that person


Take Care



Ivey
 
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Despite all your waffle about the development of silicon transistors you still haven't explained how you managed to use 2N2222As before they were available. The Berlin crisis was in 1948 before there were any practical transistors at all. A British scientific delegation to the US before that country entered World War2 gave you a whole host of British scientific secrets including the cavity magnetron. The jet engine was scarcely a secret : the Germans managed to develop one without British help. This part of the forum is about valves. What you say about retubing preamps is just nonsense.
 
Ivey, I don't dispute your other claims, it is just that aviation history is a pet peewee of mine and that I knew US has introduced a jet fighter (P-80) in 1945, which was way before 1948, although it didn't see any action in the closing days of WW2.

As for transistor/electronics history, by all means keep the tidbits coming; it's always interesting to learn more.
 
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As to transistor/electronics history, just about everything that Ivey writes can be found on the website I previously mentioned : Semiconductor and Transistor Museum Germanium Silicon Historic Transistors Photos Photographs Oral Histories Schematics. That site also contains a reproduction of a page from the 1963 Motorola catalogue which lists the 2N2222 and the 2N2222A : so much for its separate development by small start-up companies. I also find it a bit strange that he manages to spell Haenichen correctly but gets my avatar name wrong twice, in two different ways, not to mention Arnlf.
 
Well, I'm vision impaired, I often make typos unintentionally and I sometimes miss them when proofreading, especially in a longer text. I know people whose vision is even worse than mine (I'm down to 10%) and then others who are blind. It is not inconceivable that Ivey has some sort of problem with his vision as well, these are becoming more common with people of all age groups from children onwards and have always been present in older age groups.
 
Barretter:

I am truly sorry for misspelling your name.

I have come to realize, that you are correct. And I am..., very wrong.

Forgive my mistakes and trust passes. I offer to you a hand towards friendship.

This has gone on long enough.

I was grossly mistaken.

I bow to your superior knowledge and skill


Take Care


Ivey
 
2n2222

The 2N2222 is indeed a great transistor, as are its relatives, the 2N2219 and the PNP family (2N2905-2907).

According to the EIA registration files (available on the TCA Data Cache disk - see TCA Notices & Announcements for more information), the 2N2222 was first registered with the EIA on March 5, 1962, EIA release No. 3620, sponsored by Motorola. The 2N2222A was registered on Feb. 17, 1964, EIA release No. 4606, also by Motorola. Motorola may well have produced some 2N2222 transistors before the EIA registration date, but not likely before 1961.

- John Atwood
 
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