TRANSISTOR MUSEUM Historic Transistor Photo Gallery
Transistor Size (5/16”Diameter X 1/8” Thick) Date Code 6-53 (1953 Week 6) on Back Text on Cardboard Package Later 1953 Packages Printed in Blue	WESTERN ELECTRIC 1689 TYPE Germanium Bead Type Point Contact Transistor USAGE Switching DATE INTRODUCED 1952 CASE STYLES White Epoxy Semi-Circular Bead AVAILABILITY Rare (Limited Production)
HISTORIC NOTES There were several case styles used by Bell Labs/Western Electric for the early point contact transistors. The 1689 shown above represents the commercial version of one of these case styles, known as the “bead type” case style – this case type was used only for point contact transistors by Bell Labs/Western Electric. The 1760 was the early version of the 2N23 transistor. The process used by Bell Labs/Western Electric for developing early transistors sometimes resulted in similar model numbers, distinguished by prefix identifiers to indicate maturity of design. For example, an “M” was used to identify a very early design still under development at BTL in (M)urray Hill. An “A” was used to identify a more mature design, but still not yet ready for production at the WECO (A)llentown manufacturing facility. So, there were M1689, A1689, 1689 and 2N23 transistors, each representing a more mature step in the commercialization process. Like all Western Electric transistors, these were not typically sold commercially, and were available only for military and phone company uses.
Copyright © 2002 by Jack Ward http://www.transistormuseum.com