EARLY TRANSISTOR HISTORY AT RCA

Gerald B. Herzog – First Transistor Television

Oral History – (Continued)
	The photo above provides a detailed view of the types of transistors that Jerry had to work with when building the first transistor television. The two white metal units on the left are early germanium alloy junction power transistors and, as illustrated in the drawing, use either liquid cooling (the rectangular TA-155 is filled with toluene and still “sloshes when shaken” after 50 years) or conduction cooling (the P- 88 is the serial number for the cylindrical style of type TA155). In the Oral History, Jerry mentions the testing process he used which would cause the toluene to boil and effect transistor performance. The two white epoxy “chicklet style” units in the center of the photo are both low power germanium alloy junction units and were suitable for audio applications in the TV. The green ink (TA154) indicates NPN and the red ink (TA153) is PNP. Both these types are needed for the complementary symmetry circuitry, as described earlier by Jerry. The clear epoxy unit on the right is a TA165 and TA166 style point contact transistor used in the high frequency (RF/IF) circuitry of the TV. ______________
Go To Herzog Oral History, Page 13
COPYRIGHT © 2004 by Jack Ward. All Rights Reserved. http://www.transistormuseum.com/ PAGE 12