Old Radio and Germanium Trannies

[markm]

Okay,
I instructed my wife if she were to ever find some old "cheap" radios at any Tag Sales
to please purchase them.
Well, she came home with an old 8-track radio unit that was full of these......



I will have to test them as well but, after doing a search    on the forum here + some PDF
searches on Google, I have found very little about these other than some of the data sheets
state that they are "direct replacements for AC128's".

The numbers here are B178 with a 5L below it
and B176 with 4N below it.
Is this a fairly good find or, should I toss 'em?
I also came up with a handful of Germ diodes too.
Not bad for a buck???

[cd]

They're likely 2SB176s and 2SB178s, Japanese Ge transistors.

[smallbearelec]

They should be fine for the usual germanium purposes. While the 8-track probably wasn't a valuable piece, bear in mind that many old transistor radios are worth more intact as collector's items than as sources for parts.

Regards
SD

[toneman]

That's just what I wuz gonna say, Steve.

[markm]

I have heard that is the case with old radios but,
This thing was pretty ratty although, it was loaded
with parts and pieces.
Interestingly, the Germ transistors had a clip on type
heat sink on their cans........never seen something like that before.

[markm]

One more thing......
I beleive these are PNP according to the data sheets.....
anyone know??

[mac]

You must be proud of your wife. You should buy her flowers and take her to a fancy restaurant.
These are Matsushitas (Panasonic) transistors. I have some 2SB172, 175 & 176. The letter you see in a box (H) denotes hFE range. According to datasheet for 2SB172/176/177 they are low power amplifier devices. They sound very good and my guess is that hFE is 70 - 200 and leakage under 200uA.
2SB178 specs: PNP, 20V, 0.3A, 0.225W, min hFE 56
See my post:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=46060


mac

[Pierre]

here's my collection:


...these are comming from old radios i've found in the street...the two black ones at  left are OC-44, followed by OC-75's, AC-187, AC-188, AC-125 and AC-128's...

[markm]

You must be proud of your wife. You should buy her flowers and take her to a fancy restaurant.
These are Matsushitas (Panasonic) transistors. I have some 2SB172, 175 & 176. The letter you see in a box (H) denotes hFE range. According to datasheet for 2SB172/176/177 they are low power amplifier devices. They sound very good and my guess is that hFE is 70 - 200 and leakage under 200uA.
2SB178 specs: PNP, 20V, 0.3A, 0.225W, min hFE 56
See my post:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=46060


mac

Very Proud indeed.
I am fortunate that she is very supportive of my DIY addiction.
Rest assured she's in good hands as I too am supportive of her hobbies as well.
Thanks much for the info, very useful and a big help!
   MarkM

[bwanasonic]

...these are comming from old radios i've found in the street...

Umm, what street do you live on? I might want to visit! 

Kerry M

[reverberation66]

...these are comming from old radios i've found in the street...
[/quote]

       how come none of the stuff I scavenge has ever has those long leads...?

[markm]

...these are comming from old radios i've found in the street...

Umm, what street do you live on? I might want to visit! 

Kerry M

Ac128 Transistor Blvd.
Germanium, Solid  0c44c

[Pierre]

 

[jmusser]

Those old 8 tracks, especially the table models, are a treasure trove of parts. I have found a lot of 1N60 diodes in them, as well as the SB Japanese series of transistors. Another great find, is some of the very first VCRs that were all discrete components and very few if any chips. I have been able to use these transistors in effects, but they usually take some bias work. In an old  portable radio that the case was wrecked on, I got a few of the SB's out of there with the little copper heat sinks wrapped around the can, and thought that was a pretty neat idea to try to tame the germanium's heat issues. They just kind of wrap around the can, and are about 3/8" wide, and hang off the can about 3/4" like a little copper flag. I've also seen aluminum corrigated heat sinks wrapped around them in some power supply applications too.

[jrc4558]

those trannies would love it in a FF circuit. i use them all the time!

[brett]

Hi
I've got germaniums and early silicon from old transistor radios. 
Here in australia they have recycling shops (usually run by charities, which is cool) at waste stations.  Big cities often take their rubbish miles away, but smaller towns (like Toowoomba, pop 100,000) have theirs only a coupla miles outta town.

The going rate is about US$4 for an early 1960s radio.  My success rate is about 4 good Ge trannies per 2 radios, or US$2 each.

The charity people think I'm nuts buying these old AM radios when for a coupla extra bucks I could have FM.

They're happy, I'm happy.   

[Mark Hammer]

The best damn Rangemaster I ever made used a 2SB172 from a Mitsubishi transistor radio I bought in 1965 after my first summer job.  Some of those older gadgets have a treasure trove of usable semis in them.

[mac]

The best damn Rangemaster I ever made used a 2SB172 from a Mitsubishi transistor radio I bought in 1965 after my first summer job.  Some of those older gadgets have a treasure trove of usable semis in them.

I bought a bunch of 2sb172 (A) and 2sb175 (B) Matsushitas at half a dollar each and at 6 blocks away from my home!!! They all have the magical hfe and leakage, and as you said, sound very good in a FF or RM. But I prefer the 2sa102/103 (CA) or (DA), 2sa101(CX) or (DX) both Matsushita. They have a deeper sound or more "cuerpo" (body) as we say in my country, and more treble response.


mac

[markm]

Is it fair to say that the Japanese made Germs
have a tendency to me more consistant in terms of
leakage/hfe?

[mac]

Is it fair to say that the Japanese made Germs
have a tendency to me more consistant in terms of
leakage/hfe?

Well, I don't know about 2Ns or OCs, because they are almost inexistent in my country (except 2N388 ti and AFs). But all the Japanese Gems  I have are very consistent and ready to fuzz. I mean toshiba, matsushita, hitachi, sanyo, etc, in order of  low-leakge.
Of about one or two hundreds in box, I have to trash 2 or 3.
On the other hand, ACs I bought are very leaky.


mac