The Transistor Radio 43 Typical Transistor Radio
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SERVICING TRANSISTOR RADIOS f LEONARD D'AIRO GERNSBACK LIBRARY, INC. NEW YORK 11, N. Y. TO MY PARENTS My mother, for her patience, and my father for teaching me the mys teries and enjoyment of electronics. First Printing - November, 19.~8 Second Printing - January, 19.~9 © 1958 Gernsback Library, Inc. All rights reserved under Universal International, and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 58-13795 chapter page 7 Transistor fundamentals Semiconductor theory. Crystalline materials. Donor and acceptor impurities. Current flow: holes and electrons. The p-n junction: diode action. Forward and reverse bias. The transistor. Junction transistors. Transistor configurations. Transistor characteristics. Basic parameters. Current amplification. Power gain. Transistor l biasing. Bias stabilization. Frequency capabilities. Effects of tem perature. Transistor power requirements. The transistor radio 43 Typical transistor radio. The rf amplifier. Selectivity. FeedbacK components. Neutralizing the rf amplifier. The transistor mixer. Conversion gain. The transistor oscillator and converter. Interme diate-frequency amplifier. The reflex if amplifier. The detector. Automatic gain control. Special age circuits. The audio amplifier. 2 Class-B power output amplifier. Class-A driver amplifier. Placement of tone controls. Class-A power amplifiers. Servicing techniques 71 Test instruments. Af signal generator. Transformer turns ratio. Capacitor checker. Rf signal generator. De vacuum-tube voltmeter. Ac vacuum-tube voltmeter. Ohmmeter. Capacitor decade (substi tution box). Resistance decade (substitution box). Substitute speaker. Signal tracer. Transistor power supply. Component sub 3 stitution. Printed circuits. Printed-circuit repair. Servicing precau tions. Protecting and salvaging transistors. Servicing transistor radios 99 Checking suspected defective transistors. Disabling the age line. Test points in a typical transistor radio. Age voltages when using n-p-n and p-n-p transistors. Checking for if oscillation. Tracing audio distortion. Troubles in the mixer, converter and local oscilla tor. Troubles in if amplifier stages. Troubles in the detector. 4 Checking audio stages. Troubleshooting chart. Receiver alignment. Automobile radios 121 Transistor auto radios. Antenna input circuit. Hybrid auto radios. Power supplies. The de-to-de converter. Voltage waveforms. Auto matic tuning (the search tuner). Signal-seeking circuit. Interfer ence and noise. Sparking. Reducing interference. Generator whine. Static. Installing the auto radio. Service notes. Service 5 chart. Troubles in the audio driver stage. Troubles in audio output stages. De-to-de converter troubles. c:hapter page Transistor c:irc:uits 147 Regenerative receivers. Regenerative receiver faults. Adjustment of the regeneration control. Shortwave receivers. Noisy controls. Hi-ti tuners. Tuner requirements. Tuned-radio-frequency receivers (trf's). Operation of the tr£ receiver. Inserting an rf gain control. Converters. Servicing the converter. Converters for shortwave and 6 amateur radio. The preselector. Solar power (the sun hattery). Transistor kits. Trouhleshooting kits. Tests and measurements 167 Equipment required for making transistor tests and measurements. The constant-current power supply. Measuring alpha. Measuring beta. Techniques for measuring input and output resistances. Measuring feedhack and transfer resistances. Determining grounded emitter characteristics. Determining collector-current cutoff and 7 alpha-cutoff frequency. Measuring heta-cutoff frequency. Quick check method. Transistor testers. Alpha-beta conversion chart. Transistor data 179 Listing of the most commonly used transistors and their character istics. Current gain. Alpha. Beta. Alpha-cutoff frequency. Matched power gain (in db) in the grounded-emitter configuration. Collector voltage. Collector current (in milliamperes). Collector cutoff current (in microamperes). Collector dissipation (in milli 8 watts). Transistor interchangeability chart. When to substitute transistors. Transistor substitution precautions. Transistor terms 199 Definitions of most of the common terms used in connection with the theory, operation, manufacture and circuitry of transistors. 9 Index 219 introduction The first time I serviced a transistor radio I found that my fin gers were all thumbs. I knew next to nothing about transistors, let alone transistor radios. But, after working on many makes and types for the past few years, I have found that they are actually simpler to service than their vacuum-tube counterparts. They're really not so different-it's just a matter of learning a few new techniques. In this book I have tried to put these techniques into the lan guage of the service technician. I have also tried to present a not so-m ysterious view of the mysteries of transistors and transistor radios. I sincerely hope that I have been able to achieve these purposes. Many companies made generous contributions of their technical experience and know-how. I would like to acknowledge with thanks the cooperation of Bulova Watch Co., Inc., CBS-Hytron, Clevite Transistor Products, Delco Radio Division (General Mo tors Corp.), DeWald Radio Mfg. Corp., Emerson Radio & Phono graph Corp., General Electric Co., General Transistor Corp., Hoffman Electronics Corp., Industro Transistor Corp., P.R. Mal lory & Co., Motorola, Inc., Philco Corp. (Lansdale Tube Co.), Radio Corporation of America, Regency Division I.D.E.A., Inc., Sprague Electric Co., Sylvania Electric Products Inc., Transistor Electronics Co., Transitron Electric Corp., Tung-Sol Electric Co., Universal Transistor Products Corp., Westinghouse Electric Corp., Workman TV, Inc. and Zenith Radio Corp. I also wish to acknowledge the aid supplied by my good friend Irving Lavender. LEONARD D'AIRO transistor fundamentals TRANSISTOR is a current-operated device in which current flow A between electrodes is through a solid called a semiconductor. This semiconductor is usually a germanium wafer, although other materials such as silicon are also used. There are many forms of transistors, and there are many proc esses involved in producing them. Dominating the field is the junction transistor. Its low noise figure, high gain, high-frequency characteristics and high power-handling capabilities make it espe cially suited for both audio- and radio-frequency applications. Frequencies beyond 200 me as oscillators and power outputs in excess of 30 watts as audio amplifiers are typical of these transistors. It is this type that is commonly used in transistor radios. Semiconductor theory It is characteristic of the atoms of various elements and com pounds to arrange themselves into definite geometric shapes known as crystals. These solids are termed crystalline materials (Fig. 101). For example, table salt, quartz, flowers of sulphur, etc. are crystals. On the other hand, other solids such as rubber, Bakelite, Lucite, glass, etc. are called plastic or amorphous materials because their atoms do not arrange themselves geometrically, but lump together into shapeless masses. In a crystal (which may weigh many pounds, or be so small that it can be seen only with the aid of a microscope), the faces are flat and are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other, much like the faces of a cut diamond or sapphire. The atoms within the crystal are arranged in an orderly fashion to form what 7 is known as a lattice. The definition of lattice is" ... in an orderly fashion" (Fig. 102). Within this lattice there are certain loosely bound electrons in the outer ring of an atom which align themselves with the loosely bound electrons of a neighboring atom forming a valence bond between them. This bond holds them together to form the lattice (Fig. 103). The loose electrons (valence electrons) do not move beyond their shared neigh hors, nor do they move from one end of the lattice to the other. They are held within their bonds, as shown in Fig. I 04. All solids, whether crystalline or plastic, are divided into two major groups called conductors and insulators. A conductor is a Fig. 101. Examples of crystal structure. solid that permits the easy movement of electrons (conducts electricity), while an insulator does not. But, there is a group of solids that are neither good conductors nor good insulators, since they exhibit some properties of both. These solids form a third group called semiconductors. Semiconductors are solids that exhibit unique properties. When connected in a circuit in a certain way (Fig. 105), the semi conductor will conduct electricity and act as a low-value resistor. Reversing the connections (polarity) causes the semiconductor to act as a very-high-value resistor (Fig. 106). Selenium, galena, cad- s mium sulphide, silicon, silicon carbide, germanium and copper oxide are some of the semiconductors that have practical uses in modern electronics. ~ ~ 0 ~ I I I I I I ~ATOM 0 ~ ~ - I I I I I I I I ~ ~ ~ ~ Fig. 102. The arrangement of atoms in a crystal lattice. VALENCE ELECTRON Fig. 103. Diagram showing the valence bond that exists between atoms. Germanium is the material m_ost often used in transistors. When purified it is usually in the polycrystalline form. That is, a piece of germanium is composed of myriads of individual crystals. 9 To be used in a transistor germanium must be a monocrystal-the whole piece must be a single crystal, and the atoms must form Fig. 104. Movement of valence electrons between neighboring atoms. The dots labeled A represent