MAT Transistors - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

jim_jobe · 19th Feb 2011, 1:02 pm

I've just bought a load of MATs from Birketts which they're selling at 10 for £1. I splashed out and got £10 worth and am highly delighted. About 60 of them are marked Semics or Plessey and all test very good - even the unmarked ones and they work well in my Sir Douglas Hall Short Wave Spontaflex which I use as a testbed.
Jim

murphyv310 · 19th Feb 2011, 1:39 pm

I just wonder how many of these "MAT" transistors are around? I have 20 or 30 and also have a good number of old NKT's also some unmarked "top hat" transistors, all are NOS and read normal.

Coastwatch · 19th Feb 2011, 2:07 pm

As I remember, Micro Alloy Transistors were a failure by Plessey and were being dumped into a road about to be concreted when Sir Clive Sinclair who was going to plessey's saw them and got permission to salvage them. He and his wife spent many nights testing and sorting them.....and the rest is history.

I constructed many of his circuits when he was a contributor and Deputy Editor to Practical Wireless and built a fair few of his kits as well.

I seem to remember his Micro radio being used as a walkie talkie in an episode of The Saint.

Quote:

As well as the advertisement, I have booklet number 181 from the series "Bernard's Radio Manuals" entitled '22 Tested Circuits using Micro Alloy Transistors' by Clive Sinclair. This gives the characteristics of these four devices: the MAT100 is a low-gain 60 MHz type, the MAT101 a high-gain 60 MHz type, the MAT120 a low-gain 120 MHz type, and the MAT121 a high-gain 120 MHz type.

from wylie.org.uk

Cheers n Beers,

David....

Herald1360 · 19th Feb 2011, 6:42 pm

ISTR it was the Avengers........

phasedout · 19th Feb 2011, 7:34 pm

Hi, i have the early sb (surface barrier) transistors, possably approx 600 in total, this type was used in the Bernards books, homemade vhf receivers, eg one transistor, this link below explains these right up to your MAT 101,s......Kind regards Alan.

http://www.wylie.org.uk/technology/s...ics/Semics.htm

jim_jobe · 21st Feb 2011, 1:12 pm

Cheers Guys. I have some surface barriers too - SB345- which also work well at RF frequencies. Is it true, as I seem to recall, that SBs could only be used in low voltage circuits? (6V?)
Jim

Herald1360 · 21st Feb 2011, 1:27 pm

Some data available on the web suggests this is the case. Look for "2N128 data" the return from Datasheet Archive lists Vceo of 4.5V and Vcbo of 10V which is pretty low.

rmslt56 · 21st Feb 2011, 6:53 pm

I seem to remember Henrys Radio saying the voltage was limited to 3,
Then produced a circuit with a 9V battery.It worked very well.
Doug

Valvepower · 21st Feb 2011, 7:53 pm

Hi,

Just come across this posting, and it reminded me I recently found my copy of the Tested Short Wave Receiver Circuits Using MAT’s - Bernard’s Radio Manuals No185 whilst looking for some info on a VOX AC50 amp I'm working on.

I’ve taken a couple of pictures of the manual, which may be of interest.

Terry.

jim_jobe · 22nd Feb 2011, 1:30 pm

All of Sir Douglas Hall's circuits are also available at www.radioconstructors.info/sdh/sdh.html
Jim

(Moderator note: A new question re Spontaflex radio is now located here.)

19th Feb 2011, 1:02 pm	#1
jim_jobe Heptode Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ripon, N.Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 782	MAT Transistors I've just bought a load of MATs from Birketts which they're selling at 10 for £1. I splashed out and got £10 worth and am highly delighted. About 60 of them are marked Semics or Plessey and all test very good - even the unmarked ones and they work well in my Sir Douglas Hall Short Wave Spontaflex which I use as a testbed. Jim

19th Feb 2011, 1:39 pm	#2
murphyv310 Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 5,422	Re: MAT Transistors I just wonder how many of these "MAT" transistors are around? I have 20 or 30 and also have a good number of old NKT's also some unmarked "top hat" transistors, all are NOS and read normal. __________________ Cheers, Trevor. MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

19th Feb 2011, 6:42 pm	#4
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: MAT Transistors ISTR it was the Avengers........ __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

19th Feb 2011, 7:34 pm	#5
phasedout Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 207	Re: MAT Transistors Hi, i have the early sb (surface barrier) transistors, possably approx 600 in total, this type was used in the Bernards books, homemade vhf receivers, eg one transistor, this link below explains these right up to your MAT 101,s......Kind regards Alan. http://www.wylie.org.uk/technology/s...ics/Semics.htm

21st Feb 2011, 1:12 pm	#6
jim_jobe Heptode Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ripon, N.Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 782	Re: MAT Transistors Cheers Guys. I have some surface barriers too - SB345- which also work well at RF frequencies. Is it true, as I seem to recall, that SBs could only be used in low voltage circuits? (6V?) Jim

21st Feb 2011, 1:27 pm	#7
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: MAT Transistors Some data available on the web suggests this is the case. Look for "2N128 data" the return from Datasheet Archive lists Vceo of 4.5V and Vcbo of 10V which is pretty low. __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

21st Feb 2011, 6:53 pm	#8
rmslt56 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 43	Re: MAT Transistors I seem to remember Henrys Radio saying the voltage was limited to 3, Then produced a circuit with a 9V battery.It worked very well. Doug

21st Feb 2011, 7:53 pm	#9
Valvepower Octode Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Rayleigh near Southend-On-Sea, Essex, UK. Posts: 1,880	Re: MAT Transistors Hi, Just come across this posting, and it reminded me I recently found my copy of the Tested Short Wave Receiver Circuits Using MAT’s - Bernard’s Radio Manuals No185 whilst looking for some info on a VOX AC50 amp I'm working on. I’ve taken a couple of pictures of the manual, which may be of interest. Terry. Attached Thumbnails

22nd Feb 2011, 1:30 pm	#10
jim_jobe Heptode Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ripon, N.Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 782	Re: MAT Transistors All of Sir Douglas Hall's circuits are also available at www.radioconstructors.info/sdh/sdh.html Jim (Moderator note: A new question re Spontaflex radio is now located here.)