Post about non-compliance of Q-7 Transistors

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Have you guys seen this post? There's an uproar about it. Roleigh Martin posted it as "Unconfirmed" and has asked if anyone can confirm it. Personally, I tried to find the "Society of Electronic Design Consultants" and could not find them listed in the US or the UK. Meg

FWD: Q7 transistors not compliant From: jqmajor@dca.com Date: 22 Jan 1999 Time: 22:02:32 Remote Name: 207.104.67.231

Q7 Transistors found to be not compliant with Y2K!

The Y2K board of the Society of Electronic Design Consultants announced today the results of an exhaustive study of Y2K component compliance issues. In addition to confirming the well documented existence of non-compliant 555 and 556 timer circuits, the board also announced that Q7 transistors, often used in older voltage controlled oscillating LC timing circuits, and still widely used in a variety of repetitive pulse and amplification circuits, are in fact not compliant with Y2K requirements.

Because of the extensive use of Q7 transistors in electronic devices (it is estimated that some 92% of electronic devices currently in service contain at lease one of these transistors) the board urged all electronic technicians to check circuit diagrams for these transistors and replace them with Y2K compliant components any time they are working on any electronic system. The board also notified the usual governmental, military, communications, transportation, financial, manufacturing and technology communities of the urgency of this situation.

The problem with Q7 transistors stems from the their inability to discern the difference between the last millisecond of the present millennium, and the first millisecond of the next millennium. This causes the transistor to go into self oscillation in AC circuits, and stay low in DC circuits. In the AC circuit, the oscillating rate is dependent on the differential between voltages of the PNP values.

Although a seemingly infinite number of individual part numbers and designs were used as Q7 transistors throughout the years, all Q7 transistors share a basic commonality in that they are always NPN or PNP types. The original part number of each Q7 transistor must be identified and if a Y2K compliant part is not available as a direct replacement, a compliant substitution part whose specific operating characteristics are closely aligned with the original specification might be used with minor re-tuning of the circuit.

Some potential problems associated with non-compliant Q7 transistors at the beginning of the next millennium are: 7 A continuously busy signal whenever a phone is used, caused by self oscillating of the Q7 transistors in the audio circuit. 7 Unstable ignition timing in electronic ignition controlled vehicles, which could result in a no start condition. 7 Uncontrollable oscillations in AC stereo speakers. 7 Interruption in satellite and communications systems. 7 Potential loss of military defense capability is classified. 7 Most personal computers will not function.

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-- Anonymous, February 22, 1999

Answers

The post in question is a hoax.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 1999

Meg,

Bogus hoax. This puppy got spread all over the place very quickly.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 1999


Meg,

I posted it as a suspected hoax--I used that wording -- I did not post it as an "unconfirmed." Sure enough nearly every electrical engineer responded with an affirmation that not only was it a hoax, it was a clearly intended tongue-in-cheek joke that is mostly only appreciative by electrical engineers. At my web-archived listserv, they also talk about the role of these transistors in non-joking sense. I suspected all along it was a hoax, but figured it worthwhile posting it to let my readers know from electrical engineers why it was a hoax. I did not believe it to be authentic myself but did not know enough about these transistors to state what they do.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/roleigh_martin

-- Anonymous, February 23, 1999


100% Hoax that is extremely humorous to those of us electronic geeks who know about transistors and 555 timers, not so humorous to those who aren't electronerds as I unfortunately found out. I caution you that many reports of Y2K failures "evaporate" upon close inspection, even the authentic sounding ones with names and sources.

One that comes to mind is in the medical arena, the bogus "Hamilton ventilator" that supposedly failed during Y2K testing. That one and others are still posted on websites as factual....

FactFinder

-- Anonymous, February 23, 1999


Hoax. Old joke. Been around in one form or another for years. Kind of like the "Craig Shergold" hoax.

Dont' give it another thought.

LP

-- Anonymous, February 27, 1999



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