Product Overview
Raytheon REN129 PNP Silicon Transistor – TO-39 Metal Can, 80V 1A, NOS 1978 Date Code
Condition
Unused NOS. The TO-39 metal can is stamped REN129 with date code 7842, consistent with 42nd week of 1978 manufacture. Three gold-toned leads are straight with no visible damage. Minor dark discoloration noted on top of can. Evaluation: Visual inspection only. Function testing not performed. Sourced from legacy electronics supply chain recovery.
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Product Overview
Raytheon REN129 – PNP silicon bipolar junction transistor in a TO-39 metal can package (also designated TO-205AD). Rated 80V collector-emitter voltage and 1A continuous collector current, suited for amplifier and switching applications in discrete analog and digital circuits. The NTE129 is a recognized direct equivalent. Complementary NPN counterpart is the NTE128.
Key Features
- Polarity: PNP
- Material: Silicon
- Package: TO-39 metal can (TO-205AD), through-hole, three leads
- Collector-Emitter Voltage (VCEO): 80V
- Continuous Collector Current (IC): 1A
- Total Device Dissipation (PD): 1.25W at 25°C
- Emitter-Base Voltage (VEBO): 5V
- DC Current Gain (hFE): 75 min at 100µA; 100 min at 100mA; 70 min at 500mA; 25 min at 1A
- Direct equivalent: NTE129; complementary NPN: NTE128
- Date code 7842 visible on can – consistent with 1978 manufacture
Applications
- Vintage audio amplifier restoration: diagnosing a failed output or driver stage, desoldering the dead transistor, and dropping the REN129 in as a period-correct replacement that keeps the circuit behaving the way the original designer intended
- Transistor radio and vintage receiver repair: locating the shorted junction on a TO-39 footprint, pulling the failed part, and soldering in the REN129 to bring the set back to life without altering the original board layout
- Industrial control and instrumentation maintenance: replacing a failed PNP transistor in a legacy relay driver, sensor interface, or low-power switching circuit on equipment that was built around TO-39 discrete designs
- Breadboard and prototype learning: inserting the REN129 into a through-hole circuit to study amplification stages, switching behavior, or complementary-pair operation alongside an NPN counterpart like the NTE128
- Maker and hobbyist projects: using a robust TO-39 PNP transistor as a relay driver, LED switch, or small-signal amplifier in a custom build where a larger through-hole package is easier to handle and reuse than SMD alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the NTE129 a drop-in replacement for the REN129?
Yes. The NTE129 is a recognized direct equivalent to the Raytheon REN129. Both are PNP silicon transistors in the TO-39 package with the same key ratings: 80V VCEO, 1A collector current, 1.25W dissipation.
What is the complementary NPN transistor for this part?
The NTE128 is the complementary NPN to the NTE129/REN129. It shares similar characteristics with opposite polarity, making it suitable for push-pull amplifier and complementary switching circuit designs.
Does this listing include a datasheet or documentation?
Not included. This is the transistor only.
Will this work in a circuit designed for an NPN transistor?
No. PNP and NPN transistors operate with opposite current and voltage polarities. Substituting one for the other requires circuit redesign. Confirm your circuit calls for a PNP device before ordering.
What does the 7842 date code mean?
The stamped code 7842 is consistent with a manufacture date of the 42nd week of 1978, as noted in the seller's evaluation. This is a true NOS part that has been in storage since that era.
Forty-six years in a parts bin, and the leads are still straight. Whoever put this one to work next gets a small, original piece of 1978 semiconductor engineering – and a transistor that has never once been asked to do anything.
