The AM Forum

It has a metal case with gold leads, marked on the side:
                                                                                            FD-1029-JP
                                                                                                T6839

I have 49 of them but no idea what they are good for, and all I can find on google are more modern parts with that same number.

FD-1029-JP is a NTE-159.  PNP-Si low noise audio amp, switch.  NF 3dB @ 1kHz.  There are hundreds of FD-1029 devices all different.  Each is denoted by different two-letter suffixes.

Fred

And evidently some other company is using that same part nu,ber now because all I could find for that number was a bunch of modern ICs. What's the difference between the NTE-159 and these transistors, besides the case? Or is that the only difference?

NTE-159 is the NTE replacement for that transistor.  So whatever a 159 is should be what your transistors are.  As for the FD-1029 part number, it would seem to me that the same company made many different devices and used the same part number for all of them except for the different suffixes.  It is a rather strange system.  I was surprised when I saw all the FD-1029 numbers in the NTE book.  There were two columns of FD-1029 numbers all with different two letter suffixes.  Like a phone book with two columns of Smiths all with different first names.

You can go to the NTE web site and check for yourself.  I've never used their site as I have the master cross reference book.

Fred

I did a Goggle search and did find an IC using the same part number FD-1029-JP,  don't know why.  Also find that it crosses to a NTE-159 transistor.

Many of the FD-1029- XX family are various types of diodes.

Well it's a three terminal device.  I doubt if the third terminal is simply the shield.  ;D
- so that at least eliminates a phantom cast of thousands.

a simple ohm meter test will tell you if it is a diode, NPN or PNP transistor

Great Job Fred!  Its good to keep those old books around.  I have so many books that I am building a radio library downstairs.  I can't throw them away!  Even with the internet those books come in handy. 

Now Shelby, what project do you have in mind for them? 

Joe, W3GMS

Well, seeing that it's a fairly low powered and best suited for audio, I was thinking either a mic preamp, or use them to drive a set of headphones, with the input coming from a little diode detector I have here. All that is is a coil with a slider bar on top, and a single little diode in the circuit to detect the carrier, but it also makes a nice off-air monitor, too. One night I was able to pick up WBZ on it.