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Heathkit IC-2006

Date of introduction:	October 1973	Display technology:	LED w/o lens
New price:	$69.95	Display size:	8
Size:	5.0" x 2.8" x 0.95" 127 x 71 x 24 mm³
Weight:	4.6 ounces, 131 grams	Serial No:
Batteries:	9V	Date of manufacture:	mth 11 year 1973
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	USA
Precision:	8	Integrated circuits:	Mostek MK5020A
Memories:		Displays:	3*NSN33
Program steps:		Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner

Heath Company introduced this Heathkit IC-2006 Pocket Calculator in October 1973 as an easy-to-assemble kit in a much smaller package than the previous IC-2009 launched in December 1972. While the IC-2009 is based on a Texas Instruments single-chip calculator circuit, makes the IC-2006 use of an early Mostek brain allowing some significant cost reduction.

Dismantling the featured IC-2006 calculator manufactured in November 1973 reveals a very clean design using a double-sided printed circuit board (PCB) centered around a MK5020A single-chip calculator circuit connected to a 9-digit LED display, a keyboard assembly and powered by a 9V alkaline battery.

The MK5020A is based on Mostek's innovative ion-implantation, depletion-mode load, P-channel MOS process and was introduced in 1973 as a fully compatible replacement of the TMS0102 single-chip calculator circuit, offering major advantages for the calculator manufacturers:

• Lower power dissipation
• Single supply operation
• Broader supply voltage operating range
• Internal clock oscillator
• More extensive programmability

The featured IC-2006 calculator uses for its display three National Semiconductor NSN33 3-digit LED modules with external digit and segment drivers using individual transistors. The NSN33 are drop-in replacements for the more common Litronix DL330 modules but omitting their bubble-lens magnifiers. The few other components on the PCB are used for the power supply of the MK5020A chip.

Looking closer onto the PCB of the dismantled IC-2006, you'll notice that the MK5020A is mounted in a socket and we couldn't resist to unleash all capabilities of the chip with our DCM-50A Platform. To allow the Characterization of Single-Chip Calculator Circuits of the MK502X Family, we reverse-engineered the Heathkit IC-2006 calculator and were able to operate the MK5020A in the right-most TMS1000 Textool Test Socket with some extra patches.

The calculator was available till May 1974, the priced dropped already down to $59.95.

Don't miss the Corvus 310, a calculator manufactured by MOSTEK's calculator division.

If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.