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From: pfeiffer@uwvax.UUCP (Phil Pfeiffer)
Newsgroups: net.rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Casio watch anomaly
Message-ID: <682@uwvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Mar-86 12:28:30 EST
Article-I.D.: uwvax.682
Posted: Wed Mar  5 12:28:30 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Mar-86 07:55:42 EST
References: <669@uwvax.UUCP> <12000007@uiucdcs>
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept
Lines: 29
Summary: Static

In article <12000007@uiucdcs>, carey@uiucdcs.CS.UIUC.EDU writes:
> 
>> I finally discovered last month why my 50m Casio watch periodically "reset"
>> itself, after I took off my sweater ....
> 
> I have had several digital watches that have done the same thing, so
> I would be interested to know what the reason is -- you didn't say
> so in your note.  Can you enlighten us?

I said why in the "keywords" part of the message:  static!
Here's a followup message I received from another netter on this matter:

> You're lucky it hasn't ceased functioning. The electronics in the watch
> are contained on one chip, about 1/50 the size of your imagined pinky
> fingernail. It is also a CMOS device(complementary metal-oxide silicon)
> which is so prone static electricity that that most chips of that type
> must be handled by people who are connected by wires to the ground, lest
> they destroy the device with static.
> I moved from the northeast to the mid-west coast. My father bought a color
> TV that required a service call often due to static discharge built up by
> simply walking across the rug and turning it on. No such problem here.
> Oh well, change watches or sweaters.

-- 

-- Phil Pfeiffer

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