NavList:

Geoffrey wtote

The advent of integrated circuits, or silicon chip technology, meant small calculators could make sight reduction easier. But you need to know how to do the sight reduction first and that - I would maintain - is and was the biggest barrier to the use of CN by the small boat sailor. In any case, it was but a short period between the introduction of competent calculators and the introduction of the GPS receivers at resonable cost.

Integrated circuit technology made cheap pocket gps receivers possible. It could therefore be argued that transistors (and the integrated circuit technology that followed) had a negative effect on civilian use of CN  - not  positive as the original poster was suggesting!