I love Crystal radios

My first one was a plastic box type with a slider control on the front and had a circle with a lightning bolt in the circle. I wish I had it now. Sigh. I will post a picture of one like it if I can.

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Click here to see an --> FM crystal radio construction set

Here what my first Crystal Radio Looked like:
Top Pin is Antenna, middle pin was ground and bottom was Phone plug.
Remco brand

Hey Resistance.
These sets show up all the time on epay.

FWIW, I have been an avid crystal radio builder for the last 40 years.

My current project is the "Beach Baby" concept set. Details on Rap 'n Tap ,then I can comment over hear.

Also FWIW,my top end set ,the "K-3" is a 660/46 litz ferrite assisted air coil set,made from very high end parts (3x UTC A-27 broadcast quality transformers ,ceramic var caps,sound powered phones, etc, etc/blah,blah,blah).

It has an outboard AM broadcast transmitter available to to perk it up even MORE than it's very good barefoot performance.

de K

Just to add,my boss had one of these as a kid and he could only get one station that he DIDN'T like.

They are very cool LOOKING sets,but I'm not so sure about the circuit itself though. Just a very simple slider I think.

K

I could get Two or three stations on mine. I was 12 years old in 1956. My cousin wanted to trade me for it, and I gave in.

You've got a year on me, lol.

In '54 or '55 (can't remember exactly), my dad got me a Galena crystal and cat's whisker assembly on a small piece of Phenolic plastic, and a headphone. He strung up an outdoor aerial, and I was able to get two stations with it.

Hey All,

I'm still pluggin' and still alive.My latest project is a tapped crystal set in a VERY old small wooden cigar box.I'm working on it in drips and drops as things allow.

K

A few years ago I bought some junk transistor radios and parted them out. I used the knobs and tuning capacitors to build crystal sets. After about 10 of these made in different styles I found I was not getting any better reception and I did not know radio enough to improve on what I did. Nevertheless it was 'fun' experience. I did install a resistor in the line and that made the sound clearer and louder but not more stations.

Hey DD,

The best crystal sets are built with air variable capacitors (ceramic insulated are best) ,optimized coils and good audio circuits.

They generally work better than pulled parts .I really like the Tuggle circuit.
K

I used to hook up a variable cap to a rocket crystal radio and improve selection. On Local stations I hooked up an audio transformer and 12" speaker and was in seventh Heaven, at least I thought so any way.

I wonder why its so hard to find the varible loop sticks used in those sets.

I too have built countless xtl sets but the bestone by far was a push/pull coil and 2 dioads. I still doun the head phones and listen in. I do live in an RF dead naborhood. but the little set still gets it done. Love them xtl sets!!!

When I was 4 or 5 my father brought one of these home for me. It was my ticket to a life in electronics.

http://www.oldradioworld.de/gollum/rocket.jpg

That is a grate website with pics and good info and sechematics. Grate job, who ever? Am curently working on what they call an emergengy radio. I would like to post some pics but I have not masterd the art of posting them as yet!! Will try to get some soon!

I had that radio in Blue when I was 8. I never got mine working. Now, I know why. I needed to ground it.
It was a neat little radio.
I now have the first crystal set sold by Heathkit.
I think it was the first one my father built around me when I was four.
At that time, I wasn't interested.
I am now.
I need some old high resistance headphones so I can try it.
Bill Cahill