10 reasons why your crystal set doesn't work (and how to fix it)
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- Опубліковано 25 лис 2023
- Tips on avoiding poor performing circuits and troubleshooting crystal sets that don't work.
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When I was a kid, my crystal set had permeability tuning (ferrite slug within a coil) and it worked very well right across the AM band. One of the best indoor antenna connections was the metal dial on the Bakelite telephone.
This is an excellent post with tons of useful ideas!
I agree. If it weren't for Peter and a few other youtubers I would have thought that the crystal radio hobby was a thing of the past.
I built a crystal radio in a Radio Shack 100 electronic projects kit I got for Christmas when I was stateside in the US. When we returned to the Bahamas I remembered the schematic from memory and had my mom pick up the 1N34a germanium diode, AM ferrite loopstick coil, 365 pF ( then mmf) a 10,000 ohm resistor, fahnestock clips and a crystal earphone. I mounted all the parts on a short piece of pine board. I got it working on shortwave first ironically because I tapped the center tap on the coil. I picked up AM stations from Miami, Florida when I used the entire length of the coil.
Although the "point-contact" germanium diode was originally developed as a detector, you will get better results if you can obtain a later "gold-bonded" type developed for early computer applications, e.g. OA47, AAZ18, CG84 etc.
ARE THOSE PARTS SOLDERED ON THE MOTHER BOARD
Just about the most comprehensive account of crystal radios I’ve ever come across - fantastic.
Still a lot of fun to be had from a crystal set, thanks for the tips Peter. 👍
I fondly remember my first crystal set. Well before I had learnt to read a circuit diagram and was building anything. Dad came home with two crystal sets. For me and my older brother. About the size of a cigarette pack. Predominantly white with a red length of wire and alligator clip for the antenna. The typical crystal earpiece you see. On the front was a dial for tuning, and it all worked very well. Some time later when I opened it, there a coil with multiple turns over top of each other. A ferrite rod slid in and out controlled by a wired mechanism as you turned the dial. It had a fixed capacitor across the coil and a germanium diode.
I see so many stories like this, I wish they were still around. You know if the one you had is still around?
I loved listening to my crystal set in England in the '70s. Back then it was a case of build it and they will come. Aerial wire out of the bedroom window to the bottom of the garden, earth around a bit of radiator (heating) pipe with the paint scraped off, and Bob's your uncle, they were queueing up to get into my ears.
It shows our age doesn't it? How many kids today are enthusiastic about crystal radio! And the hammer is very useful indeed for chipping the crystal out of the granite.
I use an old telephone handset for audio out. There are a couple of strong MW AM stations locally. Using approx 40m wire and good ground, the audio level is very good, such that I've added a variable resistor in series with the handset to lower the volume for comfortable listening.
wish I had UA-cam and your channel 60 odd years ago Peter - excellent advice...
UA-cam 60 years ago. Hardly bears worth thinking about. Imagine how fsck'd we'd be by now😂
1.b.
In Hungary, there is only daytime radio broadcasting on medium wave.
Solt between 0430 .. 2230, Miskolc 0500 .. 2105 local time.
Interesting points, thanks.
Great to work you during lighthouse weekend as ZL2KS, Stuart ZL2TW
Thanks Peter for putting these kind of videos up on UA-cam, I really enjoy them! I am in Southern Ontario, Canada and have experimented with crystal sets in the past with fair to excellent results. I am lucky to be in Southern Ontario the Niagra wine belt and the greater Totonto areas. Like the USA, we have 10 kc spacing and the Medium Wave band is still very popular with lots of stations to tune to. At night there are many more strong signals through propagation. The biggest problem is selectivity.
nice book collection
THANK YOU. Good information
Great information thank you
Great video, thanks! I subscribed!
As a kid in Brooklyn Crystal radios worked with Barely any antenna
Man I wish teachers would stop with the high impedence phone talk. Just stop.
The choice is spending a bundle on ancient deteriorated, or new poorly made. Just stop.
Please, please eliminate all discussion on them and do the right thing.
Talk about audio amps.