Any old radio buffs?

[John]

I'm talking about the radios themselves, not the programs...

http://www.ferdinando.cecchini.name/procura/seq_radio_epoca1.html

This appears to be some sort of bankruptcy sale in Italy. Not for sure... But
I thought it might be a curiosity to some of those here.


-John Vice
www.summertimestudios.com

[RD Jones]

http://www.ferdinando.cecchini.name/foto/1650.jpg

I'm not sure if I've seen a Tesla radio before.
I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
pocket Transistor radio.

RD (1st class FCC)


(John) wrote in message >...
> I'm talking about the radios themselves, not the programs...
>
> http://www.ferdinando.cecchini.name/procura/seq_radio_epoca1.html
>
> This appears to be some sort of bankruptcy sale in Italy. Not for sure... But
> I thought it might be a curiosity to some of those here.
>
>
> -John Vice
> www.summertimestudios.com

[RD Jones]

http://www.ferdinando.cecchini.name/foto/1650.jpg

I'm not sure if I've seen a Tesla radio before.
I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
pocket Transistor radio.

RD (1st class FCC)


(John) wrote in message >...
> I'm talking about the radios themselves, not the programs...
>
> http://www.ferdinando.cecchini.name/procura/seq_radio_epoca1.html
>
> This appears to be some sort of bankruptcy sale in Italy. Not for sure... But
> I thought it might be a curiosity to some of those here.
>
>
> -John Vice
> www.summertimestudios.com

[Carlos Alden]

in article , RD Jones at
wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:

> I'm not sure if I've seen a Tesla radio before.
> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
> pocket Transistor radio.
>
> RD (1st class FCC)

I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
"cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.

Carlos

[Carlos Alden]

in article , RD Jones at
wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:

> I'm not sure if I've seen a Tesla radio before.
> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
> pocket Transistor radio.
>
> RD (1st class FCC)

I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
"cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.

Carlos

[Don Pearce]

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 09:50:40 -0700, Carlos Alden >
wrote:

>in article , RD Jones at
wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:
>
>> I'm not sure if I've seen a Tesla radio before.
>> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
>> pocket Transistor radio.
>>
>> RD (1st class FCC)
>
>I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
>built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
>"cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
>spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.
>
>Carlos

You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Don Pearce]

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 09:50:40 -0700, Carlos Alden >
wrote:

>in article , RD Jones at
wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:
>
>> I'm not sure if I've seen a Tesla radio before.
>> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
>> pocket Transistor radio.
>>
>> RD (1st class FCC)
>
>I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
>built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
>"cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
>spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.
>
>Carlos

You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Jim Kollens]

It's a hobby I've admired for a long time. Why? Because I've bought stuff
from these guys for years and they actually know things about electronics and,
being typical WWll folk, are warm and helpful and generous. I really hope this
hobby gets picked up by some younger folk.

[Jim Kollens]

It's a hobby I've admired for a long time. Why? Because I've bought stuff
from these guys for years and they actually know things about electronics and,
being typical WWll folk, are warm and helpful and generous. I really hope this
hobby gets picked up by some younger folk.

[Carlos Alden]

in article , Don Pearce at
wrote on 9/18/04 10:01 AM:

> You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
> insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).
>
> d
> Pearce Consulting
> http://www.pearce.uk.com

Don:

Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
figured crystal was crystal.

But I also remember simply taking the plastic case off my radio, and
watching the tubes glow and seeing the tuning plates turn, and being
absolutely entranced at listening to far-away cities in the dark of night,
while watching that dim orange glow, when my lights were supposed to be off.
It was back in a time when America had regional accents and cultures, and a
station from Denver was vastly different from the station from New Orleans,
as was the one from Kansas City.

Carlos

[Carlos Alden]

in article , Don Pearce at
wrote on 9/18/04 10:01 AM:

> You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
> insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).
>
> d
> Pearce Consulting
> http://www.pearce.uk.com

Don:

Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
figured crystal was crystal.

But I also remember simply taking the plastic case off my radio, and
watching the tubes glow and seeing the tuning plates turn, and being
absolutely entranced at listening to far-away cities in the dark of night,
while watching that dim orange glow, when my lights were supposed to be off.
It was back in a time when America had regional accents and cultures, and a
station from Denver was vastly different from the station from New Orleans,
as was the one from Kansas City.

Carlos

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> built for fun.

The sixties? I built mine in the fifties. Wound the tuning coil on an
oatmeal box. Philmore crystal detector. (galena, not quartz)


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> built for fun.

The sixties? I built mine in the fifties. Wound the tuning coil on an
oatmeal box. Philmore crystal detector. (galena, not quartz)


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Kurt Albershardt]

Carlos Alden wrote:

> in article , RD Jones at
> wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:
>
>> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
>> pocket Transistor radio.
>>
>> RD (1st class FCC)
>
>
> I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
> "cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
> spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.


Wrong mineral, but otherwise fits my memories of the late '60s - early '70s just perfectly. Wound the coil on an oatmeal box and sanded off the varnish across one strip where the tuning wiper made contact. Design matched the ones in my Dad's schoolbooks from the '30s, BTW.

[Kurt Albershardt]

Carlos Alden wrote:

> in article , RD Jones at
> wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:
>
>> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
>> pocket Transistor radio.
>>
>> RD (1st class FCC)
>
>
> I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
> "cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
> spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.


Wrong mineral, but otherwise fits my memories of the late '60s - early '70s just perfectly. Wound the coil on an oatmeal box and sanded off the varnish across one strip where the tuning wiper made contact. Design matched the ones in my Dad's schoolbooks from the '30s, BTW.

[Paul Stamler]

"Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
news:znr1095528798k@trad...
>
> In article > writes:
>
> > I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> > built for fun.
>
> The sixties? I built mine in the fifties. Wound the tuning coil on an
> oatmeal box. Philmore crystal detector. (galena, not quartz)

Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
suppose, a one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather the builders of my kit
did. It came with a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with the cat's
whisker. That thing brought in the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.

Peace,
Paul

[Paul Stamler]

"Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
news:znr1095528798k@trad...
>
> In article > writes:
>
> > I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> > built for fun.
>
> The sixties? I built mine in the fifties. Wound the tuning coil on an
> oatmeal box. Philmore crystal detector. (galena, not quartz)

Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
suppose, a one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather the builders of my kit
did. It came with a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with the cat's
whisker. That thing brought in the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.

Peace,
Paul

[Don Pearce]

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:24:48 -0700, Carlos Alden >
wrote:

>in article , Don Pearce at
wrote on 9/18/04 10:01 AM:
>
>> You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
>> insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).
>>
>> d
>> Pearce Consulting
>> http://www.pearce.uk.com
>
>Don:
>
>Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
>figured crystal was crystal.
>
>But I also remember simply taking the plastic case off my radio, and
>watching the tubes glow and seeing the tuning plates turn, and being
>absolutely entranced at listening to far-away cities in the dark of night,
>while watching that dim orange glow, when my lights were supposed to be off.
>It was back in a time when America had regional accents and cultures, and a
>station from Denver was vastly different from the station from New Orleans,
>as was the one from Kansas City.
>
>Carlos

I share that magic. It is 99% of why I am a radio consultant now.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Don Pearce]

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:24:48 -0700, Carlos Alden >
wrote:

>in article , Don Pearce at
wrote on 9/18/04 10:01 AM:
>
>> You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
>> insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).
>>
>> d
>> Pearce Consulting
>> http://www.pearce.uk.com
>
>Don:
>
>Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
>figured crystal was crystal.
>
>But I also remember simply taking the plastic case off my radio, and
>watching the tubes glow and seeing the tuning plates turn, and being
>absolutely entranced at listening to far-away cities in the dark of night,
>while watching that dim orange glow, when my lights were supposed to be off.
>It was back in a time when America had regional accents and cultures, and a
>station from Denver was vastly different from the station from New Orleans,
>as was the one from Kansas City.
>
>Carlos

I share that magic. It is 99% of why I am a radio consultant now.

d
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[S O'Neill]

Paul Stamler wrote:

> "Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
> news:znr1095528798k@trad...
>
>>In article > writes:
>>
>>
>>>I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
>>>built for fun.
>>
>>The sixties? I built mine in the fifties. Wound the tuning coil on an
>>oatmeal box. Philmore crystal detector. (galena, not quartz)
>
>
> Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
> suppose, a one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather the builders of my kit
> did. It came with a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with the cat's
> whisker. That thing brought in the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.
>

I had a few of the galena xtal sets, and my dad and I build the little
Heathkit that had a 1N34. The galena was more sensitive, and sounded
more "vintage".

[S O'Neill]

Paul Stamler wrote:

> "Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
> news:znr1095528798k@trad...
>
>>In article > writes:
>>
>>
>>>I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
>>>built for fun.
>>
>>The sixties? I built mine in the fifties. Wound the tuning coil on an
>>oatmeal box. Philmore crystal detector. (galena, not quartz)
>
>
> Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
> suppose, a one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather the builders of my kit
> did. It came with a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with the cat's
> whisker. That thing brought in the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.
>

I had a few of the galena xtal sets, and my dad and I build the little
Heathkit that had a 1N34. The galena was more sensitive, and sounded
more "vintage".

[Michael R. Kesti]

Paul Stamler wrote:

>Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
>suppose, a one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather the builders of my kit
>did. It came with a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with the cat's
>whisker.

My introduction to electronics was a radio kit that used a 1N34 and was
tuned with a ferrite rod in a pre-wound coil. I guess it wasn't quite a
crystal set but it didn't use a battery or line power.

> That thing brought in the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.

After building the kit and stringing a long wire antenna, complete with
lightning arrestor and everything, I listened to a local semi-pro hockey
game that was happening at the arena three blocks from my house and braodcast
by WDMJ. This was probably in 1962. I never could receive WLS with the
kit, though, so I was soon back to my Philco 5-tube, hot chassis table radio.
I wonder what happened to that great old radio!

I own a 1930 Majestic Model 90 that selected from an attic full of its kind
when my maternal grandparenets died. I haven't powered it up in 20 years but
it did work the last time I tried. It's a beautiful piece of furniture!

--
================================================== ======================
Michael Kesti | "And like, one and one don't make
| two, one and one make one."
| - The Who, Bargain

[Michael R. Kesti]

Paul Stamler wrote:

>Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
>suppose, a one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather the builders of my kit
>did. It came with a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with the cat's
>whisker.

My introduction to electronics was a radio kit that used a 1N34 and was
tuned with a ferrite rod in a pre-wound coil. I guess it wasn't quite a
crystal set but it didn't use a battery or line power.

> That thing brought in the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.

After building the kit and stringing a long wire antenna, complete with
lightning arrestor and everything, I listened to a local semi-pro hockey
game that was happening at the arena three blocks from my house and braodcast
by WDMJ. This was probably in 1962. I never could receive WLS with the
kit, though, so I was soon back to my Philco 5-tube, hot chassis table radio.
I wonder what happened to that great old radio!

I own a 1930 Majestic Model 90 that selected from an attic full of its kind
when my maternal grandparenets died. I haven't powered it up in 20 years but
it did work the last time I tried. It's a beautiful piece of furniture!

--
================================================== ======================
Michael Kesti | "And like, one and one don't make
| two, one and one make one."
| - The Who, Bargain

[hank alrich]

Carlos Alden wrote:

> Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
> figured crystal was crystal.

<j>

And then along came Billy.

</j>

--
ha

[hank alrich]

Carlos Alden wrote:

> Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
> figured crystal was crystal.

<j>

And then along came Billy.

</j>

--
ha

[hank alrich]

Paul Stamler wrote:

> Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
> suppose, a one-tube radio.)

There's an idea for Aphex's next affordable tube pre.

--
ha

[hank alrich]

Paul Stamler wrote:

> Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a toilet paper tube. (Making it, I
> suppose, a one-tube radio.)

There's an idea for Aphex's next affordable tube pre.

--
ha

[Ben Bradley]

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:24:48 -0700, Carlos Alden >
wrote:

>in article , Don Pearce at
wrote on 9/18/04 10:01 AM:
>
>> You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
>> insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).
>>
>> d
>> Pearce Consulting
>> http://www.pearce.uk.com
>
>Don:
>
>Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
>figured crystal was crystal.

I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

>But I also remember simply taking the plastic case off my radio, and
>watching the tubes glow and seeing the tuning plates turn, and being
>absolutely entranced at listening to far-away cities in the dark of night,
>while watching that dim orange glow, when my lights were supposed to be off.
>It was back in a time when America had regional accents and cultures, and a

It did the last time I was Up North...

>station from Denver was vastly different from the station from New Orleans,

Oh, you mean on the radio.

>as was the one from Kansas City.
>
>Carlos

-----
http://mindspring.com/~benbradley

[Ben Bradley]

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:24:48 -0700, Carlos Alden >
wrote:

>in article , Don Pearce at
wrote on 9/18/04 10:01 AM:
>
>> You wouldn't get much joy out of a quartz crystal - it is an
>> insulator. The crystal in a crystal set is Galena (lead sulphide).
>>
>> d
>> Pearce Consulting
>> http://www.pearce.uk.com
>
>Don:
>
>Thanks for the correction. What did I know when I was 8 years old? I
>figured crystal was crystal.

I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

>But I also remember simply taking the plastic case off my radio, and
>watching the tubes glow and seeing the tuning plates turn, and being
>absolutely entranced at listening to far-away cities in the dark of night,
>while watching that dim orange glow, when my lights were supposed to be off.
>It was back in a time when America had regional accents and cultures, and a

It did the last time I was Up North...

>station from Denver was vastly different from the station from New Orleans,

Oh, you mean on the radio.

>as was the one from Kansas City.
>
>Carlos

-----
http://mindspring.com/~benbradley

[Chris Hornbeck]

On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 03:08:49 GMT, Ben Bradley
> wrote:

> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
>used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
>saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
>galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

It's better if you dig your own.

But seriously-ish, do galena crystals have lower thresholds than
diodes made from flowers (Geraniums) or caulking (Silicone)?

Chris Hornbeck
"Of everything other than thought, there can be no history"
- R.G. Collingwood _The Idea of History_

[Chris Hornbeck]

On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 03:08:49 GMT, Ben Bradley
> wrote:

> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
>used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
>saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
>galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

It's better if you dig your own.

But seriously-ish, do galena crystals have lower thresholds than
diodes made from flowers (Geraniums) or caulking (Silicone)?

Chris Hornbeck
"Of everything other than thought, there can be no history"
- R.G. Collingwood _The Idea of History_

[S O'Neill]

Chris Hornbeck wrote:

> On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 03:08:49 GMT, Ben Bradley
> > wrote:
>
>
>> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
>>used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
>>saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
>>galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...
>
>
> It's better if you dig your own.
>
> But seriously-ish, do galena crystals have lower thresholds than
> diodes made from flowers (Geraniums) or caulking (Silicone)?


Yes, that's why they're better. But you have to fish for the best spot
on the crystal with the catwhisker. The 1N34 is much more convenient,
if you only care about getting 1 station.

[S O'Neill]

Chris Hornbeck wrote:

> On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 03:08:49 GMT, Ben Bradley
> > wrote:
>
>
>> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
>>used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
>>saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
>>galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...
>
>
> It's better if you dig your own.
>
> But seriously-ish, do galena crystals have lower thresholds than
> diodes made from flowers (Geraniums) or caulking (Silicone)?


Yes, that's why they're better. But you have to fish for the best spot
on the crystal with the catwhisker. The 1N34 is much more convenient,
if you only care about getting 1 station.

[Kurt Albershardt]

S O'Neill wrote:
>
> I had a few of the galena xtal sets, and my dad and I build the little
> Heathkit that had a 1N34. The galena was more sensitive, and sounded
> more "vintage".

Seems no shortage of interest in them these days
<http://www.midnightscience.com/catalog5.html>
<http://www.crystalrad.com/>
<http://members.aol.com/scottswim/index.html>
<http://www.xtalman.com/>

[Kurt Albershardt]

S O'Neill wrote:
>
> I had a few of the galena xtal sets, and my dad and I build the little
> Heathkit that had a 1N34. The galena was more sensitive, and sounded
> more "vintage".

Seems no shortage of interest in them these days
<http://www.midnightscience.com/catalog5.html>
<http://www.crystalrad.com/>
<http://members.aol.com/scottswim/index.html>
<http://www.xtalman.com/>

[Lumpy]

Carlos Alden wrote:
> > I remember in the early sixties
> > almost every boy had a
> > crystal set they built for fun.

Paul Stamler wrote:
> Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a
> toilet paper tube. (Making it, I suppose, a
> one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather
> the builders of my kit did. It came with
> a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with
> the cat's whisker. That thing brought in
> the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.

Mine too, was a 1N34 with TP coil. At the
top end of the AM band you could pick up
the LAPD police calls in the 60's.

Lumpy
--
In Your Ears for 40 Years
http://www.lumpymusic.com

[Lumpy]

Carlos Alden wrote:
> > I remember in the early sixties
> > almost every boy had a
> > crystal set they built for fun.

Paul Stamler wrote:
> Me too, but I think the coil was wound on a
> toilet paper tube. (Making it, I suppose, a
> one-tube radio.) I cheated -- or rather
> the builders of my kit did. It came with
> a 1N34 diode, so I didn't need to mess with
> the cat's whisker. That thing brought in
> the White Sox games on WCFL very nicely.

Mine too, was a 1N34 with TP coil. At the
top end of the AM band you could pick up
the LAPD police calls in the 60's.

Lumpy
--
In Your Ears for 40 Years
http://www.lumpymusic.com

[Scott Dorsey]

Ben Bradley > wrote:
>
> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
>used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
>saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
>galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

Edmund Scientific carries them. Also places that sell rocks tend to have
galena around... I know the Luray Caverns gift shop does because I bought
a piece there and never did get around to trying it.

You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
oxide rectifier.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

Ben Bradley > wrote:
>
> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
>used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
>saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
>galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

Edmund Scientific carries them. Also places that sell rocks tend to have
galena around... I know the Luray Caverns gift shop does because I bought
a piece there and never did get around to trying it.

You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
oxide rectifier.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
> used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
> saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
> galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

I think I got my first one from an ad in the back of Popular Science
magazine. I doubt you could get one today anywhere than from a
collector. The crystal was mounted in a lump of lead which was just
the right size to pop into your mouth. They don't let kids (or adults
for that matter) have toys like that any more.

However, eBay comes through again - http://tinyurl.com/437vv

And of course someone has a web page - http://www.crystalrad.com/

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
> used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
> saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
> galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

I think I got my first one from an ad in the back of Popular Science
magazine. I doubt you could get one today anywhere than from a
collector. The crystal was mounted in a lump of lead which was just
the right size to pop into your mouth. They don't let kids (or adults
for that matter) have toys like that any more.

However, eBay comes through again - http://tinyurl.com/437vv

And of course someone has a web page - http://www.crystalrad.com/

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Paul Stamler]

> In article >
writes:
>
> > I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
> > used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
> > saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
> > galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

Antique Electronic Supply does. They have a whole spread in their catalog
devoted to crystal radio kits and parts, including a crystal stand with
cat's whisker, a short-wave crystal set, a hi-fi crystal set (intended to be
plugged into your stereo), and several beginners' and experimenters' kits.
And of course a galena crystal.

Peace,
Paul

[Paul Stamler]

> In article >
writes:
>
> > I must have missed something, all the "crystal" sets I made or saw
> > used a pre-made diode such as a 1N34. I read about galena crystaks,
> > saw drawings in books, but never saw one. Where could you get the
> > galena crystal? I don't suppose Digikey carries it...

Antique Electronic Supply does. They have a whole spread in their catalog
devoted to crystal radio kits and parts, including a crystal stand with
cat's whisker, a short-wave crystal set, a hi-fi crystal set (intended to be
plugged into your stereo), and several beginners' and experimenters' kits.
And of course a galena crystal.

Peace,
Paul

[John Cafarella]

Kurt Albershardt > wrote in message >...
> Carlos Alden wrote:
>
> > in article , RD Jones at
> > wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:
> >
> >> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
> >> pocket Transistor radio.
> >>
> >> RD (1st class FCC)
> >
> >
> > I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> > built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
> > "cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
> > spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.
>
>
> Wrong mineral, but otherwise fits my memories of the late '60s - early '70s just perfectly. Wound the coil on an oatmeal box and sanded off the varnish across one strip where the tuning wiper made contact. Design matched the ones in my Dad's schoolbooks from the '30s, BTW.

Valve radios make rather nice low power guitar amps. I remember
getting a very nice tone out of one with an oval speaker, 4" x 6"
IIRC...

John Cafarella
EOR Studio
Melbourne Australia
(Not a Phil Phan)

[John Cafarella]

Kurt Albershardt > wrote in message >...
> Carlos Alden wrote:
>
> > in article , RD Jones at
> > wrote on 9/18/04 3:17 AM:
> >
> >> I grow up in the 60's when you were cool if you had a
> >> pocket Transistor radio.
> >>
> >> RD (1st class FCC)
> >
> >
> > I remember in the early sixties almost every boy had a crystal set they
> > built for fun. Remember that project? You'd tune it by moving a
> > "cat-whisker" wire around a lump of quartz crystal, touching it in different
> > spots. I think it was even a Cub Scout merit badge.
>
>
> Wrong mineral, but otherwise fits my memories of the late '60s - early '70s just perfectly. Wound the coil on an oatmeal box and sanded off the varnish across one strip where the tuning wiper made contact. Design matched the ones in my Dad's schoolbooks from the '30s, BTW.

Valve radios make rather nice low power guitar amps. I remember
getting a very nice tone out of one with an oval speaker, 4" x 6"
IIRC...

John Cafarella
EOR Studio
Melbourne Australia
(Not a Phil Phan)

[ChuxGarage]

>You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
>contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
>oxide rectifie

I recall a Boy Scout (maybe cub Scout) radio project that used an old razor
blade, a pencil lead and a safety pin to make a diode.

It didn't work very well. A 1N34 was a huge improvement.

[ChuxGarage]

>You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
>contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
>oxide rectifie

I recall a Boy Scout (maybe cub Scout) radio project that used an old razor
blade, a pencil lead and a safety pin to make a diode.

It didn't work very well. A 1N34 was a huge improvement.

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
> contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
> oxide rectifier.

Mercury amalgam filled teeth, too.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
> contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
> oxide rectifier.

Mercury amalgam filled teeth, too.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[david gourley]

(ChuxGarage)
:

>>You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
>>contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
>>oxide rectifie
>
> I recall a Boy Scout (maybe cub Scout) radio project that used an old
> razor blade, a pencil lead and a safety pin to make a diode.
>
> It didn't work very well. A 1N34 was a huge improvement.


No cat whiskers ?

david

[david gourley]

(ChuxGarage)
:

>>You can also use corroded solder joints to make a very accurate point
>>contact diode. Also badly oxidized copper will work to make a copper
>>oxide rectifie
>
> I recall a Boy Scout (maybe cub Scout) radio project that used an old
> razor blade, a pencil lead and a safety pin to make a diode.
>
> It didn't work very well. A 1N34 was a huge improvement.


No cat whiskers ?

david