Simple Crystal Radio

This is a simple crystal radio that I built to help me understand more about Dr. Stiffler's SEC Exciter. This radio is powered only by the airborne signal from a strong radio station. It is the most basic of radio designs. The one that I show here has an added small amplifier so that you can hear the station without using a earphone. Dr. Stiffler's PSEC does not use a radio signal for power but operates in a much different fashion. The device that I show here was only built as a learning tool but it was also great fun to revisit something that I worked with when I was very young.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• electronics
• energy

[Khwartz]

Here you do have energy thief! ;)

[Lidmotor]

@Khwartz -------Well put-------This is the true "Joule Theif". Energy from thin air.

[jonnydavro]

Happy new year Lidmotor to you and your family.Jonny.

[Lidmotor]

@jonnydavro ------Happy New Year Jonny!!! Lets all hope for a good one.

[slider2732]

I particularly like the use of the L3 :)

One route forward, may be to work with the radio stations, in an audible environment..such that we can hear our tunings as we change stuff toward PSEC type devices.

[Lidmotor]

@slider2732 --- Lot of things to try. Dr. Stiffler posted a video a long time ago where he used a radio to listen to one his circuits. I can't remember the details though.

[mrnewagemotor]

I could never figure out while my crystal radio I built when I was a kid wouldn't work. I forgot the carbon rod in the coil ! Thinking about it now - I can't believe I did that.

[THEGOLDSBS]

Can I discuss working with u on this or help guide some direction ?

[Magneticitist]

i was lucky enough to get one of those crystal radio kits when i was a kid. very fascinating and cool, though not everyone thought so =) had no idea what was going on then but definitely feel inspired to learn. i read that soldiers in ww2 were able to create makeshift radios from rusted razorblades and turns of wire around a bottle for tuning, so cool! as always thanks for the vid lid

[Khwartz]

@Lidmotor Thanks! And here is an idea:

Why not having on 1 coil, multiples takes to get multiples frequency, but all as an harmonic of the other, that you could amplify each harmonics and get max of power. would need of course these frequencies in phase, otherwise it would be only noise. What do You think Lidmotor? and why you don't provide the specifications of your own circuit for replication? :/

[KyleCarrington]

@Lidmotor Interesting. I guess you are saying the circuit is so simple, that, in fact, everything in it.. dictates the rang.. makes sense really, nd what little variance you have in the capacitance and inductance will give it a bit of range as opposed to a single fixed frequency. I'm going to have to build one too. I actually took off in my camper for the weekend :) it was about 30 degrees out. Quite cozy in the camper though.

[Lidmotor]

@KyleCarrington ------Good question. I don't know. All that I ampicking up on mine are strong AM stations. This simple tank circuit and antenna must dictate the frequencies that are picked up. The weather down here is very nice right now but we have had fog where I live and gets really cold at night. It goes down to about 50 degrees----burrrrr. I had to put socks on. I don't think that I would do well up in Canada.

[Lidmotor]

@mikrovolt1 ------Yes. I agree. It is such a simple device but there is quite a history on it and thousands have been made. They come in all shapes and sizes. The "Fox Hole" crystal radio is perhaps one of the most well known.