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Building A Crystal Radio

This document provides instructions for building a crystal radio. It begins with some background on crystal radios, explaining that they require no power source and instead run on radio waves received by an antenna. It then details the components of a crystal radio, including a coil, variable capacitor, diode detector, and earphones. The document provides a schematic diagram and steps for assembling the radio. It concludes by explaining how to connect an antenna and adjust the variable capacitor to receive AM radio signals with the completed crystal radio.

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Nicolas Trusca
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240 views11 pages

Building A Crystal Radio

This document provides instructions for building a crystal radio. It begins with some background on crystal radios, explaining that they require no power source and instead run on radio waves received by an antenna. It then details the components of a crystal radio, including a coil, variable capacitor, diode detector, and earphones. The document provides a schematic diagram and steps for assembling the radio. It concludes by explaining how to connect an antenna and adjust the variable capacitor to receive AM radio signals with the completed crystal radio.

Uploaded by

Nicolas Trusca
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Building a Crystal Radio

Mountain View Elementary School


Broomfield, Colorado
January 27, 2011

David Farrell farrelldj@q.com

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
100 years ago families listened to the radio with
their prized crystal radio sets.

[source: Wikipedia]
Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.
https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
What is a crystal Radio?

A crystal radio receiver, also called a crystal set or cat's


whisker receiver, is a very simple radio receiver, popular
in the early days of radio. It needs no battery or power
source and runs on the power received from radio waves
by a long wire antenna. It gets its name from its most
important component, known as a crystal detector,
originally made with a piece of crystalline mineral such
as galena. This component is now called a diode.
[source: Wikipedia]

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
Cat’s Whisker Detector

Diode

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
Schematic Diagram of the Radio

[ Source: Scott Lowe]

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
AM radio signal demodulation

A. The Amplitude Modulated


carrier is tuned in by the coil
and variable capacitor.

B. The signal is rectified


(detected) by the diode.

C. The carrier is filtered out and


removed by the other
capacitor leaving the audio
signal.

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
What can be used as an antenna?
• Long wire
• Wire fence
• Large metal object, like a bike rack
• Water pipe
• Furnace duct
• Use your imagination…
• Never use an outlet, battery or other power source as
an antenna
• Never use this radio during an electrical storm

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
The radio components

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
Steps
1. Wrap the bottom coil wire on screw 5
2. Wrap the middle coil wire on screw 4
3. Wrap the top coil wire on screw 3
4. Wrap the top variable capacitor wire on screw 3
5. Wrap the middle variable capacitor wire on screw 5
6. Wrap the band side of the diode on screw 2
7. Wrap the other side of the diode on screw 3
8. Wrap the copper wire from screw 5 to screw 1
9. Wrap the capacitor leads between screws 1 and 2
10. Wrap the resistor leads between screws 1 and 2
11. Wrap one earphone lead on screw 1 and the other on 2

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
Using the radio
• Connect an alligator clip to the bare wire on screw
4
• Connect the other end of the alligator clip to the
antenna and listen with the earphone
• Adjust the variable capacitor to improve the
reception
• Optional- use a clip to connect a ground to the
copper wire (screw 5)

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com
Thank you and have fun listening!

Mike's Electronic Parts, LLC.


https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com

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