crystal radio DXing

[WA8ZTZ]

Built a crystal radio a few years ago and never did much with it. Even though my ears are pretty good for an old guy, the tiny earpiece provided very little audio and was annoying to use.

However, recently got the set out of storage and added a Velleman K7000 signal tracer kit as an audio amp. Now a purist may be appalled at this but it makes for a much more comfortable listening experience. The best part is that formerly barely audible signals can now be heard loud enough to drive a speaker. Much to my amazement, many of these signals are DX. For example, the following stations were heard here recently at my QTH north of Detroit:

WLW 700 Cincinnati OH
WGN 720 Chicago IL
WMVP 1000 Chicago IL
KDKA 1020 Pittsburg PA
WBZ 1030 Boston MA
WHO 1040 Des Moines IA
KYW 1060 Philadelphia PA
WTAM 1100 Cleveland OH
KMOX 1120 St. Louis MO
WRVA 1140 Richmond VA
WHAM 1180 Rochester NY
WCKY 1530 Cincinnati OH

Also at least a dozen locals can be heard anytime day or night.

This of course is a rather unconventional topic but does anyone else do any listening with a crystal set?

 

[majoco]

Umpteen years ago my first radio was a crystal set - the headphones were a pair of war surplus S.G.Brown Type "F" high impedance - they worked really well. A ham neighbour added another coil with a switch to tune the 49metre band which was jumping during the early 50's - the cold war was on - Radio Free Europe, lots of Radio Moscow and the American stations in Berlin, the BBC were doing some discrete propaganda too. I used to wake up in the middle of the night to find that Radio Luxembourg had signed off and all I had was a loud hiss and very sore ears!

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Umpteen years ago my first radio was a crystal set - the headphones were a pair of war surplus S.G.Brown Type "F" high impedance - they worked really well. A ham neighbour added another coil with a switch to tune the 49metre band which was jumping during the early 50's - the cold war was on - Radio Free Europe, lots of Radio Moscow and the American stations in Berlin, the BBC were doing some discrete propaganda too. I used to wake up in the middle of the night to find that Radio Luxembourg had signed off and all I had was a loud hiss and very sore ears!

That's cool, never thought that would be possible with a crystal set.

 

[spongella]

Great info on your xtal radio DX'ing. Nice catches! Those simple radios can be loads of fun. Mom bought me one back in the late 50's, a crystal radio in the form of a rocket ship. I remember listening to WCBS, the first station heard when I attached the alligator clip to the water meter in the basement hi hi.

Built one from scratch years ago but nothing lately here at the shack. Having an audio amp helps.

Popular Mechanics once had a DIY "Foxhole" radio, made with an old double-edged razor blade and a pencil lead. You rubbed the blade with the lead to receive stations. Didn't work for me though, but fun to assemble.

I think Remco made the "Tiny Tim" crystal radio - remember those?

Thanks for the great post.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Great info on your xtal radio DX'ing. Nice catches! Those simple radios can be loads of fun. Mom bought me one back in the late 50's, a crystal radio in the form of a rocket ship. I remember listening to WCBS, the first station heard when I attached the alligator clip to the water meter in the basement hi hi.

Built one from scratch years ago but nothing lately here at the shack. Having an audio amp helps.

Popular Mechanics once had a DIY "Foxhole" radio, made with an old double-edged razor blade and a pencil lead. You rubbed the blade with the lead to receive stations. Didn't work for me though, but fun to assemble.

I think Remco made the "Tiny Tim" crystal radio - remember those?

Thanks for the great post.

Sounds like some good memories from your radio past.

Built a "foxhole radio" as a kid and it actually worked. Had to move the pencil lead around on the razor blade to find the exact right spot.

Also had the "Tiny Tim"... had a folding antenna and an alligator clip for a ground. Ran around the house clipping to grounded metal things in search for the perfect ground. QTH was in Detroit at the time only a mile or so from WWJ AM 950, it came in loud and clear and pretty much covered everything else.

Had a couple of other Remco sets that were a little more selective and could also receive WXYZ AM 1270 for the rock n' roll or WKMH AM 1310 with George Kell and Ernie Harwell for the Detroit Tigers play by play.

 

[majoco]

The NZ Vintage Radio Society run a 'Best Crystal Set' competition every year. I'm not a member but you can google for it. They look for best performance, circuit design and construction - some of them look really good and must perform well too.

Here's some info from Ottawa...

http://www.ottawaelectronicsclub.or...stal_Radios_for_electronics_club_v2_hires.pdf

 

[WA8ZTZ]

The NZ Vintage Radio Society run a 'Best Crystal Set' competition every year. I'm not a member but you can google for it. They look for best performance, circuit design and construction - some of them look really good and must perform well too.

Here's some info from Ottawa...

http://www.ottawaelectronicsclub.or...stal_Radios_for_electronics_club_v2_hires.pdf

Martin,
tnx for the link... some good stuff there !

 

[a29zuk]

Back in the 70's I had one of those Radio Shack 65 in 1 projects kit. One of the projects was a crystal set using the ferrite rod antenna, the variable capacitor, the diode, and a single earphone.
I could pick up all of the local stations during the daytime. One day I added the long wire antenna(about 35' long) used for my DX-160 and I was able to pick up WJR out of Detroit.
But looking back now, I don't ever remember trying it at night to do any DXing with it.
I may have to build one again to see!

Now I just found this: https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com/product/crystal-radio-kit-1

Jim

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Jim,

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