Thursday, April 17, 2008

Crystal radio sets


I simply cannot resit old radio products. I doubt if you will hear "Hen-reeee! Henry Aldrich!" or "Once again, your neighborhood Blue Coal dealer brings you the thrilling adventures of the Shadow, the hard and relentless fight of one man against the forces of evil. These dramatizations are designed to demonstrate forcefully to old and young alike that crime does not pay" or "Countdown for blast-off. X Minus 5, 4, 3, 2, X Minus 1, Fire. From the far horizons of the unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future. Adventures in which you will live in a million could-be years on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Corporation in cooperation with (Galaxy Magazine, then Astounding Science Fiction) presents . . . . X Minus One."

Not all new things in radio reception are good for there is keen and nostalgic interest in the old crystal radio. No expanded band reception or stereophonic sound--not even HD broadcasting. But yet, there is something soothing about these old devices [that can be made from no purchased items] that can bind one to the electromagnet spectrum. Some can even be modified to receive FM and shortwave transmissions.



RADIO-TOULOUSE
ca. 1924

Philmore LITTLE WONDER
ca. 1950's



Radio ACE Vintage Radio Kit

Promotion copy:

Build a nostalgic radio with a real vacuum tube and explore the airwaves as they did in the 1930’s! Historic technology comes to life again with 30 engaging experiments. Assembling this radio is a fun project for radiomen, tinkers and gadget-buffs of all ages. Once your radio is up and running, hunting for radio transmissions becomes a fun challenge. While learning how the radio works, you will discover the fundamental parts of electrical circuits.

The radio is pre-wired for easy assembly. Users need only to plug in the various components, attach an antenna and a ground wire, and make tuning adjustments to get the radio working. The wooden base is beautifully finished with a polished cherry stain and golden labels for an authentic look. The vacuum tube glows with a soft orange glow when you are using it!

Instructions, experiments and additional configurations for the radio are described in the 32-page full-color experiment manual. A double triode allows for experiments with different circuits. Just switch the coils to tap into different wave bands: one coil for AM frequencies and one for shortwave.

Transport yourself back to the early days of radio, and become a real Radio Ace!

32-page Manual - 30 Experiments


Places to visit and instructions on building a crystal radio set:


Practical Wireless Telegraphy: A Complete Text Book for Students of Radio Communication [1917] by, Elmer Eustice Bucher




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