How do crystal radios work? What’s the most rudimentary way a human could build one from scratch?
In: Technology
They work by using the radio waves themselves as the power source. The crystal is used as a diode to rectify it. A tunable coil/capacitor let you pick what radio station you’re listening to. Output power is very low, because there’s no amplification.
The simplest version is probably a foxhole radio. Though if you intend to use it regularly, you may want something a bit more complex.
A great book on the topic of building radio components from scratch is “The Voice of the Crystal.”
“How To Build Working Radio Receiver Components Entirely From Scratch
In early 2000, I published my first book, entitled The Voice Of The Crystal, (or VOTC for short.) VOTC is a hands-on guide to building radio equipment from scratch. By “scratch,” I don’t mean store-bought components. Rather, this book describes the basic theory and construction of equipment from virtual garbage, i.e., hanks of wire, bits of metal, a magnet, a chunk of fool’s gold, a shoe polish tin, a cigarette lighter, etc.
The construction process is a lot of fun, and the end results are quite beautiful. This link will take you to the official web page of the VOTC, where you’ll find descriptive text, photos, critical reviews, and ordering information.”
https://hpfriedrichs.com/mybooks/votc/bks-votc.htm
You should be able to find a copy in a nearby library
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