'Gibson Girl' Crystal Radio

This series-tuned crystal radio was built using parts salvaged from a vintage / battered SCR - 578 lifeboat radio (popularly referred to as 'Gibson Girl').

The SCR - 578
It consists of a baseplate, antenna tuning coil, antenna tuning capacitor and terminal strip modified to suit.

'Gibson Girl' Crystal Radio
The only part required to be fished out from the junk box was a Schottky diode SB 860. It was mounted underneath the terminal strip.

'Gibson Girl' Crystal Radio - Schematic
The local 612 kHz, 200 kW AM broadcast station comes in real loud with a 60' wire antenna and balanced-armature phones. Headphone current, measured using a 1mA FSD 60 Ω meter, is 750 μA.

Related post: Series-tuned Ferrite Loopstick Crystal Radio
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Loop Antenna Crystal Radio

A loop antenna crystal radio is of interest on account of its selectivity and portability. But, with respect to signal strength, it is no match for a crystal radio using an external vertical wire antenna and earth.

If signal strength could be considerably improved with increased loop size, then its portability would be compromised.

It may be configured as parallel-tuned or series-tuned.

1. Parallel-tuned version 

Parallel-tuned Loop Antenna Crystal Radio
2. Series-tuned version

Series-tuned Loop Antenna Crystal Radio
The loop antenna was rigged up using a 4-legged stool as a makeshift frame. The stool was laid on its side on the table, making it convenient to wind the loop on its legs.

4-legged stool as Loop Antenna frame
Both the versions were tested with the loop oriented end-on towards the local 612 kHz, 200 kW AM broadcast station.

Signal strength was the same with both, though a far cry from another crystal radio using a vertical wire antenna and earth.

Related post: Another Loop Antenna Crystal Radio
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Current-operated 'S' Meter for a Crystal Radio

An 'S' meter, for a crystal radio with high-impedance phones, is generally a high-resistance microammeter connected across the phones. In other words, a sensitive voltmeter that does not bypass headphone current significantly.

Crystal Radio 'S' Meter
On the other hand, for a crystal radio with low-impedance phones, it's a low resistance microammeter connected in series with the phones. That is, a sensitive ammeter that does not drop headphone current significantly.

A voltmeter, discovered in my junk box, was used to build such a meter for my crystal radio which uses low-impedance balanced-armature phones.

Crystal Radio 'S' Meter - Schematic
On removing its series and shunt resistors, the resistance of the 1 mA FSD movement turned out to be only 60 Ω and hence quite suitable for the purpose. The existing graduations on the meter face were removed and replaced with graduations 0 -10 using a lead pencil.

The meter was already mounted on a square bakelite flange. The flange mounting holes served as terminal mounting holes, obviating the need for an enclosure.

The result - an interesting weekend project and a handy crystal radio test aid.

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UHF Crystal Radio

A crystal radio was wired up to check for reception of VHF/UHF signals in the vicinity of the shack.

VHF / UHF Crystal Radio - Schematic
Using a gold bonded Germanium diode 1N65, a 500 mm whip antenna and balanced-armature phones, no signals were audible either in the shack or on the shack roof.

However, using a 250 mm whip, a weak digital signal was detected while moving on the shack roof. Position on the roof and direction in which the whip was pointed were quite critical.

It was presumed that the signals were from a nearby cellphone tower.

A 3 Element Yagi Beam for 33 cm was made using a broken snare drum stick for the boom and 20 SWG bare copper wire for the elements.

UHF Yagi Beam Crystal Radio  - Schematic
The coil was wound integral with the driven element. 

UHF Yagi Beam Crystal Radio
With this setup a higher signal strength was obtained.

A second Yagi Beam was then rigged up, with another diode providing the return path for the audio, instead of the coil.

UHF Yagi Beam Crystal Radio
with additional diode - Schematic
The signal strength was not as good. During trials, a chance shorting of  the first diode gave a considerable increase in signal strength.

Single-diode UHF Yagi Beam
Crystal Radio - Schematic
The diode and capacitor were hence discarded. Performance of this single-diode UHF crystal radio is quite good.
Single-diode UHF Yagi Beam Crystal Radio
A folded dipole version, mounted on a terminal block, followed.

UHF Folded Dipole Crystal Radio - Schematic
It obviated the need for a coil / additional diode and worked quite well too.

UHF Folded Dipole Crystal Radio
The terminal block arrangement made it convenient to replace the folded dipole with a full wave loop.
UHF Full Wave Loop Crystal Radio
Likewise with an AWX antenna.

UHF AWX Antenna Crystal Radio
Results were as good as with the folded dipole.

Related post: Minimalist UHF Crystal Radio
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Series-tuned Ferrite Loopstick Crystal Radio

This series-tuned crystal radio is housed in a plastic pencil box.

Series-tuned Ferrite Loopstick 
Crystal Radio
It has 2 windings of 30 SWG enamelled copper wire on a 6" long, 3/8 " diameter ferrite rod. The primary has 10 turns and the secondary 90, both close-wound.

Series-tuned Ferrite Loopstick
Crystal Radio - schematic
The primary series-tuned circuit, which includes the 200μH moulded inductor, the 3600 pf capacitor and the capacitance of the 60' wire antenna, is resonant at 612 kHz (the frequency of the local 200 kW station, located 20km away). The secondary is also series-tuned using a 500pf PVC variable capacitor. The detector, a germanium transistor with its base and emitter connected, shunt-feeds sensitive balanced-armature phones. Reception of the local station is quite good, with a headphone current of 625 μA (measured using a 1mA FSD 60 Ω meter).

Series-tuned Ferrite Loopstick
Crystal Radio - inside view
Reception is as good without an external antenna and earth, when the radio is held close to a CATV cable running over the shack and working as a passive radiator. Signal strength is maximum when the ferrite rod is laterally oriented with respect to it (with headphone current measuring around 350 μA).

This radio also works quite well, even up to 5 km away from the transmitter, unaided by external antennas, earth and passive radiators.

Related post: Series-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio
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Another Parallel-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio

A 7" long, 2" diameter PVC pipe doubles as coil former and enclosure for this crystal radio. A couple of white plastic cosmetic jar covers serve as the end caps.

Parallel-tuned Air-core Coil 
Crystal Radio
The coil is (280 + 40) turns of 30 SWG enamelled copper wire, close-wound as shown. The PVC variable capacitor is mounted on one of the end caps.

The OA79 diode feeds a pair of sensitive balanced-armature phones.

Parallel-tuned Air-core Coil
Crystal Radio - Schematic
Using a wire antenna 60' long, reception of the 612 kHz - 200 kW local AM broadcast station is quite good. Headphone current, measured using a 1mA FSD 60 Ω meter, is 350 μA.

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Makeshift Crystal Radio Output Transformer

This project was part of my initial attempts at homebrewing an output transformer for my  'Loudspeaker Crystal Radio'.

An air-core crossover network inductor and a ferrite-core one (from the junk box) appeared suitable as the primary and secondary windings of the transformer.

An Air-core & a Ferrite Core Crossover Inductor
The large number of turns of the air-core inductor as primary and the small number of the ferrite one as secondary would give a step-down ratio. With luck, the open ferrite core would enable reasonable coupling.

 Simple coupling of the two inductors
Testing was simple, with the air-core inductor hooked up to the crystal radio and the ferrite-core one (placed within) connected  to the speaker.

The result was encouraging enough for further attempts which culminated in a proper 'Crystal Radio Output Transformer'.
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Crystal Radio Output Transformer

The large size of the power transformer, used as an output transformer for my 'Loudspeaker 
Crystal Radio', was good enough reason to attempt homebrewing a relatively small one.

A search through the junk box yielded a 47mm diameter, Siemens N22 pot core set.

Pot Core used for Crystal Radio Output Transformer
Winding was for an autotransformer, having 500 turns of 30 SWG enamelled copper wire (the maximum number that could be accommodated), with output taps at 50 and 100 turns.


Crystal Radio Output Transformer - winding scheme
The 50-turn tap was to match the existing 3 Ω speaker and the100-turn one a provision for speakers of higher impedance.

A small PCB, also from the junk box, provided termination points for the winding.

Crystal Radio Output Transformer- inside view
A couple of reworked white plastic cosmetic jar bodies lent themselves as enclosure halves.

Crystal Radio Output Transformer
Tests indicated that, inspite of its small size, the output transformer's performance is comparable, though not equal, to that of the power transformer.

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Colourful Parallel-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio

This is the colourful version of my 'Parallel-tuned Air Core Coil Crystal Radio'.

Colourful Crystal Radio
The coil is 75turns of hook-up wire, close-wound on a 2 ⅝" diameter plastic bottle, with a tap at 35 turns.

The 35 turn primary series-tunes the capacitive 60' wire antenna to resonance at 612kHz (frequency of the lone 200kW local AM broadcast station). The secondary is parallel-tuned using a 500+500 pF PVC gang condenser.

Colourful Crystal Radio - Schematic
The plastic bottle serves as the coil former cum enclosure. A screw-type terminal strip is used to connect antenna, earth and headphones.

Reception, using sensitive balanced-armature headphones, is quite good. Headphone current, measured using a 1mA FSD 60 Ω meter, is 400 μA.

Related post: Parallel-tuned Ferrite Toroid Crystal Radio
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Parallel-tuned Ferrite Toroid Crystal Radio

This is the toroid coil variant of my 'Ferrite Loopstick Crystal Radio'.

Parallel-tuned Ferrite Toroid Crystal Radio
A ferrite toroid, measuring OD 16.5mm, ID 10.5mm and H 10.5mm, is used. The coil is 25 turns of hook-up wire with a tap at 5 turns. On the primary side, a 200μH moulded inductor series-tunes the capacitive 60' long wire antenna to resonance at 612kHz (frequency of the lone 200kW local AM broadcast station). The secondary is parallel-tuned using a PVC gang condenser.

Parallel-tuned Ferrite Toroid Crystal Radio - Schematic
A small plastic trinket box serves as the enclosure. A screw-type terminal strip is used to connect antenna, earth and headphones.

Rear of Crystal Radio with Ferrite Toroid Coil
Reception, using sensitive balanced-armature headphones, is quite good. Headphone current, measured using a 1mA FSD 60 Ω meter, is 275 μA.

Related post: Parallel-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio
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