Minimalist UHF Crystal Radio

Here's the schematic of the minimalist version of my 'UHF Crystal Radio'.

Minimalist UHF Crystal Radio - Schematic
It was wired on a terminal block.

Using this simple setup, digital signals from the nearby cellphone tower were received on the shack roof.

Related post: Some thoughts on UHF Crystal Radios
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Compact Loudspeaker Crystal Radio

This is the compact version of my 'Loudspeaker Crystal Radio'.

Compact Loudspeaker Crystal Radio
Trials on a number of assorted audio transformers, from the junk box, were not in vain. A push-pull output transformer, intended for a 1 W germanium transistor audio amplifier, gave excellent results.

Compact Loudspeaker Crystal Radio - Schematic
The centre-tap on the primary is not used.

A discarded blister pack serves as the base.

In spite of its small size, performance is as good as that of its counterpart.

My 'Homebrew Horn Speaker' and 60' wire antenna offer the perfect match for this crystal radio.

Related post: Alternative Detector for a Shunt-fed Crystal Radio
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Makeshift Piezo Earphones

A makeshift piezo earphone arrangement comprises a stethoscope and a piezo transducer.

Stethoscope
The sound emanating from the transducer is captured by the bell of the stethoscope, held against its face.

Piezo Transducer
This arrangement was recently used to figure out how to interface a piezo earpiece with a crystal radio. The transducer, a 1¾" telephone ringer, was salvaged from the junk box.
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Series-tuned Moulded Inductor Crystal Radio

'A Series-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio' and 'Another Series-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio'  have been made simple by the use of moulded inductors instead of hand-wound coils.

Series-tuned Moulded Inductor Crystal Radio
This makes it possible to use a compact plastic cosmetic jar as a housing.

Moulded Inductor
There is no difference between the two with respect to performance. 

Series-tuned Moulded Inductor 
Crystal Radio - Schematic
Another Series-tuned Moulded
Inductor 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 625 μA.

The performance of a parallel-tuned version is also quite good with a headphone current of 300 μA.

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

This is the air-core coil version of my 'series-tuned crystal radio with alternative detector'.

Series-tuned Air-core Coil Crystal Radio
It is enclosed in a cosmetic jar with the 500 pF PVC gang condenser mounted inside its cap.

Series-tuned Crystal Radio - Schematic
There is sufficient clearance to close the jar even though the coil is wound on its body.

Series-tuned Crystal Radio - Coil view
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: 'Gibson Girl' Crystal Radio
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'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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