Best/Easiest DIY Crystal Radio - No Batteries, No External Power 2024 (4K)

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Күн бұрын

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@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

Please Note: KZbin will not let me play more than a second of other people's content, that includes radio sampling. RELATED CRYSTAL RADIO VIDEOS: Crystal Radio-Winding The Coil (ABRIDGED) kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2XUeaapbMuXpJI Mount Ball-Knob Handle On Steel Shaft kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5_Wpoh3lt93itk Crystal Radio Coil Sizing kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5urnGiqe8p-fs0 Crystal Radio 3D Printable Parts kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIKxkoCrjtSYgbM My Crystal Radio Does NOT Work (FIXES for common problems) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXTbgmufhbaratU

@adnacraigo6590 11 ай бұрын

You've made it simple enough for anybody to build one of these sets following your example.

@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

I hope so. Over the years, many people have left comments telling me how they built one with their father, grandfather, child, or grandchild and how they have such fond memories of its magic. If I can pass that to the next generation, it's worth the effort.

@jeffo3461 5 ай бұрын

You can save a lot of time on the pillow blocks by using a hole saw attachment on your drill. For 2” pipe, do 2” hole and cut in half. Very quick work. Thanks for the video!

@Havilah_Springs 6 ай бұрын

Awesome video, loved it. Helpful hint: hold your stainless steal higher up (in the white area) on the alcohol flame and it will heat up faster.

@thevoiceharmonic Ай бұрын

I was 13 when I got an electronics kit in 1972. I didn't make the crystal radio for a long time because it seemed useless because it didn't have batteries. It was a strange kit because it had a solar panel that wasn't listed or described and I had never heard of such a thing being possible. Eventually I bought a proper crystal radio then set up aerials strung between trees 30m, 100m and 200m. I had to include a volume control because it was too loud. Dad got freaked out by a wire coming from the windy sky at night and taking off his hat

@vicjames2743 11 ай бұрын

Very cool. Love your wire joining video as well. I show it to my new student groups every semester learning soldering

@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

Always glad to hear it's helping people! Thanks.

@aserta 11 ай бұрын

7:48 if you have a table saw, you can make that arch by angling the intake towards the blade (you have to match the apparent width of the blade at that angle to the R of the arch). To make it work, you clamp two boards either side of the blade to guide the board from which you'll cut this arch and later bits from (explanation time takes waay longer than setup). Makes really clean cuts, just take it slowly and feed into the cut from the left side of the blade, while holding the top of the parent material board with another stick. This is great for when you want to cut multiples of the same. The process can be looked up online and it's termed "cove cutting". Pretty safe as long as you feed it properly (so don't sneeze) and use sacrificial sticks. :)

@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

I wish many times I had a tablesaw, but there's no place for it. 😞

@aserta 11 ай бұрын

Print your parts separately and the glue them together. 4:46 name plate, just print it with a hole and print the name after and glue it in place. Combined the printing takes longer because of the travel, but if you do this separately, the time drops, because the head only prints the basic shape.

@ronb6182 2 ай бұрын

I made one with a four inch PVC and wound from one end to the other end. About four inches long. I did not use a diode i used a old copper penny and pencil lead. Like a fox hole radio. I picked up KDKA which i was about 20 miles from down town. I also picked up short wave. Hilverson Holand. When they had broadcast. 1977. I was a senior in highschool. No more short wave broadcast like back then. There are some from cuba and HCJB . 73

@EastWoodlandSurvival 10 ай бұрын

Great video. Thank you. Subscribed.

@tsbrownie 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! This is a great emergency radio. Easy to build. No maintenance. No power. Sturdy. Long life.

@josephqaqish2598 9 ай бұрын

beautiful mechanical work

@popsmcgops6322 6 ай бұрын

Great video.. thank you. I wanted to up grade mine from years ago. found 10k ohm resistors, but what Watt should I look for .25, .50, 1, 2? Appreciate it..

@tsbrownie 6 ай бұрын

You can use a smallish one. Do not use a wire wound resistor!

@popsmcgops6322 6 ай бұрын

Thank you Sir.. again, appreciate the videos.

@vintagetransistorRadio.Radio.h 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing

@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@CharlesFeazelle 5 ай бұрын

I built this radio using 28AWG magent wire with 132 turns around a toilet paper tube. I used the website you linked to calculate how many turns I needed to get 531 uH. Right now no sound will come out of the earpiece. My antenna is about 30ft long, strung 5ft of the ground, and my ground connection is a stand alone water spigot pipe, which I sanded to clear off the corrosion. I am also using a 1N34A diode. I checked what AM stations there are in my area with a normal radio and there are only 2 strong ones and several faint ones. Also in the middle of the AM band (700-1000kHz) there are no stations. What frequency range can this crystal radio pick up? I am concerned that maybe my radio can only pick up frequencies in this 700-1000kHz range, or if not it can only pick up faint stations.

@tsbrownie 5 ай бұрын

I did a video on the most common problems: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXTbgmufhbaratU There's a known problem with earphones made in Taiwan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHzIhGmsiLSoac0 There are also fake 1n34a diodes. These will work, but very badly. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmm7nY1tgtesaq8 I ran the numbers. Given the tube is 25mm in diameter. 132 turns of 28 AWG (0.3211 mm) wire is 42 mm long. The inductance is around 201 uH. Not in the 500+ range. The tube would have to be closer to 4" (50 mm) to be in the 500 uH range.

@CharlesFeazelle 5 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie My diode is real (has reverse leakage), however my earpiece was made in Taiwan, but I tested it with another circuit and it works fine. I went through your common problems video but I couldn't find anything. Also my tube diameter is 45mm, not 25mm.

@tsbrownie 5 ай бұрын

@@CharlesFeazelle If you used a powered source to test the earphone, that won't work as a test. You did not mention the resistor across the earphone.

@CharlesFeazelle 5 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie I have a 10k resistor across the earphone. I did use a power source to test the earphone. Is there a way to test it without one?

@tsbrownie 5 ай бұрын

@CharlesFeazelle I use a radio to test. Since you have an antenna, look at my video about the world's simplest radio. If that won't work, then either the earphone or diode is bad. (I've had a diode that tested ok with a digital meter, but would not work in a radio.) If you have a battery powered amplifier, you could use that to see if you've got sound at the outputs. I've got a video on that too.

@dramdhssss1565 6 күн бұрын

What is the type of earphone? It should be the same of yours or any type can work?

@tsbrownie 6 күн бұрын

It's piezoelectric. It has to be the same. I think I paid a dollar or a dollar and a half for the last ones I bought. (Buy the ones from Japan, not Taiwan.) Regular earphones look like an electrical short to the radio.

@beatlesadeye4912 4 ай бұрын

I understand in your previous vid about the wrong earphone. B but can i use a old rotary telephone earpiece for the sound?

@tsbrownie 4 ай бұрын

I have heard you can, but I have never done it.

@beatlesadeye4912 4 ай бұрын

Long ago I successfully use the earpiece of the rotary phone using diode directly connecting across the two terminal just to experiment. But the sound was low although audiable. But i see everyone now using small earphone and sound is louder

@tenlittleindians 11 ай бұрын

It looks like it's time to use that angle grinder you mentioned to grind a better chisel edge on that old screwdriver.

@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

I'd probably make it worse. Or end up with it in my gut.

@dz-abouttechnique1849 10 ай бұрын

Nice video!

@tsbrownie 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, thank you very much.

@ShnitzlHaus 7 ай бұрын

Hi I built one of these crystal radios following your guide. It works great on a short antenna. I will upgrade that. However I noticed when I touch one of the earphone connections and tune to areas that just buzz I get clear audio. Does this mean I need something to tune the antenna? If I touch any other part there is no change. I don’t understand why touching the earphone connection would change anything?

@tsbrownie 7 ай бұрын

Buzzing is usually a sign that you are picking up AC signals from home wiring. You should never use the home wiring as a ground! So if you are doing that, don't! It's dangerous. The next most common thing is your antenna is too close to AC wiring or other sources of interference (motors are bad). These radios operate on very tiny amounts of electricity, so getting your hands or other conductive stuff near the radio/antenna can change things a lot.

@ShnitzlHaus 7 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie thank you. I tried ground on my central air vent. that could maybe pickup the furnace electronics / motor and it also was next to a touch activated lamp 😅 But I tried other things (water pipe) and still when I touch the earpiece side, stations get stronger or clearer. I do see your other videos with the variable capacitors maybe I need that!

@tsbrownie 7 ай бұрын

@@ShnitzlHaus In many ways, the electricity in crystal radios acts like static electricity so touching it or having stuff around it can make a difference. The capacitor on the ground helps selectivity.

@ShnitzlHaus 7 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie thank you. I enjoy your videos and learning about these radios. I see you uploaded one now and will watch. I do have another question. Furthest to the left I get a station 1010. Im interested in trying to get a broadcast on 640 anything I can do to try and reach that station? Hope you don’t mind these questions. I will search the internet to see if any forums or literature as well.

@tsbrownie 7 ай бұрын

@ShnitzlHaus It seems your radio will not reach the higher frequencies. If that is true, then it is likely that you have too much inductance or capacitance in your tank circuit. Of course I assume there's a station you can receive up there.

@richardsmith7783 5 ай бұрын

Hello i don't know it i ask you this question or not, I'm building a Crystal Radio just like the first one in the video ( Exsept ) I have a antenna coil So this is my question can i design my radio this way and will its work ok >>>>>> Starting from outside antenna wire ........ in to antenna coil ...... in to small variable capacitor to to adjust ...... in to the tuning cuil..... in to the germain diode...... to the whipper..... out to ground wire.

@tsbrownie 5 ай бұрын

I'm not sure what you are building. Are you adding a coil antenna to a crystal radio? If so, I've found they don't work well unless you are making a tube/transistor radio. If you are substituting a coil antenna for the crystal radio coil, I have no experience making such a thing.

@gunnerdavidson7287 3 ай бұрын

If I attached a mini amplifier circuit to the output and connect that to a speaker would it work or not?

@tsbrownie 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I showed how I did it in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIiWh5ukr8ydqqM

@gunnerdavidson7287 3 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie thanks

@adventureguy4119 5 ай бұрын

confused some how do I determine the number of turns on the coil. Iv strong up a 200' antenna now I just need to build the radio I got some new old stock diaodes from the 50s

@tsbrownie 5 ай бұрын

I have a video "Crystal Radio Coil Sizing" that should help.

@kingstonchi 6 ай бұрын

FYI, when you want to heat the wire, put it at the tip of the flame at the top, which is the hottest part of the flame .. not toward the center ..

@cyberben3d 11 ай бұрын

Will zinc screws work instead of brass/stainless?

@tsbrownie 11 ай бұрын

Zinc will corrode easily, especially in contact with other metals like copper. It will work, but you will lose sound volume over time until it quits.

@jeffo3461 5 ай бұрын

Can the tuning rod be made of brass?

@tsbrownie 5 ай бұрын

Yes, brass is a good choice.

@jimnmag 7 ай бұрын

How long a wire run do you recommend for an antenna? Iv'e seen 5 feet to 30 feet (10m)

@tsbrownie 7 ай бұрын

One of mine is 15 m, the other is 9 m. Longer is better. Higher is better, but more dangerous to setup and maintain.

@kopi5398 8 ай бұрын

how long is the coiled wire please explain

@tsbrownie 8 ай бұрын

Details are in the description.

@YEMinThant-gv1my 3 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤❤

@kopi5398 8 ай бұрын

how long is the coiled wire please explain

@tsbrownie 8 ай бұрын

The pipe is 2 inches in diameter, 15 cm long. The wire is 0.91mm (19 gauge). You need enough to make 160 turns. The details are in the description.

@jessieangeles7468 10 ай бұрын

This device collecting electricity? Any answer my question and how it works

@tsbrownie 10 ай бұрын

It operates from the power of the incoming radio waves. It's how most early radios worked. It does "collect" electricity and I have used it to power a clock. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZojZi3ZpYtKFbLM

@sweetblues3230 8 ай бұрын

do I need battery for that so where ground connected is that in the batter hi

@tsbrownie 8 ай бұрын

No battery. You can search crystal radio and see they have a very, very long history going back over 100 years and in many countries. Since most people back then did not have electricity to their homes, this was the only way they could receive. This is the easiest one to build and the cub scout manuals had this as a project.

@bassmaster9781 7 ай бұрын

You have to hold the wire higher in the flame. Its hotter higher up the flame.

@tsbrownie 7 ай бұрын

I've found that modern coatings are very heat resistant and turn to a brown goo when heated. They don't burn off like the old lacquers.

@tovarichiwantankista9412 6 ай бұрын

Sir, what resistor should I pick? 4k ohm?

@tsbrownie 6 ай бұрын

Between 10k and 40k, whichever works better.

@tovarichiwantankista9412 6 ай бұрын

And should I put cap?

@tsbrownie 6 ай бұрын

@tovarichiwantankista9412 Cap should not be used with piezo earphone.

@tovarichiwantankista9412 6 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie Okay, thanks a lot 👍

@kensmith5694 6 ай бұрын

@@tsbrownie In my experiment with the 1N5711 diode, I found that 2K worked the best. It would vary a lot depending on the capacitance of the earphone.