1910 radio, crystal set

[Reece]

The typical toy or oatmeal-box crystal set is very lossy which cuts both sensitivity and selectivity. The only power that an unamplified set has is the power coming in on the antenna, so for high performance, as much of that signal as possible has to be conserved. Many advanced crystal set constructors these days build sets with super low-loss tuning capacitors, air-core litz wire coils and special insulation techniques that are as sensitive as and separate stations as well as a superhet, as incredible as that may seem. Even the interchannel band flutter can be heard on some of these sets. If you search for "selective crystal set" or "crystal set contest," you'll find descriptions and pictures of such sets and see that many have logged up to hundreds of confirmed stations on their sets. Special techniques are used to keep losses low and to match sensitive headphones to the high impedance of the set. These are unpowered sets and do not use amplification of any kind. In the case of a local flame thrower, a coil/cap wave trap can null it out.

[vintagecollect]

Thanks for all replies, info is great, the most fun post I have done in a while.

Depending on skip and antenna used, headphone volume is medium to even loud at certain times. Those type C are awesome, just bought a second pair, going to sale other headphones, makes a big differance. I'm really sold on these type C phones.

Interesting link says 1n34a preferred crystal, I was using a silicon w/ good results. I saved a extra large old archaic 1948 sylvania 1n34 years ago, pulled from first tv I worked on, simply to save it since ITS very EARLY solid state diode. Volume is great now! set even works well no earth ground! Make's it perfect and portable to bring out to yard or anywhere to listen to. Will check additional info, Thanks.

There is a cross talk problem with two statios only part of the time. The slider can discriminate the primary station and cancel out the other, only happens part of time. Further improvements such as a tuning cap probaly will help with selectivity.

That video w/ Kent guy is amazing, his set is loud enough to drive a small speaker. Investing in time to tinker really makes a nicer set. Awsome homebrew. Everyone check out Ken't loose coupler. I would of kept it the same as first video since closely to vintage coupler, other video shows coupler wildly modified.

IF ANYONE BUILDS THEIR OWN LOOSE COUPLER, USE three slides, more selective w/ better results as video demonstrates.

[vintagecollect]

Here's a better pic of set.

CAN someone please tell me the benefit of a Double galena Detector?????