[Boatanchors] Foxhole Radios... more

[Horace W. Hall]

>
The receiver was a crystal set. They tried a rusty razor blade as a
detector which did not work.......but then tried a piece of coke (NOT
Cocaine,  partly burnt coal) which worked.
>

Coke is the product from burning coal, if I recall. Coal, like some other=

sedimentary minerals, often has metallic impurities like lead and arsenic=
.
It is conceivable that in the burning and cooling process some such
metallics crystalized in compounds that would work. Galena might even hav=
e
been formed, since sulphur is also often present in coal and galena is a
lead sulfide.

--Wayne
  WB4OGM =