The fox hole radio was a very
basic crystal radio. My first radio
was a crystal radio. It had a crystal in a glob of lead
(solder) and
what they called, a cats whisker. It was a spring loaded wire
that
you could move around on the crystal until you found a "hot
spot."
When I talked to my Uncle Stan, a WW II vet, he told me about
using the razor blades. I think in a Boys Life magazine, I
read
about that method. Both were very finicky to get to work. Then
my Great Uncle Vern gave me a little diode, maybe a 1N34A
or the like. Worked right off!
The diode does not generate
electricity, it simply rectifies RF
that is picked up via a wire (antenna) and against a ground.
I made tuning coils by wrapping enamel insulated wire on
paper tubes, toilet paper tubes, oat meal boxes, etc. I sanded
the insulation with sand paper and made a sliding contact
the shorted out part of the coil, ie, tuned it. It was very
broad
banded, so I heard two local A.M. broadcast stations at the
same
time. I used a pair of surplus crystal earphones.
If you want to supply some one
the needed materials, I would
assemble some diodes, like 1N34A, 1N914, or such, enameled
copper wire for the coil, earphones, hook up wire and, maybe,
fan-stock clips, some hardware, like screws and nuts and some
antenna wire.
My first ones were made on just
a piece of wood. They got me into
electronics, ham radio and career in electronics 70+ years
ago.
I used to teach ham radio
classes at the Michigan School for the
Blind, so I understand the handicap fairly well.
I hope this helps.
73, Joe, K8JP/K5
On 10/24/2022 8:05 AM, Jude DaShiell
wrote:
Hi David,
That's all the information I got on foxhole radios some of them used
graphite pencils and razor blades. Two different kinds of metal in
contact certainly would produce electricity as illustrated when a N.A.S.A.
contractor figured out the specification writers requiring only one kind
of metal for those Mars Rovers was wrong and used two different metals.
The batteries kept recharging and N.A.S.A. got lots more data back on Mars
than they expected thanks to that contractor correcting that mistake.
--
Regards, Joe, K8JP/V31JP, Ronnie, Martin & Sidney Pontek
175 Diamond Loch Rd., Apt. 5
Gilmer, TX 75644-9374
U.S.A.
903-204-2318 (My TX cellular)
Member FOC-1743 Feb 2001, QCWA-LM21894, OOTC-4607, American Legion, A1OP, CFO 1055, SKCC-3171T, NAQCC-5798, Flying Pig-2819, FISTS-7625CC951, A1C-2299, SOC 1075, 10-10 22977, PG1915841, CW Rag chewers #21,
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