[Milsurplus] Foxhole Radios

[gl4d21a at juno.com]

Ralph:

Is was well known even back then that any corrosion product, and most dissimilar junctions had some weak rectifying effect.  This property is strongly noted in RFI handbooks now, where they are known to be prolific intermodulation and harmonic producers.  I suspect, with more time than resources, the prisoners simply went through all the combinations of materials available to them.  Some one of tem probably experimented with a crystal set as a kid.  And what evidence is there that anyone thought it had to work?  Might possibly work, maybe if all fell in place, something would happen, no guarantees.  Remember, these weren't hired minions who were under the boss' whip to produce or else.  Just something to do to pass the time.

73,
George
W5VPQ

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Ralph Cameron <ramcam at magma.ca>
To: Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Milsurplus] Foxhole Radios
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:58:47 -0400

As a current project our local Vintage radio club is going to try and 
characterise some materials used for detectors, including the Gillette 
Blue Blade razors used the Foxhole Radio.

Are any of our chemically inclined members able to define the junction 
material in the Blue Blade which enabled it to rectify. As a detector 
this was sometimes used with a safety pin for contact, other times 
pencil lead was used. It is more of a curious undertaking than any 
monumental research. How did the GI's know it would work?
Thanks for any thoughts.

Ralph
VE3BBM
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