POW Radio - Thanks

[k6dgw]

A big thanks to all who provided information and ideas on the "POW
Radio" project.  FWIW, I learned a few things:

1.  The razor blade radio was actually called the "Foxhole Radio."  One
response explained that the "POW Radio" was really a 1-tube regen (that
may be the next class project if I can work up a circuit).

2.  Gillette Blue Blades are still available, although not everywhere
(or in most places)

3.  Any metal will do, preferably a little corroded.  There is nothing
special about the "blue" razor blade.

4.  The pencil point-on-rusty metal "diode" isn't exactly a real diode
and the radio doesn't work very well.  I remember this as a kid when I
and my geek friends made a few of them.

Pacificon yielded a little crystal set kit that we're calling "Prototype
#1".  We're going to use a 1N34A and do a little tap dance around the
razor blade issue in the introduction.  The kids are organized in the
class into 7 groups, so current plan is to have each group build their
own radio.  Troy (the teacher) says the kids are really excited about
the project.  Stay tuned, I'll probably stick a web page out somewhere
with the results and some pictures.

73, and thanks again,

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw

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[Cherie and Lynn Hammond]

Fred Jensen wrote:

> A big thanks to all who provided information and ideas on the "POW
> Radio" project.  FWIW, I learned a few things:
>
>  We're going to use a 1N34A and do a little tap dance around the razor
> blade issue in the introduction.
>
> 73, and thanks again,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> Auburn CA CM98lw

Fred, you are doing almost exactly what I do. Every year now for the
past 4 or 5, we build the POW radio with the AP Physics class here in
Anchorage. The teacher (who is a national award winner) fits the project
into his lessons on resonance. We have a model with the pencil lead and
razor blade, which the kids can see, but they use a diode.  The coil is
magnet wire wrapped around a short length of PVC tubing; we have found
that we don't even need a capacitor, and suspect there is enough stray
capacitance between the coil windings to do the job. Nothing seems
critical in this exercise except for a decent ground and antenna (which
the school district kindly installed on the roof for us.) The smiles on
the kids' faces when the radios "sing" makes it very much worthwhile.

Good Luck!
Lynn KL7IKV

>
>
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