Crystal set radios

[Scar]

Is anyone else into this hobby? I never even heard of this until a couple weeks ago. My uncle told me about this and I read up on it and now he's going to buy me a kit next week, it seems pretty cool. My uncle actually built a TV when he was 19 in 1947 and our family was the first in the neighborhood to have one. So... I'm guessing not many, if any of you are into this but if so, please post.

[Ed]

Jeff, I built several crystal sets when I was a kid about a hundred years ago... it was kinda cool to put everything together and move the 'whisker' around slowly until I eventually heard a weak AM station through the headphones. I believe Radio Shack used to sell kits; not sure if they still do.

[DizneyRox]

When I was litte I used to these things, now I build carputers. Technology has progressed quite a bit, still fun though.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Oh fun! I built one way back when I was a kid.

[garymacd]

I got one for Christmas when I was about nine or ten and loved it. My dad always listened to talk radio stations and I always found it boring.

When I got and finished building my own crystal radio, it only picked up two stations: Dad's dreaded talk radio and a local Top-40 station. Guess which one I listened to? Scratchy versions of Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Holly's, Brook Benton. A whole new world!

Occasionally, I could get a Toronto station, or if the sunspot activity was just right, Buffalo!

If you are going to get and make one, best do it soon. It sounds like AM radio will be going digital in the next ten years or so.