[BC] 1950s' transistor radios pointed to more tech changes

[Bob Groome]

Maybe I should have mentioned the crystal set with a long wire 
antenna I had before the tube kit. Used two 45 RPM records as 
insulators and wire left over from some work my dad did in the 
garage. Maybe 30 feet strung up between two trees near my Bedroom 
window. The ground went to the AC outlet in my bed room (yes the low 
side). The crystal was sandwitched between two pieces of metal 
(scarp) the tune coil was wire wrapped around a toilet tissue empty 
and the cap was stolen from the home radio (we did not have a TV at 
the time). The home radio still played. I have no idea what the value 
was. The crystal set was tuned by sliding a scrap metal piece across 
the wire on the toilet tissue 'tuner' roll. The wire on the tuner was 
from a burnt out headphone. Sanded the enamel off the wire where the 
metal bar rode on it. It worked! Picked up two stations.

-- 
Bob Groome
Personal Web Site is: www.bobgroome.com
Work E-mail is: bgroome at eriinc.com
 

--- On Tue, 7/14/09, George Brand 
<george at bud-jones-insurance-agency.com> wrote:

From: George Brand <george at bud-jones-insurance-agency.com>

first radio was a Tiny Tim crystal radio, used to ground it to my clock
until Dad caught me and explained how that was not a good idea to have 110
in the ear. Next radio was a junk picked all American five, Dad showed me
how to fix it. I was about 6 at the time, next year I built a Heathkit am
transmitter. Yes, we started young....

George wa8sco