Crystal Radio Kit: This is
a traditional crytal radio like you might of built in the 1930's, or perhaps
as a boy scout for a merit badge. The main coil is wound on a toilet tissue
(TP) tube, tuning is with a slide tuner, and the kit comes with a "cats
whisker type gelina crytal holder. Included are an earphone, capacitor,
authentic fanstock clips, and a 1N34 diode to help you get it working before
you use the "cats whisker" diode. Also includes is a pine base with routed
edges. You add varnish and a brush and you to end up with a finely finished
"antique crystal radio".
Note: I used to supply an antique
headphone with each radio, but they are getting hard to find, so I now
provide a crystal earphone and offer antique headsets as an option.
The kit price is a very affordable
$25.00, plus shipping. Shipping in USA is $4.25 Priority Mail
Optional antique single headphone,
restored and tested $9.50.
Optional antique double headset,
various brands, restored and tested $24.50
Fox-hole Radio Kit: During
WW2, the GI's in the foxholes yearned to hear music and news, and learned
a neat trick. They found that a Gilette Blue Blade and a piece of pencil
lead made an effective "diode", and with a coil wound nice and tight, the
"self capacitance" eliminated the need for a tuning capacitor. All they
needed was to salvage a pair of headphones, and they had a FOXHOLE RADIO.
In honor of this "Mother is the necessity of invention" device, we offer
the kit, including an old razor blade (the older, the better), rough pine
base from wine crate, and a headphone. Guaranteed to work. Guaranteed to
amaze!
Note: I used to supply an antique
headphone with each radio, but they are getting hard to find, so I now
provide a crystal earphone and offer antique headsets as an option.
The kit price is $16.00 plus shipping.
Shipping in USA is $4.25 Priority Mail
Optional antique single headphone,
restored and tested $9.50.
Telegraph key and sounder Kit:
Think about a world before radio, TV, cell-phones, digital, satellites!
At the turn of the century, you could send a message around the world by
telegraph. The railroads and Western Union were king. Build a telegraph
key and a telegraph sounder. Learn Morse code. These two kits in one allow
you to construct a complete communications system, and show you how make
a single wire circuit using the Earth as one side of the circuit. This
makes an excellent Science Fair Project and I think most young adults 10
years or older should be able to construct the kit. Both the telegraph
key and the sounder are each built on a pre-drilled, pine base, and the
kits come with all brass hardware, sandpaper, and 10 ft of connecting wire
so that you can test it between rooms. This kit is capable of communicating
over 1 mile in the single wire mode. Reluctantly,
I have had to raise the price. The kit is very intricate, and the finished
kit is so nice that some are now in museum displays. The dual kit price
is now $27.00, plus shipping. Shipping in USA is $4.25 Priority Mail
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Notice to schools, clubs, and user groups: The kits shown above can be supplied in quantity for discounted prices. Please contact us for specific discount and delivery information.
BOOKS: For more books and information on antique communications, see our Book Search and Browse section at the bottom of our Storefront page.