Crystal sets

 

These can be very simple or, in some cases, very complicated. On my website is a page about crystal sets. No batteries are needed.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/crystal-set-dxing .

Crystal set DXing

One of my aims was to make a crystal set that covered VLF  to VHF. This would probably have had to been several RXs in one box or at least the RF parts separate.

Crystal sets can be great fun. They are simple to make and need no power. On HF, some remarkable distances can be heard with patience. 

These days there are far fewer English language broadcast stations on HF. Many are now internet only. Despite this, the challenge remains. My crystal set DXing website may give you some ideas.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/crystal-set-dxing .

Crystal set DXing

As radio amateurs, we are often after new challenges. One such is DXing with crystal sets.  In the past, there have been some remarkable designs.  

Remember that all the power is provided by the TX station (no batteries, no solar cells etc.), so people struggle to get the strongest signals with decent selectivity. 

Amateur DX is possible, and on 80m I have copied SSB signals at some distance. Of course, this was just envelope detection and I had to use other means to ID the station with certainty. On bands like 10m, it should be possible, at times, to copy DX stations, especially with Es on a crystal set. Signals need to be in the low mVs to be received.

In the days when AM was common on 160m I have copied stations at some distance on a crystal set. Patience is required. People regularly copy 80m AM nets in the USA.

See https://crystalradio.net/crystalplans/index.shtml

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/crystalset.  As this page is quite old, some of the links may not work. At some point I really must check and delete any that no longer work.

Remember that old pages, now closed, can often be found on the Wayback Machine.