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TonyDuell · 14th Jan 2019, 6:16 am

My first crystal set was the first bit of the Ladybird book 'Making a Transistor Radio'. It worked first time. I went on to complete the 3-transistor set in that book and I still have it.

I agree about poor quality instructions being a big 'turn off' for those starting out. You need a little success early on or you wonder if there's any point in (say) radio/electronics construction. But this is not a new problem. Over Christmas I built a (off-topic, not electronic) kit from the early 1970s. A Meccano Clock Kit 2 (makes a striking pendulum clock). I got it working after a lot of adjustment to the strike countwheel. But I feel that the only reason I managed it is that I know how such clocks should work and knew what to adjust, etc. Somebody starting out wouldn't have a hope of getting it running.

Same with the crystal set. Many of us here know how to check if a diode is germanium or silicon, have the equipment to do so and know why the former is needed for a crystal set. Many of us could check if a signal is being tuned in (even if the detector diode and earpiece are unsuitable or faulty). But somebody starting out, with no test gear, no knowlege of radio? Not a chance.

14th Jan 2019, 6:16 am	#17
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,208	Re: "The Works" Crystal Radio My first crystal set was the first bit of the Ladybird book 'Making a Transistor Radio'. It worked first time. I went on to complete the 3-transistor set in that book and I still have it. I agree about poor quality instructions being a big 'turn off' for those starting out. You need a little success early on or you wonder if there's any point in (say) radio/electronics construction. But this is not a new problem. Over Christmas I built a (off-topic, not electronic) kit from the early 1970s. A Meccano Clock Kit 2 (makes a striking pendulum clock). I got it working after a lot of adjustment to the strike countwheel. But I feel that the only reason I managed it is that I know how such clocks should work and knew what to adjust, etc. Somebody starting out wouldn't have a hope of getting it running. Same with the crystal set. Many of us here know how to check if a diode is germanium or silicon, have the equipment to do so and know why the former is needed for a crystal set. Many of us could check if a signal is being tuned in (even if the detector diode and earpiece are unsuitable or faulty). But somebody starting out, with no test gear, no knowlege of radio? Not a chance.