Homemade Radios

Wireless links and radio technology are present everywhere in the modern world. In seemingly miraculous fashion, messages are transmitted through space from one black box to another. Machines are controlled remotely by human operators. And these amazing achievements are taken for granted by the public.

In the present talk and demonstration, the main parts of a simple homemade radio receiver are explained. We show three different ways to tune the radio on AM stations. We obtain our own semiconductors out of ordinary objects such as razor blades, or from samples bought at a minerals shop. From these, various detectors of radio waves can be built, including the one used by soldiers in foxholes during WW2. Our homemade radio includes an audio amplifier, powerful enough to blare loudly into a speaker.

This Friday, July 13th – Free & open to the public.
Doors open at 7pm, event starts shortly thereafter.
We’re at 1936 Fifth Avenue, in the garage around back (on Watson).
Look for our flag over the door.