I remember back in the day when I was a cub scout. I built my own radio out of a toilet paper tube and some junk wire - in a cigar box. The tough part was getting/finding a piece of Gallium. Capacitor was made from tin foil and wax paper. All of the instructions for this project came right out of my scout handbook. I then used a safety pin as the cat whisker. Boy, was I surprised when I made it work!
I remember back in the day when I was a cub scout. I built my own radio out of a toilet paper tube and some junk wire - in a cigar box. The tough part was getting/finding a piece of Gallium. Capacitor was made from tin foil and wax paper. All of the instructions for this project came right out of my scout handbook. I then used a safety pin as the cat whisker. Boy, was I surprised when I made it work!
I got it from my older sisters rock collection.Gallium? Germanium I can see, but gallium??
I guess gallium would be usable for the "crystal" (the safety pin catwhisker was touching the gallium, right?). I used to use a piece of iron pyrites (fools gold) for my crystal - I had a piece about the size of a large marble, and it was very responsive.
These days, grab a 1N34 from RadShack and go with it.
Where did you find the gallium?
Gallium? Germanium I can see, but gallium??
I guess gallium would be usable for the "crystal" (the safety pin catwhisker was touching the gallium, right?). I used to use a piece of iron pyrites (fools gold) for my crystal - I had a piece about the size of a large marble, and it was very responsive.
These days, grab a 1N34 from RadShack and go with it.
Where did you find the gallium?
I'm with you Pat. Pure gallium will melt when held in your hand. I have heard of using germanium but never gallium.
Gee Robb, if you mixed that gallium with some arsenic you could have made a gallium-arsenide FET (Ga-As FET) preamp for your crystal set.
Gee Robb, if you mixed that gallium with some arsenic you could have made a gallium-arsenide FET (Ga-As FET) preamp for your crystal set.