Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
An Atomic Age, 1950s-style Crystal Rocket Radio build! We’ll see how to construct an ferrite rod, inductively tuned crystal radio. We’ll go through every stage of the project and then demo it. It uses classic components like the 1N34A germanium diode, a crystal earphone, and a scatter-wound coil, while exploring the elegant simplicity that made 1950s radios educational and fun. Whether you’re into DIY electronics, radio restoration, retro tech, or hands-on science experiments, this video will guide you through building a working crystal radio that not only sounds good but looks like a space rocket straight out of the Space Age! Perfect for hobbyists, educators, and anyone who loves learning through hands-on experimentation.
MATERIALS
- Wire: Coil: 0.55 mm (24 AWG), Ground/Antenna: small, flex wire
- Diode: 1n34a or D9K or equivalent
- Resistor x 1: 10k to 40k ohm
- Small screws x 2
- Crystal earphone
- 3D Printer Files: thingiverse.com/thing:7174583
Desired Inductance: 0 (in theory) uH to 512 uH
In a wiper tuned radio, we want a maximum inductance that is changed (lowered) by moving the wiper to the desired resonant frequency.
Capacitor tuned radio, we want a fixed inductance and then we use variable capacitance to change the resonant frequency of the circuit.
With this inductor tuned radio, we want a coil (in theory) that goes from max frequency resonance (1600 kHz) at very low (no ferrite rod) inductance to some minimum frequency (535 kHz) inductance (ferrite rod fully inserted).
So, the coil starts out at low inductance (20 uH to 40uH) for the high 1600 kHz range.
Inserting more rod increases inductance to the max desired (~512 uH) for the low part of the band, 535 kHz.
If we straight wind a coil, we will get a lot of inductance without the rod. We will lose the high end of the band. Scatter winding gives us the minimum "no rod" inductance (and less stray capacitance).
RELATED VIDEOS (including this one):
Crystal Radio-Inductor Tuned Radio Intro youtu.be/7NdZFm6zXYo
Crystal Radio-Wand Radio youtu.be/S0I9NQNfUDU
Crystal Radio Earphone From Common / Cheap Stuff youtu.be/dWkKFD_yZs8
Crystal Radio-DIY Crystal Earphone youtu.be/ARtfLB0nQ5k
Crystal Radio Headphone--DIY Part 1/2 youtu.be/oG5cDi9Va_Q
Crystal Radio Headphone Mod--DIY Part 2/2 youtu.be/v_9InMj-eL8
Crystal Radio-Simple, Cheap, Inductor Tuned Radio Intro-The Coil youtu.be/7NdZFm6zXYo
Crystal Radio-Portable, Packable, Prepper Wand Radio youtu.be/S0I9NQNfUDU
Crystal Radio-Simple DIY Induction Tuned Radio youtu.be/ez_O3l7E5is
Crystal Radio-Space Rocket Radio, Induction Tuning youtu.be/xViNW4HFFDA
Crystal Radio-Simple, Packable, Robust youtu.be/kosErSipEzs
Crystal Radio-1950-60s Satellite Radio youtu.be/O6fyyGqvrQE
Disclaimer: This information is presented as entertainment only on an "as is" basis and any use the viewer makes of it is solely up to them, and it is their responsibility to determine if the information remains current and if it is applicable to their situation. The viewer is responsible for any and all safety involving this. Viewing this video is the viewer's agreement to these terms and conditions. If you do not agree, stop now.
#CrystalRadio #DIYElectronics #RetroTech #SpaceAgeScience
An Atomic Age, 1950s-style Crystal Rocket Radio build! We’ll see how to construct an ferrite rod, inductively tuned crystal radio. We’ll go through every stage of the project and then demo it. It uses classic components like the 1N34A germanium diode, a crystal earphone, and a scatter-wound coil, while exploring the elegant simplicity that made 1950s radios educational and fun. Whether you’re into DIY electronics, radio restoration, retro tech, or hands-on science experiments, this video will guide you through building a working crystal radio that not only sounds good but looks like a space rocket straight out of the Space Age! Perfect for hobbyists, educators, and anyone who loves learning through hands-on experimentation.
MATERIALS
- Wire: Coil: 0.55 mm (24 AWG), Ground/Antenna: small, flex wire
- Diode: 1n34a or D9K or equivalent
- Resistor x 1: 10k to 40k ohm
- Small screws x 2
- Crystal earphone
- 3D Printer Files: thingiverse.com/thing:7174583
Desired Inductance: 0 (in theory) uH to 512 uH
In a wiper tuned radio, we want a maximum inductance that is changed (lowered) by moving the wiper to the desired resonant frequency.
Capacitor tuned radio, we want a fixed inductance and then we use variable capacitance to change the resonant frequency of the circuit.
With this inductor tuned radio, we want a coil (in theory) that goes from max frequency resonance (1600 kHz) at very low (no ferrite rod) inductance to some minimum frequency (535 kHz) inductance (ferrite rod fully inserted).
So, the coil starts out at low inductance (20 uH to 40uH) for the high 1600 kHz range.
Inserting more rod increases inductance to the max desired (~512 uH) for the low part of the band, 535 kHz.
If we straight wind a coil, we will get a lot of inductance without the rod. We will lose the high end of the band. Scatter winding gives us the minimum "no rod" inductance (and less stray capacitance).
RELATED VIDEOS (including this one):
Crystal Radio-Inductor Tuned Radio Intro youtu.be/7NdZFm6zXYo
Crystal Radio-Wand Radio youtu.be/S0I9NQNfUDU
Crystal Radio Earphone From Common / Cheap Stuff youtu.be/dWkKFD_yZs8
Crystal Radio-DIY Crystal Earphone youtu.be/ARtfLB0nQ5k
Crystal Radio Headphone--DIY Part 1/2 youtu.be/oG5cDi9Va_Q
Crystal Radio Headphone Mod--DIY Part 2/2 youtu.be/v_9InMj-eL8
Crystal Radio-Simple, Cheap, Inductor Tuned Radio Intro-The Coil youtu.be/7NdZFm6zXYo
Crystal Radio-Portable, Packable, Prepper Wand Radio youtu.be/S0I9NQNfUDU
Crystal Radio-Simple DIY Induction Tuned Radio youtu.be/ez_O3l7E5is
Crystal Radio-Space Rocket Radio, Induction Tuning youtu.be/xViNW4HFFDA
Crystal Radio-Simple, Packable, Robust youtu.be/kosErSipEzs
Crystal Radio-1950-60s Satellite Radio youtu.be/O6fyyGqvrQE
Disclaimer: This information is presented as entertainment only on an "as is" basis and any use the viewer makes of it is solely up to them, and it is their responsibility to determine if the information remains current and if it is applicable to their situation. The viewer is responsible for any and all safety involving this. Viewing this video is the viewer's agreement to these terms and conditions. If you do not agree, stop now.
#CrystalRadio #DIYElectronics #RetroTech #SpaceAgeScience
