[Dixielandjazz] O.T. Xtal set

[philwilking]

Yes, if you used a "cat's whisker" style assembly. Different contact points 
on the galena crystal have different electronic characteristics and so tune 
diffrent frequencies. If your crystal is used strictly as a rectifier, then 
you need a tuning circuit, usually a parallel inductor/capacitor circuit.

What you probably are remembering are Gillette "Blue Blades," as opposed to 
the brown "thin blades."  Blue or brown, they all rusted quickly. The edge 
of a razor blade is so thin it acts as a semiconductor when in point contact 
with a wire and can be used as a rectifier in a very low power circuit.

Crystal receivers and mechanical amplifiers all were common "homebrew" 
projects when jazz was the pop music of the day.

PHIL WILKING

Those who would exchange freedom for
security deserve neither freedom nor security.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ric Giorgi" <ricgiorgi at sympatico.ca>
>
> Am I mis-remembering this - I seem to remember being able
> to get different stations by changing where the contact point on the
> crystal was?
>
> We were so poor I used old razor blades (the ones with the blue
> finish) as crystals and had a great time making sets out of scrap.
>