Bob, W9RAN, posted a link to this video on the GlowBugs mailing list. This is a very cool—and amazingly simple—project. I’m going to have to scout around for an All-American Five (AA5), at some local second-hand shops. Next, he’s thinking of trying to make it work on 160m or 80m.
Mark Morgan says
you might choose to share with us what an AA5 is I can’t say I know and my Ba was physics so I can’t be the only that does not know
Dan KB6NU says
Oppps. Sorry about that.
AA5 is short for All-American Five, which is an AM radio made from five tubes. There are several different implementations, but the basic design is pretty much the same. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of these radios were made in the 1950s and 1960s.
David Brodbeck N8SRE says
The video’s been taken down. :P
Is there a write-up somewhere?
Dan KB6NU says
That’s unfortunate. I’ll try to email W9RAN.
Neil K9CTB says
Lets see …
12BE6, 12BA6, 12AV6, 50C5, 35W4
I think I’m close(?) — the 12AV6 I’m not sure about. Now watch, after I post this, THEN I’ll find a link with the proper tubes (!) I remember building one of these when I was in the 9th grade. Came as a kit to my electronics class. As I remember it was $29.95 in the early ’70s. Mr. Rexroad, I miss you!
Thanks for a great post and a great blog!
73,
K9CTB