I liked what did with the soild state chips nice job. I also looked at your Crystal Radio to I thought they are cool. I don't listen to AM band Radio but here Recently I've been thinking about see if I can find a 1955 Buick Radio because I remember as a kid my dad and I would travel a the Nevada desert to Utah and that Radio would pull in all kinds of stations. If I find 1 of those Radios I'm going to hook it up to a 12V supply that I have and put the Antenna. On the roof. For good Reception. Also when listen to that Buick Radio it had sound as well for a AM Radio. And like you said tunes are great for sound. I noticed that some of the music industry is going back to tube because of the sound quality. Anyway thanks for listening.
Hi John, I am impressed, again! MY "fondness" for solid state is on par with yours. In college, we used Plate, Grid, and Cathode as our basis when we started studying transistors in the mid 60s. To this day I must confess, I still think in those terms and find it a lot easier then "holes" etc. Your solid state project is something I can do with my grandson and there is no way he can hurt himself. Slowly, I will expose him to the tube equipment and projects along with their voltages. I thank you for taking a little trip into solid state. Mr. John reminds me of my cat. She was my CW cat and would spend hours on my lap when I was on the air. When she decided it was enough, she would reach up and spin the tunning dial, which taught me to lock it down! Since my retriement I had (what retirement, Hi) every intention getting my TS-520 band switch cleaned along with the variables. Additionally, I would love to get my TS-930 back up and running. It, the 930, needs to have several of the caps changed due to high ESR, especially in the 5 volt setion. Thanks again for your wonderful projects and site. Take care, 73, Galen, WA6SBB
I enjoyed your video. I grew up with tubes, here in So. California. But I still like solid state more than hollow state. Please try more solid state projects, they can be just as rewarding as fire bottles. 👍👍
A Hollow state ... 🥴🤕🙃😜🤪 Narcissistic aka-partneNarcissisticR or Narcissistic parent creates that ... A Hollow state in the sole ... In case of this crazy development redirect to " An Ear for men" ! Paul Elam's Chanel
I remember when Ferranti brought out the ZN414 in the early 70s. Its a ten stage TRF receiver. Extremely sensitive and can be used as the IF and detector if you precede it with a local oscillator and mixer. I too adore vacuum tubes. But never had any issue with the tubes vs transistors debate. Its all good. You might enjoy exploring my Tiny Ike television camera (solid state driven iconoscope tube) project or my Tiny Triniscope three tube color TV. A simple search for Labguy's projects will open a world of wonder for some and amuse the rest. Either way, its all good!
geez.....can't understand why someone would thumbs down this video......I have watched many of this fella's videos, and even caught him correcting himself, which shows character....awesome Marantz (?) am/fm receiver up on the shelf....I used to tinker when I was a teen.....I built my 2nd ham rig (HW-8) at 15 years old.....had some issues, but it did work....don't do much now but make scrap wire antennas....but I can talk around the world with them....love your videos, by the way, and Tubes and Mullets FOREVER......a Southwest Montana ham...... dit dit......
Thanks John, that's a great video! I'm a TRF Man myself and love using tubes also, I feel they sound better and always give that feeling of nostalgia. Thanks again and subscribed.
Enjoyed this fine video, made several crystal sets myself back in the days but discarted them when I moved, but now rebuilding one right now trying to get my 11 year old son into the hobby. Will sure be inpired by your design thanks sir.
I might try this ZN414 chip. In the 70's I grew up learning solid state. After troubleshooting solid state devices at work for 15 years I decided to fix tube radios for a hobby. After I restored them I sold them. There are a lot of them out there. About 5 years later had to quit because I started making a lot of money on another hobby. I made about $25 per hour doing hard leather work. The market changed now I do something else.
Nice. I don't know why never heard of that RF chip before. I'll look it up. I built a 3 stage TRF receiver design for WWVB at 60 kHz that had a short vertical antenna, a FET pre-amp, and discrete bipolar transistors in each tuned stage. But I had to bypass the antenna amp stage since I was only 20 miles from WWVB's transmitter and my output was clipping so badly it looked like a square wave. The one thing a superhet can't do that a TRF radio can do is reproduce the precise carrier frequency of the transmitter, essential for using my WWVB receiver as a frequency reference. I may find a source for the ZN414 to play with on longwave. Thanks again for your video.
I was playing with the same 3 pin chip years ago, with about a 14 turn "spider Web" coil and got very good Short Wave reception. They are only supposed to go to 2MHz, but I was getting 7MHz. I'm sure it was getting regenerative (oscillating) The chip will drive a 200 Ohm hearing aid receiver with no AF amp. Very Cool.
Hi. Being a tube man as well, I also like to use transistors (especially the old school germanium types) as well as various types of "integrated chips" (that also include "wafer" circuits from the 40s). Now, that all being said, there is a difference between IC chips and transistors. So, your audio IC is a chip that has multiple transistors, resistors, and capacitors in micro size all packaged within the IC housing. Your RF is a RF transistor. Also, there is a difference between a "wired circuit" and "solid state" circuit. Solid state refers to any electronic circuit that is mounted on a "printed circuit board" vs any electronic circuit that is wired point to point via wires and components. Back in the early 60s and even late 50s, there were "solid state" tube radios. They were tube radios mounted on a printed circuit board as opposed to point to point wired tube radio sets. I hope this information helps you some in understanding and use of terminology.
Nope, solid-state refers to circuits using transistors, integrated circuits and the like (no valves/tubes) It has nothing to do with how a circuit is wired (pc board/dead bug or point to point).
Thank you for your comment. Yes, a lot of stuff on TH-cam is just stuck together. I find it a lot more satisfying and plain fun to make something to last..perhaps for my grandchildren.
I never had good luck with solid state. It seems to me you had more noise and bleed through with solid state. The only time I dis liked tubes is during TV repair. On the cheap sets, a tube going out took out half the circuit with it. Try getting the set out of the customer's house when there is an important ball game the weekend.
4:39 The TA7642 chip is just a replacement for the MK484, which itself is a replacement for the ZN414 which came out in the early 1970's. I have built more than one successful radio set with the MK484, with varying grades of sensitivity and selectivity - - I used a lot of scavenged parts to build these crkts
Greetings squarewave2! Could you tell me anything about that variable capacitor you have for tuning control? (make, model, where to get one just like it, what it came out of, etc.. anything.) It sure is pretty. Thanks and 73!
Hi CopalFreak, I got this capacitor from Apex Electronics here in the San Fernando Valley, Southern California. Your best bet would be to look on EBay under “variable capacitor”. I just looked and found almost the identical one up for sale. Good luck!
@@squarewave2 Thank ya sir! I looked but couldn't find one with that particular dial-plate and knob (which is the part I am interested in, since it is the part that will be seen from the outside). I will keep checking around. Thank you again! Can't wait to see more videos from you!
@@CopalFreak What you must be looking for is called a "vernier dial". A lot of them are available on EBay. They attach to the 1/4 inch shaft of a tuning capacitor. "tubesandmore.com" should also have them.
@@squarewave2 That's the exact term I needed! Found a ton of 'em within a few seconds. Thank you SO much! And thank you for posting this video. Both entertaining and educational!
I grew up with that same exact Marantz tuner that's on the shelf above the tools behind you. What year is that? A 74? 77? I remember the big left-right audio slider in the middle and that large horizontally oriented tuning wheel on the right! It was actually one of the nicer units back when it came out, if I'm not mistaken. I think it was in my house from when I was about age 2 until age 12... which would have been around 1976-86.
By the way, I just bought my first ever tube amp for a high end home stereo last month! I got a PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP with a Rega Planar3 turntable and Rega phonostage so it's analogue from start to finish! Digital can't compete.
It such a great design ,I wish you could put it in kit form,for the rest of us ,that don't have all the tools you have,but a kit would be amazing ,great video
squarewave2 I would love to build crystal radios sample for boy scouts to follow ,I want to make it simple and cheap,i collected the right diodes ,matter in fact I got a couple of diodes ,I think that are from the 1920,s and 30 s just guessing ,I got all the recommended ones,I bought some mounting boards ,some cardstock clips which can be pricey,bought some magnetic wire,I need to buy more,I want thicker wire 20 gauge or 22 guage,I bought a couple of the high impedance ear phones which can be pricey too ,it can add up to a bunch of money ,so I been shopping around,you also need ground wire and antenna wire ,unless you got that stuff laying around,that simple little crystal radio can add up.thats why kits would be cheaper .I want it nice and clean and simple ,and cheap,but there is no cheap,I have the parts two build three kind of crystal radios and one of them is a fox hole radio,it adds up,and I have built any yet
I made a varactor tuneing circuit but never applied it to a radio but can go on the web to look it up and to apply to a radio that I have.i can use it to pick up a far fm station to but still pick it up to make good station.
I'm a computer guy... so solid state stuff makes all that tick... but I like tube stuff also. It just depends on application. If you need low power consumption and small space.. Solid state wins. If you want smooth audio, tubes win.
Is mister Dillon there just to keep you company or is that his normal sleeping spot? I just bit curious Given all the stuff on the bench that is not cat friendly.
Changing this radio to short wave is not possible. It is a tuned radio frequency receiver; for short wave, you need a regenerative receiver. It would be a better idea to start out building one of the short wave radios detailed in "Radio Receiver Projects You Can Build", Unlike the radio in my video, he will need a good long antenna and a ground connection. Good luck and happy building! .
I believe there is information on that little IC that it has limitations to 3.5 or 4 MC. So i believe it can be done with changes to the coil inductance. Definitely need long wire and preferably also an earth ground because SW signals will be weak. You'll only cover the low end of the SW spectrum. Worth a try.... And I think I had seen it done somewhere. Chip on my breadboard from about a year ago. I should get back to it myself. I wanted to make it run off the battery and photovoltaic cell from one of those sloar yard lights. I was trying to figure out a little tiny high sensitivity earpiece coupled to a horn so I would have an "everplay" radio. Good luck and God Bless. Btw you should be able to download spec sheet for the TA7642 and use information there to explore and experiment.
They caught a MIG and it scared folks. ( Cold war era)All tube systems (tubes are space charge) hard for EMP to kill. Back to your kit. Small equal s less weight/ power consumption sounds good.
I liked what did with the soild state chips nice job. I also looked at your Crystal Radio to I thought they are cool. I don't listen to AM band Radio but here Recently I've been thinking about see if I can find a 1955 Buick Radio because I remember as a kid my dad and I would travel a the Nevada desert to Utah and that Radio would pull in all kinds of stations. If I find 1 of those Radios I'm going to hook it up to a 12V supply that I have and put the Antenna. On the roof. For good Reception. Also when listen to that Buick Radio it had sound as well for a AM Radio. And like you said tunes are great for sound. I noticed that some of the music industry is going back to tube because of the sound quality. Anyway thanks for listening.
Tq John for sharing. That's Awesome
Hi John,
I am impressed, again!
MY "fondness" for solid state is on par with yours. In college, we used Plate, Grid, and Cathode as our basis when we started studying transistors in the mid 60s. To this day I must confess, I still think in those terms and find it a lot easier then "holes" etc.
Your solid state project is something I can do with my grandson and there is no way he can hurt himself. Slowly, I will expose him to the tube equipment and projects along with their voltages. I thank you for taking a little trip into solid state.
Mr. John reminds me of my cat. She was my CW cat and would spend hours on my lap when I was on the air. When she decided it was enough, she would reach up and spin the tunning dial, which taught me to lock it down!
Since my retriement I had (what retirement, Hi) every intention getting my TS-520 band switch cleaned along with the variables. Additionally, I would love to get my TS-930 back up and running. It, the 930, needs to have several of the caps changed due to high ESR, especially in the 5 volt setion.
Thanks again for your wonderful projects and site.
Take care, 73,
Galen, WA6SBB
I enjoyed your video. I grew up with tubes, here in So. California. But I still like solid state more than hollow state. Please try more solid state projects, they can be just as rewarding as fire bottles. 👍👍
A Hollow state ... 🥴🤕🙃😜🤪
Narcissistic aka-partneNarcissisticR
or
Narcissistic parent
creates that ...
A Hollow state in the sole
... In case of
this crazy development
redirect to
" An Ear for men" !
Paul Elam's Chanel
I remember when Ferranti brought out the ZN414 in the early 70s. Its a ten stage TRF receiver. Extremely sensitive and can be used as the IF and detector if you precede it with a local oscillator and mixer. I too adore vacuum tubes. But never had any issue with the tubes vs transistors debate. Its all good. You might enjoy exploring my Tiny Ike television camera (solid state driven iconoscope tube) project or my Tiny Triniscope three tube color TV. A simple search for Labguy's projects will open a world of wonder for some and amuse the rest. Either way, its all good!
6:47 love From india🇮🇳🥰 indian song sari night 😂😂😂 this reason i love radios no limit no Country restrictions 😂
geez.....can't understand why someone would thumbs down this video......I have watched many of this fella's videos, and even caught him correcting himself, which shows character....awesome Marantz (?) am/fm receiver up on the shelf....I used to tinker when I was a teen.....I built my 2nd ham rig (HW-8) at 15 years old.....had some issues, but it did work....don't do much now but make scrap wire antennas....but I can talk around the world with them....love your videos, by the way, and Tubes and Mullets FOREVER......a Southwest Montana ham...... dit dit......
Hi, Cooker, Thank you for the good feedback! Glad you like my videos.
@@squarewave2 CAN A TA7642 RF CHIP BE USED IN A SIMPLE CRYSTAL RADIO ????
@@mw10259 absolutely just use the circuit for the IC. You have the variable tuning capacitor and the ferrite antenna coil in most kits.
Thanks John, that's a great video! I'm a TRF Man myself and love using tubes also, I feel they sound better and always give that feeling of nostalgia. Thanks again and subscribed.
Enjoyed this fine video, made several crystal sets myself back in the days but discarted them when I moved, but now rebuilding one right now trying to get my 11 year old son into the hobby.
Will sure be inpired by your design thanks sir.
I might try this ZN414 chip. In the 70's I grew up learning solid state. After troubleshooting solid state devices at work for 15 years I decided to fix tube radios for a hobby. After I restored them I sold them. There are a lot of them out there. About 5 years later had to quit because I started making a lot of money on another hobby. I made about $25 per hour doing hard leather work. The market changed now I do something else.
Is that a Marantz receiver on your upper right hand shelf.? I think that will qualify or solid-state wouldn’t?
Maybe pair the rf chip with a tube audio stage?
I love your videos great information, easy and fun to watch. I could not ask for more.
Thank you, Boone. I really appreciate feedback!
After review of your radio and the original schematic, there are obvious differences. What was your build schematic? I also have that same book.
Nice. I don't know why never heard of that RF chip before. I'll look it up. I built a 3 stage TRF receiver design for WWVB at 60 kHz that had a short vertical antenna, a FET pre-amp, and discrete bipolar transistors in each tuned stage. But I had to bypass the antenna amp stage since I was only 20 miles from WWVB's transmitter and my output was clipping so badly it looked like a square wave. The one thing a superhet can't do that a TRF radio can do is reproduce the precise carrier frequency of the transmitter, essential for using my WWVB receiver as a frequency reference. I may find a source for the ZN414 to play with on longwave. Thanks again for your video.
I was playing with the same 3 pin chip years ago, with about a 14 turn "spider Web" coil and got very good Short Wave reception. They are only supposed to go to 2MHz, but I was getting 7MHz. I'm sure it was getting regenerative (oscillating) The chip will drive a 200 Ohm hearing aid receiver with no AF amp. Very Cool.
Hi. Being a tube man as well, I also like to use transistors (especially the old school germanium types) as well as various types of "integrated chips" (that also include "wafer" circuits from the 40s). Now, that all being said, there is a difference between IC chips and transistors. So, your audio IC is a chip that has multiple transistors, resistors, and capacitors in micro size all packaged within the IC housing. Your RF is a RF transistor. Also, there is a difference between a "wired circuit" and "solid state" circuit. Solid state refers to any electronic circuit that is mounted on a "printed circuit board" vs any electronic circuit that is wired point to point via wires and components. Back in the early 60s and even late 50s, there were "solid state" tube radios. They were tube radios mounted on a printed circuit board as opposed to point to point wired tube radio sets. I hope this information helps you some in understanding and use of terminology.
Nope, solid-state refers to circuits using transistors, integrated circuits and the like (no valves/tubes) It has nothing to do with how a circuit is wired (pc board/dead bug or point to point).
Very nice! I'd like to build one myself.
Your projects always look sturdy and well-made. So many TH-cam videos show frail, rickety contraptions, barely stuck together.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, a lot of stuff on TH-cam is just stuck together. I find it a lot more satisfying and plain fun to make something to last..perhaps for my grandchildren.
I have that same Heathkit high voltage power supply on your shelf! Nothing made today will last as long!
For more output, I use an LM386-4 It puts out a full 1 watt
Why the need for the 1 1/2v battery? Would not a voltage divider surfice?
I never had good luck with solid state. It seems to me you had more noise and bleed through with solid state. The only time I dis liked tubes is during TV repair. On the cheap sets, a tube going out took out half the circuit with it. Try getting the set out of the customer's house when there is an important ball game the weekend.
What about using just the 386?
4:39 The TA7642 chip is just a replacement for the MK484, which itself is a replacement for the ZN414 which came out in the early 1970's.
I have built more than one successful radio set with the MK484, with varying grades of sensitivity and selectivity - - I used a lot of scavenged parts to build these crkts
Very good video thanks
great video thanks
Greetings squarewave2! Could you tell me anything about that variable capacitor you have for tuning control? (make, model, where to get one just like it, what it came out of, etc.. anything.) It sure is pretty. Thanks and 73!
Hi CopalFreak,
I got this capacitor from Apex Electronics here in the San Fernando Valley, Southern California. Your best bet would be to look on EBay under “variable capacitor”. I just looked and found almost the identical one up for sale. Good luck!
@@squarewave2 Thank ya sir! I looked but couldn't find one with that particular dial-plate and knob (which is the part I am interested in, since it is the part that will be seen from the outside). I will keep checking around. Thank you again! Can't wait to see more videos from you!
@@CopalFreak What you must be looking for is called a "vernier dial". A lot of them are available on EBay. They attach to the 1/4 inch shaft of a tuning capacitor. "tubesandmore.com" should also have them.
@@squarewave2 That's the exact term I needed! Found a ton of 'em within a few seconds. Thank you SO much! And thank you for posting this video. Both entertaining and educational!
So *_zn414_* is a transistor?
I grew up with that same exact Marantz tuner that's on the shelf above the tools behind you. What year is that? A 74? 77? I remember the big left-right audio slider in the middle and that large horizontally oriented tuning wheel on the right! It was actually one of the nicer units back when it came out, if I'm not mistaken. I think it was in my house from when I was about age 2 until age 12... which would have been around 1976-86.
By the way, I just bought my first ever tube amp for a high end home stereo last month! I got a PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP with a Rega Planar3 turntable and Rega phonostage so it's analogue from start to finish! Digital can't compete.
I agree. Tubes have character. Chips are basically black magic. :-)
The vernier dial is the S50 or the S38 or S36
So not to confuse people, the TA7642 replaced the ZN414.
Thanks! :)
Thumbs up Indiana USA.
It such a great design ,I wish you could put it in kit form,for the rest of us ,that don't have all the tools you have,but a kit would be amazing ,great video
Thank you, Ron. Get the book, You won't really need a "kit".
squarewave2 I would love to build crystal radios sample for boy scouts to follow ,I want to make it simple and cheap,i collected the right diodes ,matter in fact I got a couple of diodes ,I think that are from the 1920,s and 30 s just guessing ,I got all the recommended ones,I bought some mounting boards ,some cardstock clips which can be pricey,bought some magnetic wire,I need to buy more,I want thicker wire 20 gauge or 22 guage,I bought a couple of the high impedance ear phones which can be pricey too ,it can add up to a bunch of money ,so I been shopping around,you also need ground wire and antenna wire ,unless you got that stuff laying around,that simple little crystal radio can add up.thats why kits would be cheaper .I want it nice and clean and simple ,and cheap,but there is no cheap,I have the parts two build three kind of crystal radios and one of them is a fox hole radio,it adds up,and I have built any yet
I made a varactor tuneing circuit but never applied it to a radio but can go on the web to look it up and to apply to a radio that I have.i can use it to pick up a far fm station to but still pick it up to make good station.
At 67 doesn't mean I know every thing. Love to listen and learn. Tubes resist E M P. that A-side . Rig looks good 73 KV4LI
I'm a computer guy... so solid state stuff makes all that tick... but I like tube stuff also. It just depends on application. If you need low power consumption and small space.. Solid state wins. If you want smooth audio, tubes win.
Is mister Dillon there just to keep you company or is that his normal sleeping spot? I just bit curious Given all the stuff on the bench that is not cat friendly.
Mr Dillon lives in the shop and sleeps on the bench. He loves to watch me work.
@@squarewave2 I have a little jack that sits on the stool next to my chair in my work shop whatching me work most of the time.
Did n e 1 noticed the hindi song playing "ek tuuuu ek main", I'm from India, TRF lover.
That's awesome
Yep
6:11 Chris Stevens from Northern Exposure is still out there...
He's like Jeremiah Johnson
i know its an old video but my son asked me how can it change to a short wave
Changing this radio to short wave is not possible. It is a tuned radio frequency receiver; for short wave, you need a regenerative receiver. It would be a better idea to start out building one of the short wave radios detailed in "Radio Receiver Projects You Can Build", Unlike the radio in my video, he will need a good long antenna and a ground connection. Good luck and happy building!
.
I believe there is information on that little IC that it has limitations to 3.5 or 4 MC. So i believe it can be done with changes to the coil inductance. Definitely need long wire and preferably also an earth ground because SW signals will be weak. You'll only cover the low end of the SW spectrum. Worth a try.... And I think I had seen it done somewhere. Chip on my breadboard from about a year ago. I should get back to it myself. I wanted to make it run off the battery and photovoltaic cell from one of those sloar yard lights. I was trying to figure out a little tiny high sensitivity earpiece coupled to a horn so I would have an "everplay" radio. Good luck and God Bless.
Btw you should be able to download spec sheet for the TA7642 and use information there to explore and experiment.
How are you?
Great video
The fact, You don't need an external antenna îs because you use the ferrite.
They caught a MIG and it scared folks. ( Cold war era)All tube systems (tubes are space charge) hard for EMP to kill. Back to your kit. Small equal s less weight/ power consumption sounds good.
I like your videos John
8:16 baby boi sighting
WELCOME BACK STAN LEE
You can not beat that ckt kg6mn
Great work! 73 de AD0WE
Hi...Please cargo ....
59+
This gentleman has the most appalling soldering skills...… what a goddamn mess of bare wire and twisted connections!
Ian Syme Dont suppose you have ever made anything ?
@@tonywright8294 I still think this is a mess. I would be slightly ashamed of putting this on TH-cam