How does a radio work and how do I build one myself?

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While tinkering on the computer is one of the favorite hobbies of adolescents and adults today, it was still building radios that fueled the enthusiasm several decades ago. But even today, a simple radio can be built just as easily as it was back then. In addition, you will learn a lot about electrical engineering. And if you are also wondering: How does a radio work, then you should build one quickly.

Build your own radio
Build your own radio © Dieter Schütz / Pixelio

What you need:

  • Kit
  • or
  • antenna
  • Grounding
  • Resonant circuit
  • Rectifier
  • headphones

Of course, if you want to know how a radio works, you should start with a simple piece of equipment. The simplest device is called a detector receiver and consists of a few components. It does not need its own power source, but the power is generated solely by the electromagnetic waves that are in the environment.

How does the coordination of the components work?

  • First of all, the required components include an entrance.
  • This consists of an antenna and ground. The radio can easily be earthed with heating pipes.
  • An oscillating circuit is also necessary for the radio to work.
  • The resonant circuit consists of a coil and a capacitor. It is used to tune the stations.
  • Building a detector radio according to a circuit diagram - steps to the goal

    In contrast to later radios, detector radios are built quite simply, which is why ...

  • The complicated-sounding envelope modulator is the rectifier, which is important for the detector. The rectifier is a semiconductor. Pyrite is suitable for this.
  • Headphones serve as the output from the radio. In the case of more complicated do-it-yourself radios, it can also be loudspeakers.

A radio should receive different stations

  • Once you have connected all parts together, a radio works as follows:
  • Electromagnetic waves in the environment are made to vibrate by electrodes in the antenna wire.
  • This creates a weak alternating current.
  • Of course, this is not enough to receive a specific station.
  • This is where the oscillating circuit comes into play. The resonant circuit filters out a certain frequency so that the transmitter can receive
  • To achieve this, the other frequencies are short-circuited.
  • A diode is used to convert AC voltage into DC voltage.
  • The signals are ultimately received via the headphones.
  • Hobby hobbyists no longer have a difficult time building radio. Different Kits are commercially available with which a wide variety of radios can be built. If everything is built according to instructions, then you will learn firsthand how a radio works

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