Quote Originally Posted by W3WN View Post
I saw an article in CQ for a one tube "peanut whistle" crystal controlled transmitter. 117N7GT tube, designed so that it didn't need a transformer or anything else.

I was young enough to not know better. I used a cardboard shoebox. All I had available at the time.

Damn thing worked, too.

However, nothing was soldered (my dad didn't trust me with a soldering iron then... well, at least not his, but he used them to create sculptures, not fix electronics, can you say "acid core solder"?) and my younger brother had to play with the wiring... first time I ever blew up some electrolytic capacitors.

One of these days, I need to find that schematic and rebuild that. I already have another tube, I do need to find a socket for it...
I found one of those 30 in 1 kits a few years ago from RS at a garage sale for $2. It had the parts mounted inside little clear plastic cubes that popped into place. They had open bottoms to help them fit into the board/frame better. I made a little AM transmitter that broadcast all the way down to the LW aviation beacon band! Whoops! I thought I was on 1590, and I was. I was also clear on 290 as well. Two double A batteries so let's hope it was just a house-wide thing with the little antenna I had.