FW: incand lamps debate [wasRe: [LINK] Here's one that will snaga few]

[Adam Todd]

At 05:31 PM 23/02/2007, Eleanor Lister wrote:
> >> - a piece of wire tied to a water pipe
> >> - the carbon rod out of a torch battery
> >> - a razor blade
> >> - a cheap earpiece
> >> - another piece of wire sticky taped to my bedroom wall
> >
> > You will have to explain that one to me!  There are two critical
> > components missing from where I sit!
>omg, that was far too many years ago, but i think the aerial connected
>to the razor blade, which sat sharp edged on the carbon rod, and acted
>as a tuner.

Ahhh, OK.  I think I get it now.  I'll have to go some brain strain to 
prove it works, maybe even try it, but I think I can see how it might 
work.  Very limited though.

>racking my tired old porridge, i have a vague recollection of
>cannibalising any electronics i could find to use the transistors as
>diodes, and winding a coil on an empty toilet roll, but i also have a
>vague memory of simplifying it even further.

Ahh the days when we couldn't buy transistors and had to raid the council 
cleanups for parts!  Now there is no shortage of spare parts :)