Crystal Radio

Receivers
CIRCUITS’ FUNCTIONS
For a basic understanding of radio and television
operations, we will first look at a simple radio
receiver.
This radio receiver consists of very few parts,
… an antenna,
… a ground,
… a tank circuit,
… a diode,
… a filter,
… and a speaker or a set of headphones.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
In Figure 1, there are three radio
stations each broadcasting at a
different wavelength.
Each station is broadcasting a radio
signal consisting of a carrier wave and
an audio signal.
Station 1 is broadcasting at AM 920,
station 2 at AM 1460, and station 3 at
AM 1040.
Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM
radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Antenna
The radio waves of all three stations
come in contact with the radio
receiver antenna.
The antenna converts the radio
signals to alternating current, which is
conducted up and down the antenna
to the ground.

Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM

radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Antenna
The antenna circuit is coupled to the
tank circuit by mutual induction.

Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM

radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Tank Circuit
For example,
if we wish to tune in station 1, the
capacitor is varied until the resonant
frequency of the tank circuit is equal
to 920 kHz.
Receiving a frequency of 920 kHz will
V
cause the greatest voltage drop across
the tank circuit.
Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM
radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Tank Circuit
For example,
The other frequencies (1040 station
3, and 1460 station 2) will not
produce a large voltage drop across
the tank circuit.

Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM

radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Detector
The detector rectifies the radio
signal to a pulsing dc signal.
The filter capacitor smoothers the
high frequency of the audio portion of
the radio signal.

Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM

radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Detector
The detector diode and filter
capacitor are necessary to change the
broadcast frequency and audio signal
to a reproducible sound at the
headphones.
The description above may sound
simple, and that is because this is the
simple operation of a radio receiver.
Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM
radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Detector
The radio described is known as a
crystal radio receiver.
When constructed properly in the
lab, you can actually receive and hear
a few stations.
The performance of this radio,
however, is extremely poor by today’s
standards.
Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM
radio signals and convert them to sound.
 Radio Receiver Working Principle
Detector
Today’s radios and televisions
operate from the same principles just
described, but they are a significant
refinement of the crystal set.
 Take special note of the fact that
there is no battery or other
conventional power supply for this
radio.
Figure 1. A simple crystal radio can receive AM
radio signals and convert them to sound.
End