The Ferrite Ferret
TRF AM receiver
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The Ferrite Ferret.
This is a great AM radio, built around a TA7642 AM radio chip.
Its name is a play on the "Ferrite Fox". (see below) |
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It's small and portable. If this web page were a radio magazine from
the
1930s
it would say you can take it camping, or take it on your
bicycle. |
It ferrets out radio waves very well. It even
picked up the digital
camera when it came close (sounds like a whistling tea kettle).
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From the top. Doesn't look like much here but it works very
well. I can take it camping and on my bicycle. |
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View from the back.
The coil is the simplest part, but one of the most important parts of the
radio. This one is wound on a plastic cap from a highlighter.
Why not just wind it directly on the ferrite rod, and what's that little
white thing on the left side of the coil? Stay tuned.
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This project started with the building of a Ferrite Fox. What is a Ferrite Fox?
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The Ferrite Fox, version #5 built by
"Night Flyer" of The Radio Board.
This is the most serious rendition of a TA7642 or MK484 based radio I've
found.Built on a printed circuit board and mounted in a plastic
enclosure, you can take it camping or on your bicycle. |
This guy, in 1933, took his version of the Ferrite Ferrite
on a canoe ride!
This is an AC tube set
modified to work on batteries. What is the first thing he
did with it? He grabbed his bicycle, rode to his camping
spot and got into a canoe with it. Tube radios and water are
a good mix. So are long pants and a tie when you capsize
your canoe. Is that Ralph Nader?
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For anyone interested in building a TA7642 or MK484 based radio, the
next few pages
will show some of the building of this one, and a few tips on the
construction. |
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