A simple 1 transistor (J113 J-FET) FM Radio

[brancambre500]

Hello my friends,

If you want to make a one transistor VHF receiver, just go to Link Deleted and there you will find the Radio Shack Special, which is a 1 transistor FM Radio. It uses a J-FET113. It is actually a VHF Super-Regenerative Receiver that I doctored up and can even receive Aircraft Frequency (around 115MHz) and NOAA weather (at around 165 MHz)...should you want to change out the DRAIN coil and just be a 2 turn wrap. Any questions, you can e-mail me at Link Deleted

Why not just post your circuits here on this form? Moderator

 

[brancambre500]

no thank you

 

[audioguru]

Nearly 13 years ago I looked at the Radio Shack Special FM radio and I said this about it:

"Why don't you make or buy a "real" (super-heterodyne) FM radio?

The RadioShack Special super-regen is not a radio, it is a simple novelty for kids. It is much too simple.
It is easily overloaded by strong local stations.
It has severe distortion.
Because it does not have an FM detector its audio level varies with signal strength.
It has only one tuned circuit so its bandwidth will be too narrow for most FM stations or will not have enough selectivity so many stations will be heard at the same time.
It does not have the proper de-emphasis for an FM radio so its sound will have boosted high audio frequencies.
Its squelch oscillator will beat with the stereo pilot, stereo subcarrier and SCA restaurant music so its audio output will be full of whistles.

"Real" FM radios do not need an AVC circuit. They have a real FM detector. They use many tuned circuits for good selectivity. Good radios tune the signal before the RF amplifier so they are not overloaded by strong local stations. Many RF amplifiers in real radios use automatic gain control. They do not produce whistles and have proper de-emphasis. They have low distortion."

EDIT: Years ago the author was named Patrick Cambre.

 

[brancambre500]

You are correct, my friend. Thank you for the advice.

Sincerely,

Patrick Cambre