Building my first regenerative RX

[N1ESE]

OM's, I'm looking to build my first regen and wondering if the RX in the link below would be a good one to start with for a tube newbie like me?  I like this article because it's very detailed and looks like it'd be easy to build.  Would I be able to find the octal socket, bases, and tube?
 
http://www.mines.uidaho.edu/~glowbugs/12at7_regen.html
 
Thanks
 
- JT

[W4EWH]

JT,

I suggest you obtain a commercial receiver from the maritime service and start with that, since they're probably very stable and easy to use, and could be adapted easily for 160 and/or 80.

FWIW. YMMV.

73, Bill W1AC

[W1UJR]

Hi JT,

I love regens, very fun to use.
Nothing like the "pop" as the set goes into regeneration.

The 12AT7 project looks like a great thing to get your feet wet with.
Most parts should be readily available, let me know if you need anything, I've some deep junk parts boxes.

Speaking of regens, if you get a chance to pick up a Radiola III, don't pass it up.
Last fall I had a blast with a Radiola III, and you can find less than mint examples pretty cheaply.

I should also mention that Jan 31 was the anniversary of the death of the man credited with invented the regenerative circuit, Major Howard Armstrong.

Armstrong's original regen and copies of the patents for the circuit can be found here -> http://users.erols.com/oldradio/eha1.htm.

[Carl WA1KPD]

I have built a number of regens and think they are fun. It amazes me that such a simple piece of electronics can work.

THere is a Yahoo group "regenrx · Regenerative Receiver Group"  which has a fairly active mail list and some good information including pictures and schematics..

If you do build the 12AT7 put the power supply on another chassis and feed only DC into the rcvr. Make sure that  you have a metal front panel.

Good luck. They are cool radios

KPD

[WU2D]

JT,

Regens are great fun to build and there is nothing like listening to K4KYV on a regen. The other satisfying thing about them is they basically all "work" and will pull in stations. From the simplest one tuber like the Morgan (attached: from the Boy First Book of Radio and Electronics) to the two tube jobs like the Twinplex and Dorle, to the fancy TRF regens, you will be surprised how much you can get out of them.

Tips on improving them take a lifetime to implement. I am on my 5th regen and I turned 50 last year.

I am always putting my two tube regen against my R390A on 80M CW and I have yet to see a case where it can not hear a weak signal as well or even better!


73's Mike WU2D