Where to get parts:
(Includes Loop Stick and Gang capacitor)



IF COILS:

One 1N34A Germanium Diode http://www.circuitspecialists.com/level.itml/icOid/7045 (or Radio Shack)
20K Third stage IF Transformer (42IF303)  http://www.circuitspecialists.com/level.itml/icOid/1738
30K Second stage IF Transformer (42IF302) http://www.circuitspecialists.com/level.itml/icOid/1738
50K First stage IF Transformer (42IF301)  http://www.circuitspecialists.com/level.itml/icOid/1738
OSC AM Oscillator IF Transformer (42IF300) http://www.circuitspecialists.com/level.itml/icOid/1738

trimmer cap (If you got a gang for a shortwave radio with longwave) came from - http://www.circuitspecialists.com/



COMMON PARTS:

The (LM386 300MW audio amp), and (317T adjustable voltage regulator) came from Radio Shack, but can be obtained from http://www.circuitspecialists.com.

Potentiometers, capacitors, General purpose Silicon Diode, and resistors, general purpose NPN and PNP transistors, and prototype board came from Radio Shack and http://www.goldmine-elec.com/ assortment packs, but can be obtained from almost anywhere that sells common part components.


GANG CAP:

* Hard to find item

BC-540 (AM) or BC-88 (AM-FM)  http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p98.htm - These work, four dollars, data sheet included, also includes labeled tunning wheel.   

Or.....

Make your own gang capacitors - http://www.eham.net/articles/5217

You need a dual gang cap about (10-74) Pf or more for the oscillator and about (21-152) pf for the loop, if you want a wire antenna based AF stage you will need more on the antenna side. 

If your gang doesn't have trimmers on the back of it you will need to order some; to be safe they should be 1/8 th the cap value of the gang.


Loop stick (Loop stick):

* Hard to find item

LA-540 http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p91.htm - four dollars, data sheet included (says "Loop Stik")


Making your own loop:

Get ferrite cores and magnet wire here, diodes, transistors, prototype / plugin boards etc. (if your going to wind your own)- http://www.goldmine-elec.com/


If your making your own loop, buy a ferrite core that can slide a coil across easily.

Get more parts then necessary even experienced engineers blow components up, or need to couple something especially on prototype boards

If you want to see how a loopstick is wound look at this closeup I scanned of one.  (Make sure you wind the two coils the same direction!)

The loopstick is used for an AF stage; the oscillator coil from http://www.circuitspecialists.com/level.itml/icOid/1738 can be used with a wire antenna and work just as well, however I would suggest starting with a loop first since the 3 dollar gang does not have the cap range for it, and this tutorial goes over it.

Here is a picture of a loopstick if you want to make your own.

0 - 110 is connected to the cap; 0 - 10 is the output to the RF amp, the cover it slides on is made out of paper. (Note that the coil is on backwards; sorry. : ) )

loopstick picture


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