I've heard stories of WW2 prisoners creating
their own AM radios out of the "crudest of
materials." I'm interested in building such a
radio... how would I go about building such a
simple radio? Could you direct me to possible
designs or specs?
thanks,
- Richard

Hi Richard, The POW's were very ingenious at making radios in the camps, under pain of death if caught. They used whatever materials they could find, a razor blade and pencil lead for a crystal detector and old torch batteries for example. There have been books written about them and you might try a Subject search at your local library. I'll try and find a few articles on these radios and post for you. It might take a day or two to hunt them out. They were a great moral booster for the prisoners. Cheers, Don Black.

: I've heard stories of WW2 prisoners creating
: their own AM radios out of the "crudest of
: materials." I'm interested in building such a
: radio... how would I go about building such a
: simple radio? Could you direct me to possible
: designs or specs?
: thanks,
: - Richard

Richard & Don,

Coincidentally, I've just finished reading a book that deals
with this issue a little bit. It's titled, "The Railway Man",
by Eric Lomax (1995) ISBN 0-393-03910-2 published by W.W. Norton
and Company (500 5th Avenue, NY, NY 10110 or 10 Coptic St., London
WC1A 1PU). From the dust jacket:

"Taken prisoner after the fall of Singapore ... he helped to build
an illicit radio, so that the prisoners could follow the news of
the war. The discovery of the radio by the Japanese brought on two
years of dreadful torture, starvation and distress ...

"Who would have thought that a radio, for example, could cause terrible
harm? It seemed to be a wonderful instrument by which people could
speak to each other; and yet I heard Hitler ranting over the airwaves,
and saw two men beaten to death for their part in making such an
instrument, and suffered for my own part in it for half a century."

Although the horrors of being a POW and the aftermath thereof of Viet Nam
vets and to some extent, Korean vets, are fairly well-publicized, this
book was written to enlighten readers of the similar circumstances (including
the post-war syndromes) of WWII POWs that have not been so-well documented.

Although written as an autobiography with its expected emphasis on the
author, it is nonetheless an interesting read. If either of you would like
to have my copy (I'm done with it, it was on a bargain table, and once I read
a non-technical book, it just sits on a shelf and wastes away, catching an
inordinate amount of dust) let me know and I'll be glad to send it on to a
continued life of literacy. And yes, Don, I'd even send it to Australia just
for you. Believe me, you've sent me enough schematics for old radios that I
think you're definitely worth the investment!

Dean dhuster@pb.k12.mo.us

Richard & Don,

This is Pt 2, a repeat of my original post. Don't read it if
it appears because my little machine came up with a strange
window that has never appeared before. And this was a long post
and I didn't want to lose it. So it may be duplicated. If so,
stop here. If not, read on!

Coincidentally, I've just finished reading a book that deals
with this issue a little bit. It's titled, "The Railway Man",
by Eric Lomax (1995) ISBN 0-393-03910-2 published by W.W. Norton
and Company (500 5th Avenue, NY, NY 10110 or 10 Coptic St., London
WC1A 1PU). From the dust jacket:

"Taken prisoner after the fall of Singapore ... he helped to build
an illicit radio, so that the prisoners could follow the news of
the war. The discovery of the radio by the Japanese brought on two
years of dreadful torture, starvation and distress ...

"Who would have thought that a radio, for example, could cause terrible
harm? It seemed to be a wonderful instrument by which people could
speak to each other; and yet I heard Hitler ranting over the airwaves,
and saw two men beaten to death for their part in making such an
instrument, and suffered for my own part in it for half a century."

Although the horrors of being a POW and the aftermath thereof of Viet Nam
vets and to some extent, Korean vets, are fairly well-publicized, this
book was written to enlighten readers of the similar circumstances (including
the post-war syndromes) of WWII POWs that have not been so-well documented.

Although written as an autobiography with its expected emphasis on the
author, it is nonetheless an interesting read. If either of you would like
to have my copy (I'm done with it, it was on a bargain table, and once I read
a non-technical book, it just sits on a shelf and wastes away, catching an
inordinate amount of dust) let me know and I'll be glad to send it on to a
continued life of literacy. And yes, Don, I'd even send it to Australia just
for you. Believe me, you've sent me enough schematics for old radios that I
think you're definitely worth the investment!

Dean dhuster@pb.k12.mo.us