IVELEK CRYSTAL SET, 1950's

Advertized in Exchange and Mart and other periodicals, and aimed at young enthusiasts. Museum staff remember listening to radio Luxemburg on these sets in the 50's and 60'S.
Radio Luxembourg was a Long Wave commercial radio station that began broadcasting from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 1933.

Your comments:

• My father bought me one of these sets when i was 7 years old and it gave me many hours of pleasure and sparked a lifelong interest in radio and shortwave listening.the year was 1953.I also received a book by E.N.Bradley entitled radio for boys which enabled me to build some home brew variations on this fine little set.this little set was truly a great start to what has become a lifetimes work and a great hobby.I still remember those good old days,a shame they have gone.
  .......... Barrie w Howarth, Drighlington Yorkshire UK, 17th of June 2016
  
  
• I was given, as a Christmas present, a medium wave only version (with Diode} of the Ivalek Crystal set, complete with Ivalek black headphones around 1955. A long outdoor aerial was installed and the earth was a water pipe (with paint scraped of, to make a good connection) I was living in Enfield then, geographically close to the BBC's medium wave transmitters at Brookmans Park, Herts. I could receive THE HOME SERVICE and THE LIGHT PROGRAMME. However, the transmitter power was far greater for the Home Service than the Light Programme, so when listening to the Light Programme, I could hear the Home Service in the background but "lived with it".In those days, the Home Service closed down just after 11 pm but the Light continued to broadcast until midnight, so then, at that late time, no Home Service in the background!! That set gave me many hours of enjoyment At one point,I connected an old speaker to the headphone terminals of the set and could hear the reception---not loud of course but there was definitely a result (No amplifier in circuit} No tablets etc. in those days but this simple set gave years of service and enjoyment---Those were the days!!
  .......... PERTER HUGHES, CLACTON ON SEA, ESSEX, 30th of January 2016
  
  
• MY IVALEK CRYSTAL SET WAS BROUGHT FOR ME IN 1959, AND HAD LONG WAVE, AND I COULD RECEIVE RADIO LUXEMBOURG. THE WIRE NETTING COVERING OUR THATCHED ROOF WAS AN EXCELLENT AERIAL. I STILL HAVE THIS SET, HOWEVER ALAS I HAVE LOST THE RED AND WHITE HEADPHONES THAT WENT WITH IT.
  .......... MARTIN, IPSWICH UK, 10th of October 2015
  
  
• Had one of these when I was 10 in 1962, have been looking for another one ever since. It worked well with a Ariel made from an unwound electric motor and using the rotor to throw the line up into a tall tree..I later discovered that the metal finger stop on the house telephone acted as an excellent antenna, using the telephone network as an Ariel!!
  .......... COLIN MARTIN, pouance france, 16th of November 2014
  
  
• I first heard The Beatles singing "Love Me Do" on Radio Luxembourg using a crystal set under the my blankets in 1962. The record only reached No.17 in the charts first time around but was a pivotal moment in pop music history.
  .......... Ian Hughes, Wallasey, England, 24th of July 2011
  
  
• I was bought one of these as a christmas present when I was 7 or 8,the aerial was my metal bed springs the earth was just a flower pot full of earth,[Bless you dad,-you didn't know everything!]BUT-it worked fine and even received local shortwave[?]communications from what I now believe to be gas or electricity workmen at night.CORRECTION,-Radio Luxembourg WAS on long wave,medium wave transmissions finnished at-I think-2am and the French language took over from then on long wave.There are at least 4 variations of this set either with the red cats whisker knob or without & with or without Long Wave,[switched at the back panel],The 1950's were a wonderful time,such a nice world-unlike now!
  .......... Neil Page, Hasbury,Hales-Owen,West Midlands., 19th of June 2011
  
  
• I would like to ensure Mr Chris Byard of Witney that Luxembourg was definitely receivable on the IVALEK crystal receiver I remember listening to myself and it only seems like yesterday. Kind Regards
  .......... Mr Alan Thomas, Willenhall West Midlands England United Kingdom, 3rd of December 2010
  
  
• I'd be surprised if Luxembourg was receivable in England on one of these! A large enough aerial to provide enough signal would swamp the set with stronger local signals which would be impossible for the single tuned circuit to separate.
  
  Make is IVALEK btw not IVELEK......
  .......... Chris Byard, Witney, UK, 13th of November 2010
  
  
• YES RADIO LUXEMBOURG WAS ON THE MEDIUM WAVE 208 METRES
  .......... TOM ATTWOOD, RADLETT U.K., 7th of June 2010
  
  
• Hello I had two of these in the fifties and I think you will find that Luxembourg was on the medium wave great little sets at the time
  .......... Mr Alan Thomas, Willenhall West Midlands England United Kingdom, 29th of April 2010
  
  

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