Hands-onno timerruns in the browser
Transistor Radio
Turn it on, pull the antenna, find a station.
About Transistor Radio
A 3D model of a pocket transistor radio from the seventies that you can actually handle. Spin it on its turntable, turn the volume knob until it clicks on, and sweep the tuning knob across the dial: between stations there is static, near one there is a whistle, and on the station you get music, a talk show or Morse code. All of the sound is synthesized live in the browser.
The telescopic antenna pulls out and tilts, and it matters: FM stations are weak until the antenna is up. Flip the AM/FM switch for a different set of stations, fold the carry handle, open the battery lid on the back and pull the battery out to see what stops working.
Questions
- Why don't I hear anything?
- The radio needs three things: the battery in place, the volume knob turned past the click, and sound unlocked by a tap or click on the page. The small red light on the front tells you it is on.
- Where are the stations?
- Three on each band. Sweep the tuning knob slowly and listen for the whistle that appears just before a station.
- Is this a recording of a real radio?
- No. Static, whistle, music, speech and Morse are generated by the browser's audio engine in real time.
- Does the antenna really matter?
- Yes. FM reception scales with how far the antenna is out and how upright it is. AM is more forgiving.
