Seventy years ago this month, the October 1952 issue of the British journal Practical Wireless showed how to put together this handsome little one-tube receiver for mediumwave and longwave. With even a short indoor antenna, it would pull in a large number of stations, both from Britain and the continent.

The magazine pointed out that the set was obviously much more sensitive than a crystal set, but as the beginner gained more experience, it would serve as the basis for a loudspeaker set, with the addition of an amplifier.

The tube (or “valve” as it’s known on the other side of the Pond), could be a 1N5, 1N5GT,  Mullard DF33, or Marconi/Osram Z14.