In a true SHTF/Survival situation, knowing how to construct this little gadget may be the only way to stay current on what’s happening in the world. The Foxhole Radio has been around for a very long time. These radios were built by soldiers during World War II. The radio is called this because of the foxholes soldiers were subjected to take shelter in for long periods of time which left them isolated from thw world. Because small transistor radios were not available to troops at the time, this left them in desperate need for information. This was also a favored method of information by POW’s as well. Staying informed on the progress of the allies probably gave them hope during an utterly hopless situatuation. The main reason these radios are so simple to create is that they are powered by the radio frequency it receives, This radio does not use semiconductors or require access to a power supply.The incoming radio frequency sends electricity back and forth in the coil. The electricity must be fixed so that its changes will go in one direction, towards the earphones. The razor and lead from the pencil are basically a gate. When the blade’s steel and pencil’s lead come in contact with each other they will only allow electricity to travel in one direction. After the electricity travels through them, it then travels to the headphones.

 
Here are instructions for a quick and easy Foxhole Radio:

 
1) Wind magnet wire around a toilet paper tube 120 times. Attach the coil to the wood block using metal tacks. Place extra tacks several inches from each end of the coil.

 
2) Attach copper wire to one end of the coil; this will serve as the ground wire. Run the wire around the extra tack. Place a clothes hanger in the ground and attach the ground wire to it, or hook the wire to another metal object such as a radiator. Run a wire from the other end of the coil for an antenna. Wrap it around the extra tack on that end. The longer this wire the better. Hang this wire out the window if the radio is being used indoors.

 
3) Tack a blued or rusted razor blade flat against the block. Run a wire from the tack wrapped with antenna wire to the blade. Open a safety pin and flatten the hooking end. Put a tack through the hole and attach next to the razor blade so that the tip touches the blade. This will adjust to find a station.

 
4) Run a wire from the pin to the earphone or speaker jack, and another from the ear phone or speaker jack to the tack that is wrapped with the ground wire.

And there you have it!