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answers:
say: Why?
RF germanium diodes are both cheap and still made.
Ebay link (plenty of others there as well). http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/High-Quality-10Pcs-Germanium-Diode-1N34A-DO-7-1N34-IN34A-Practical-Sales-AUL-/380963352526?hash=item58b32f6fce:g:PEsAAOxyUI1TJtQu
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Joe say: Philomel and Anonymous have it straight. While any nonlinear device will "detect", the RF energy in a crystal set is very low, and the loss in an LED is very high. You need either a germanium diode, or a "point-contact" detector. (Often made with a safety pin, and a carbon-steel razor blade.)
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Philomel say: A standard diode has a forward bias (Vf) of ~.7v. A schottky diode has a Vf of ~ .3 - .4 V.
An LED has a Vf of ~ 1.5 - 3.5 volts depending on the color.
Generally it could be made to work but in a standard Xtal radio circuit, No It won't work.
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lee26loo，異地強秦後人 say: NO !
LED IS NOT A RF SIGNAL DETECTOR !
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say: If you live practically next door to a transmitter, yes.
Otherwise no, because the cut-in (knee) voltage for silicon diodes (which include LEDs) is too high at 0.7V. You need a germanium diode (cut-in 0.2V).
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Spock (rhp) say: no
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Colin say: You'll end up with an insensitive radio.
An ideal diode starts conducting as soon as the voltage across it is at all positive. Germanium diodes need about 0.2 volts to start conducting, silicon diodes about 0.7 volts. But LEDs need 2 or more volts typically.
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DR + Mrs Bears face say: hi is not likely to work as a diode is reverse biased to work. this would destroy a LED.
so this is not a possibility.
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Gary B say: no.
While an LED is a diode, its electrical characteristics are different
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Acer say: Yes, it is still a diode. Probably wouldn't light up as the current is very low.
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Xn|⌡ЖJ¤P say: no. every part of a radio (or any electronic) has a different job. even if they look similar, no two different parts do the same thing! you can really damage your electronics (and possibly yourself!) if you do not use the proper parts.
that is why we have Radio Shack!
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