Hackaday · Creativity & design

ESP32 Revives Vintage AM Radios

A project uses an ESP32-S3 microcontroller to create a small AM transmitter, allowing vintage tube radios to receive modern online radio streams.

The ESP32-S3 takes an online radio stream and transmits it via RF generated using a pulse chain on a GPIO pin. This allows older AM radios, which might otherwise become e-waste or fall silent, to receive new content.

The device features a 3D-printed enclosure with a wire coil designed to radiate enough signal for vintage electronics to pick up. The creator notes that while potentially not legal due to transmission power, it is unlikely to be detected.

The current setup transmits at 200kHz for the European long wave band, with the possibility of generating higher medium wave frequencies. The project offers a way to keep collectible vintage radios functional in the digital age.

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