Jim’s Cushman Scooter & Crystal Radio Site

Photo by Dave Richards, AA7EE

©

This site is devoted to the history, restoration, and preservation of vintage Cushman Motor Scooters and Crystal Radios. 

The Cushman Scooter section includes a wealth of technical articles, Cushman model identification and history, restoration and maintenance of Cushman Scooters, and Jim’s How to Rebuild the Cushman Cast Iron Engine manual for complete instructions on restoring the Cushman cast iron engine. You’ll also find Cushman Club and show information, links to other Cushman websites, and lots of articles and Cushman Scooter and Truckster photos contributed by all our wonderful Cushman friends!

The Crystal Radio section includes photos and information on each of Jim Frederick’s Crystal radio receivers including his Hobbydyne™ circuit, technical information on how to build your own Crystal set, helpful antenna design tips, and a bit of nostalgia.

About Cushman Scooters

and

Crystal Radios

Cushman Motor Scooters were built in Lincoln, Nebraska by the Cushman Motor Works Company. Cushman had been building engines since 1901 and began making scooters in 1936. Cushman Scooters were a very popular means of transportation especially among teenagers and were also used by the military. There was even an Airborne Cushman model for use in WWII that could be dropped by parachute. Visit the Cushman Scooter main page for lots more Cushman information and photos.

Crystal Radios were invented in the late 1800’s and developed into practical use for radio reception in the early 1900’s. They use only the power of the received broadcast radio signals to produce sound and require no electricity or external power. Tuned circuits are used to select the stations, and a crystal detector is used to rectify the radio station’s signal to enable it to be heard with a set of headphones. Early radio designs used a galena or other mineral crystal as a detector which gave them their name. Visit the Crystal Radio main page for more information.

We welcome contributions to the site! Send us your club information and events, photos, technical articles, and tips.