Building a very simple AM voice transmitter

[muremanon]

http://sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/rad ... itter.html
i use one of these for listening while outside as shown in diagram it will have low audio output i hooked a jumper wire from the + side of the power source to the antenna output it increased the audio level i use 4 AA batteries a long length of wire for a antenna and no earth ground a neat easy little toy

[Shiny Beast]

Several Years ago I messed around with AM transmitters. My best results were a small amp attached to one of those Home Real Estate Transmitters. A friend drove about a mile or so one evening and still heard me, though the antenna was very directional and almost impossible to match and ground. I did my best to modify a 160 meter ham antenna design and even played with a MFJ random wire tuner, with limited results.
Warning, AM horror story: When I was just getting into radio, I blew up and beautiful Viking transmitter (the big red one, think it was a Valiant, I've had them both) modifying it for the AM band. I either read or was told that adding capacitance to the front would allow me to tune past 160 meters to AM broadcast band. It did, I think it was about 170 watts for about ten minutes and then it just stopped. That thing was great, the lights would dim when it keyed down and it made a hearty "clunk" sound.