"Szczepan Bialek" wrote in message
.. .

"The wire antennas used with crystal receivers are monopole antennas which
develop their output voltage with respect to ground. They require a return
circuit connected to ground (earth) so that the current from the antenna,
after passing through the receiver, can flow into the ground."

I had a crystal radio & the antenna was a piece of wire hanging out of it &
the radio was built in a wooden box & I could listen to it on the second
floor of a wooden building & sitting on a wooden chair. no connection to the
ground (earth) as you say is required & the station I listened to was a
daytime station located about 50 miles away...How did it work & no
connection to the ground (earth) as you say is required & no battery power &
the crystal had a cat wisker for tuning...