03-09-2025, 11:11 AM
My first thought was that maybe the DC voltage across it might reverse - though looking at the circuit snippet you have given, and assuming the wires going off the left-hand side just go to an IFT secondary, this will not be the case as it will always have the emitter-base DC voltage across it (about 0.12V using the voltages marked, which would be right for germanium).
It's easy enough to prove - if you need to replace this capacitor, just use a conventional electrolytic, connect it positive to base, and tack a couple of leads to it to connect to an external DVM so you can monitor the voltage across it as you scan the bands looking for something to enjoy.
Of course, these days you might find a low-voltage polyester or ceramic capacitor small enough to fit. Just check the temperature coefficient if it is ceramic!
It's easy enough to prove - if you need to replace this capacitor, just use a conventional electrolytic, connect it positive to base, and tack a couple of leads to it to connect to an external DVM so you can monitor the voltage across it as you scan the bands looking for something to enjoy.
Of course, these days you might find a low-voltage polyester or ceramic capacitor small enough to fit. Just check the temperature coefficient if it is ceramic!
