Homebrew Tube Regen - Parts Gathering ID.

I've seen several ideas for small tube regen receivers (like I actually have time for it), and I've started collecting some miscellaneous parts. I salvaged this coil and variable cap from a smashed up radio and figured I could put them to good use:



Does anyone know how to take measurements on the variable cap to find its value or even check continuity?

There are several PCB mount pins - there's one pin barely visible that I noted with the yellow arrow, and I'm pretty sure that's ground. I also circled the labels C1, C2, C3, and C4 - could this be a dual gang vari cap ... ?

Sounds like it. I don't think you could easily get that tuner to work on a tube set. Also, that antenna was meant for low voltage transistors, as was tuner.
You'd do better with parts off destroyed tube radios.
I've seen articles in Popular Electronics long ago that show how to make simple 2 tube radios, and, crystal sets.
Bill Cahill

The cap you show has two sets inside of it. One set is for the AM portion of the set it Has both an oscillator and an RF Cap. The second set is normally for FM frequencies.
It could be for shortwave as a remote possibility. What you could do is create a crystal radio with it and a 1 tube audio circuit with speaker. That would be easier than building a Regen set. To start with anyway, less frustration and good experience in building.
A dual gang usually refers to One variable Condenser with dual sections consisting of the plates for the RF section and then the oscillator section. So what you have is a 4 gang Variable condenser.

If you want to do a time period correct regen radio do a search on hugo gernsback. He published some really nice looking designs on simple radios in the 20s and 30s. There are some that are in PDF forms online for free but offhand I do not remember where.