The regenerative
radio receiver is a
shortwave radio design used in the early
20th century. The basic
principle is that the incoming
radio signal, when
demodulated, is used to provide
energy to the incoming signal, creating, in effect, a
positive feedback loop. Careful
control on the part of the
operator is necessary, as the radio must be kept
on the verge of
oscillating for best results.
The
regenerative detector obtains one of the highest single-stage
gains of any
detector, at the expense of the necessary operator control. Automatic regeneration control would make the radio complex enough so that a
superheterodyne receiver would be simpler to design and build.