Eric
If you're referring to the "ADAM", as you say it takes several volts of R.F.
We suggested improvements, but they weren't interested.

Without a pre-amp, a 555 needs about 1/3Rd of VCC to shift it's freq.
tom WA6IVG

On Wed, Nov 11, 2015 at 09:55:54PM -0700, Eric Oyen wrote:
> actually, there is another design that will work. it just requires a 555 =
> timer IC, about 10 or 11 parts and a 9 volt battery. One of the parts =
> can be a piezon-electric transducer. There is a audio watt meter that =
> uses something like this. However, its design is not sensitive enough to =
> function as a field strength meter. I might get hold of the maker of it =
> and suggest some designs he might look at.
> 
> DE n7zzt Eric
> 
> On Nov 11, 2015, at 8:48 PM, Tom Fowle wrote:
> 
> > Ed,
> > Yeah I know you don't want to build, but since I don't know of a =
> commercial
> > device, there is at least one design in the
> > Smith-Kettlewell Technical File
> > http://legacy.ski.org/rehab/sktf/index.html
> > It's based on a very old circuit from the braille technical press days
> > called "audio gimmick"
> > two transistors a simple audio transformer and a few parts.=20
> > Look for the article called=20
> > "gimmicks old and new" I think that's where you'll find the field =
> strength
> > meter.
> >=20
> > Let me know if you can't find it and care <GRIN>
> > 73
> > tom Fowle WA6IVG
> >=20
> > On Wed, Nov 11, 2015 at 03:27:40PM -0700, Ed Malmgren wrote:
> >> Where can a person get a field strength meter, audio of corse.  I am =
> not in=20
> >> the moode to build things other than antennas any more? Could it be =
> lazy or=20
> >> have I done too much of those kind of things hi hi.  73
> >>=20
> >> ED K7UC=20