Was bored and wanted some humor, so knocked the dust off of Gilligan's Island 1st season DVDs. In episode 4, the Captain sleepwalks and relives the Battle of Guadalcanal, during which he had to convert a radio receiver to a radio transmitter in an emergency.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan'...land_(season_1)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalcanal_Campaign

My question is: is that possible using WW II era tech? using mid-'60s tech?

Or did he out MacGyver reality?

It's doable with a tube radio. The big problems would be building a makeshift soldering iron (you can do it with a pencil, some copper wire & a battery) and then of course getting enough power boost and ultimate range for someone (other than Gilligan) to be able to hear you.

The Captain said it was simple to do using a screw driver and wire cutters. He also said it involved the "main coil." Maybe that was w/his WW II era Navy receiver?

But, I won't hold it against Gilligan's Island if their writers got it wrong.

Watching those old episodes reminded me that the Professor could out MacGyver MacGyver! Mac's cement mixer ultralight has NOTHING over the Professor's bamboo taxi!



IIRC, one episode revolved around Gilligan's SAK!

Hey Mac learned from somewhere lol!