Unexpected demonic possession can completely ruin Christmas, particularly if it occurs while you're unwrapping your presents. So what better way to avoid paranormal party-poopers than by building an electronic field sensor into a standard Christmas card to warn of the presence of disembodied entities in a subtle and festive manner.
This project was inspired by a friend asking if I could make him a field based ghost detector. Since I usually send him a Christmas card with LEDs in it, I decided to combine the two and make a Christmas card with a built in ghost detector.
It uses a three stage cascade of common NPN transistors (BC547) to detect the slightest ambient electrical field and make Santa's eyes light up.
I did a search on Google for "ghost detector schematic" and immediately found a circuit that I remembered building when I was a kid. Just a simple ultra high gain transistor array. I hard-wired the circuit and put it into a suitably themed Xmas card.
It's quite amusing, since the eyes glow rather randomly when you move near or handle the card.

14 thoughts on “Make a ghost detecting xmas card.”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bob Harrison says:

    Hey Doc.
    I have made 2 of your 9 volters , the first was in a plastic box just working well. made a second one and put it Inna cardboard gift box and have in works well, put the original in the same box set up and instead of working it's a dim glow from the he LEDs touch the antenna and the LEDs go off for a bit and relight and stay on.. Sir do you know what's going on?. Thanks for your Vidios and in advance for your help.. Bob H

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars weasel box says:

    creepy and funny

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jerry Ericsson says:

    I ordered in a batch of BC547's after trying unsuccessfully to build this project with a couple of other transistor's. They are cheap and very easy to get on Ebay now, so I figured why not use the ones that Big Clive can get to work, and they work GREAT! I have made a couple of those circuits now but never had any rabbit ears left over from long long ago when we needed them back when I lived in Minnesota in 1969. So instead I simply soldered on some lengths of lacquered copper wire recovered from old power supplies I tore down for just the copper and what ever components I thought I may one day want to use.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars A3DogNight says:

    I like that circuit there a lot of things could be used in that circuit, very clever there Clive. You should be a go- jillionaire by now, Tom.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Toddo Roi says:

    1 circuit, 101 uses. Ghost detector, infrared light detector, crude amplifier and many more.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars MGUK Games says:

    Hi can chance you could tell me how to do one with a buzzer as well. And a list off all the parts. Thanks love you videos

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Excel Moves says:

    It only works if I move away from the antenna, not towards it. Why is that?

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Matthew Lawrence says:

    Hey bigclive looks like your circuit is designed to pick up negative changes. If you changed the transistors out, could it pick up positive changes? (Friendly ghosts… hehehe)

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars chris snowdon says:

    Hi Clive. Built using 3 cr2032.Mitch neater

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Thali Venom says:

    i guess you could say, hes Sherlock Ohms.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ancd Abcd says:

    Hi sorry just found this video and I lobe but what do you use for the antenna?

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Comrade General Vladimir Pootis says:

    Interesting.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DJPhilTBCollins says:

    This'll be neat to tinker with!
    A good sub for the BC54x/BC55x series in the US would be the 2N3904 (NPN) and 2N3906 (PNP). A 2N2222 would also work.

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Kronikwookie says:

    That's a scary Christmas card T_T

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