The device worked, but had a bug. a hummmm on the receiver.
For the longest time I could not figure out what was the "hummm", till I noticed it was there even with the transmitter off.. and then, I heard strange voices even with the transmitter being off!
Then I realized the humm was the reflection of incandescent light on the window, and the voices where the people in the room making the window vibrate too..
Ahh.. those where great fun days early on "hacker" life as a hacker. :)
...and that is when little Johnny knew he had to lay off the shrooms.
:P
I love hearing stories like yours though. I, too, miss the child-like wonder of making discoveries. We take the physical world we live in for granted, but there's just so much out there to see and learn from.