Lex PH2LB's Fantastic, 3-D Yellow, Glue-Stick, SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver from the Netherlands

Lex PH2LB has been a valued member of the SolderSmoke team for a long time.  It was he who took our stickers into the bars and coffee shops of Holland, spearheading our efforts on Continental Europe.

He didn't have to, but Lex took up the SolderSmoke Challenge.  And he did it with panache.  3D yellow panache.  Glue-stick panache!     

Lex has a complete description of his build here: 

https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=soldersmoke-dcr

Here is another video of Lex's receiver in action 

Indeed, it is working!

Bravo Lex.  Thank you and congratulations.

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For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

Ben KC9DLM's SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver

Ben had to overcome some antenna problems, but as you can see here,  he got it going. 

He also had to overcome a capacitor shortage.  He did it, using parts on hand.  FB.  Ben writes: 

I forgot to order the 470uF caps for the audio stage, so I used some amusingly large 220uF I had in parallel.

Thanks Ben.  Congratulations.    73   Bill 

For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

Scott K1OA FB SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver

Scott K1OA has been a licensed ham for more than 50 years, but he tells us that this was his first Manhattan-style project.  He reports having built a lot of kits and even a DC receiver from EMRFD using an SA602 chip, but he says the SolderSmoke direct conversion receiver was the most fun.  That comment meant a lot to us.  We continue to believe there is value in homebrewing from scratch. 

Scott writes:  

Hi Bill,

This will be my 50th year as a licensed ham and my first

Manhattan style project. I've built a dozen kits in the past

15 years or so and bread-boarded a simple crystal 

controlled DCR from a circuit in EMRFD

using an SA602, but the Soldersmoke DCR

challenge has been the most fun!

The most challenging aspect has been trying to get the

PTO tuning range close to 7-7.3 MHz. I'm still 

experimenting with that.Audio output is loud and 

sensitivity is pretty good.

I'm thinking my next project might be a simple crystal 

controlled CW transmitter to pair up with the DCR, and 

considering the Pebble Crusher 1/2W design from the 

ARRL Handbook that uses a pair of 2N2222A

transistors. I'm interested in your thoughts on that.

Thanks for putting forth the challenge and for all the 

great support you and Dean have provided!

73,

Scott K1OA

p.s. - love the podcast and your Soldersmoke Adventures 

book!

Thanks Scott and congratulations. 

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For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

Juan LU2VJM's Beautiful Argentine SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver

I was really pleased to see Juan LU2VJM's rapid completion of the SolderSmoke direct conversion receiver.  But I wasn't really surprised -- Juan is an experienced homebrewer who has successfully completed Farhan's BITX transceiver.  Juan and I talked about how it is worthwhile for even an experienced homebrewer to go back and build a direct conversion receiver.  Farhan did this.  Farhan said that we do this because we are tool makers.  We have opposing thumbs that allow us to grab a soldering iron.  Indeed.  And you can hear the happiness in Juan's voice when he says in the video, "Today we have reception!"  Excellent. 

I was also pleased to see this receiver enter the Hall of Fame becasue this marks our first receiver from Latin America.  We hope there will be many more.  

Here are some pictures of Juan's receiver during construction: 

Juan's AF Amplifier

Juan's Diplexer with homebrewed coil

Another shot of the AF amplifier

The mixer, getting ready for construction

The completed receiver. FB!

Thanks Juan!  And congrastulations! 

For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

CuriousMarc Gets an Apollo DSKY Running. FPGA AGC Computer. Rope Memory.

I really liked this video.  So much amazing wizardry in it.  Just the FPGA Apollo AGC simulator that Mike whipped up.  Wow.  Kudos!  

Their occassional references to "rope" brought back fond memories of "Sunburst and Luminary" by Don Eyles:  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=Apollo+rope 

Victor's FB SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver from Holland Pulls In Stations from All Over Europe... and One from Japan

Victor is a retired Electrical Engineer from the Netherlands.  He doesn't have a ham radio call sign, but as I have said about other receiver builders, he deserves one.   Note the truly homebrew approach that Victor used on the PTO coil form.  And he had to rebuild this part to get the receiver on 40 meters.  As we can see in the above video, Victor's homebrew receiver is pulling in stations from across Europe.  Victor even reports hearing a Japanese station.  FB! 

Victor writes:

Hi Bill, I changed the PTO tuning unit, more stable this way.   I m a retired electrical engineer, revamping on a more daily basis  tube radios from the 50's 😉 I include a Bluetooth interface too so they can be used again by "young" people with their smartphones..  I had great fun and learning experiences building the DCR !!  

Thanks for the video, pictures, and messages Victor.  Congratulations! 

For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

Garry's FB Australian SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver with "Free Tree Printed" PTO Coil Form

Garry built a really nice receiver.  I think he is in Australia.  His PTO coil form is  "a piece off an old rotten Australian red cedar door."  FB Garry. 

Garry did a really nice blog entry on his build experience: 

https://garrysblog.com/2025/03/14/my-build-of-the-soldersmoke-40m-direct-conversion-receiver/

As with Chris, if there was any justice in the world,  Garry would be issued a ham license based solely on this receiver build.  He has done something that 95% of hams have never done: he built a receiver!  

Congratulations Garry! 

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For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

 

Tapesponding -- Who Knew?

I didn't realize that "tapesponding" had become so widespread.  I know of two very prominent homebrewers (one now a Silent Key) who exchanged tapes.  When I learned of this I asked if those tapes (which would have been a real treasure) were still around.  Sadly, they had been destroyed,  as, I suspect, were most of the tapes mentioned in this video. 

I sometimes think that some of the on-the-air conversations about tech topics really should be saved for posterity (most conversations clearly should NOT be saved!).  The internet provides a great forum for this kind of preservation.  This happens,  but only very sporadically and mostly in the AM world. 

Thanks to Hack-A-Day for alerting us to this. 

Nate KA1MUQ Turns His Frying Pan DC Receiver into a Double Sideband Transceiver and Works Idaho from California

Wow, you can see the look of homebrew satisfaction as Nate works Idaho from California with his homebrew Double Sideband Transceiver.  It is a good thing that Nate got that frying pan into the shack before he was banned from the kitchen. 

Nate writes: 

I finally got my DCR to be a DSB transceiver.  I had a lot of trouble with transmitted RF getting back in to the VFO and causing distortion.   While I imagine I could have tried putting the VFO in metal box, I instead opted to move the VFO to a 4.7-5 MHz range and then mix that with a 12 MHz crystal oscillator.  Now the VFO is at a frequency unaffected by transmit RF.  This mixer and crystal oscillator are on the breadboard and from SSDRA.  The transmit amplifier chain was taken from Fahran's Daylight Again radio.   I just got a 570 mile contact on 5 watts - conditions are good.   If there is interest let me know and I'll share my schematic.

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I looked this morning and I have 100 DSB posts on the SolderSmoke blog.  There are lots of ideas there on how to homebrew for DSB, many of them from Cuba, many covering DSB rigs that I built in the Azores, and others that I used in the Dominican Republic.  Check it out: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search/label/DSB

 

Dallas KC5DI's SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver

Dallas is a friend of Lyle WZ5M -- Lyle encouraged him to build this receiver.    Dallas's son is also working on a receiver -- we hope to see that one completed soon.  

FB Dallas and congratulations. 

 For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

Lyle WZ5M's SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver

Lyle WZ5M did a great job on his receiver, and in the finest ham radio tradition encouraged two other builders to take up the SolderSmoke challenge.  FB Lyle.  I really like your receiver.  That looks like a genuine pine board.   Frank Jones would approve.  

73  and congratulations!  

 For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke 

Jim K1KJW's SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver

Jim's Vermont DC receiver is really nice.  It is pulling in the 40 meter CW very well.  Check out Jim's QRZ page:  https://www.qrz.com/db/K1KJW 

Thanks Jim and congratulations.  

 For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke