Jim KF8BOG Completes the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver after a Long, Hard Journey of Discovery

Herodotus once said that "learning is not child's play -- we cannot learn without pain." I think Jim KF8BOG proved that in this build.  I'm sure he burned his fingers at least a few times.  I remember fondly almost seeing the light buld turn on when Jim came to understand how the diode ring mixer really works.  He struggled to tame a rebellious AF amplifier (we've all been there).  Throughout Jim demonstrated the persistance and determination that are needed to turn a bunch of parts into a well-functioning receiver.  He did it. He built it.  Congratulations OM!  

 Jim wrote: 

I am not just an appliance operator now but only half way through. Time to make a transmitter!   

A little about me I became interested in Ham radio about 45 years ago in Boy Scouts I tried really hard with my Radio shack straight key and morse code chart to learn code by myself and just could never get it.  Fast forward to last year and I had a friend who did CERT and he told be about it and said he used 2 meter for communications I was impressed and said “how did you learn morse code?” he replied “ I didn’t you don’t need it anymore”  I promptly signed  up for Ham in a day in June and got my technician license and my then my general in August. I have been studying radio ever since.  This project was perfect for me. I like to make things I have been a mechanic for 40 years plus ASE master.  Fixed all sorts of crazy electrical issues but DC and RF are way different lol. 

Again Thanks Bill and Dean you don’t know what you have started.  73s KF8BOG

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

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Documentation on Hackaday:

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

 

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