SolderSmoke Podcast #260 FDIM, Hollow State Design, Pete's Bench and the Shelf of Shame, Direct Conversion Project News, How Best to Preserve this Blog?, Dean's Bench and the Desk of Despair, Bill's Bench and the Garage of Grief, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #260 is available: 

Audio version:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke260.mp3

Video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZzHSjOTbSY

Quote from the Old Miltary Radio Net:  "Being on the leading edge is great, but sometimes being on the trailing edge is more fun."  Indeed. 

Heard from an Australian on the Southern Cross Net:  "My antenna needs a lot of Viagra!" 

News from Dayton/Xenia/FDIM: Dayton Xenia.   Again, we didn't go.  But Bob Crane W8SX was there and got a nice interview with Grayson,  Hans, and Farhan.  We are presenting these and more.  Michigan Mighty Mite Revival at FDIM!  Jeff W9TH. 

Farhan's review of Hollow State Design: I am compelled to set aside the future of my family and to orphan my cats to resume work on the 250v power supply that I built last year. Inshallah, Allah favors those who favor thermatrons!   Grayson's book is  imbued with deep experimental insights and littered with gems. You have to read it over and over to find new things each time.   It goes into my reference shelf in the lab."  Buy it here: https://www.ermag.com/product-category/books/ 

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PETE'S BENCH:

Pete working on JF3HZB dial.  Send Pete a Heath mono-bander! 

MHST on shelf of shame? Even the great ones have to take a break every so often. On the importance of taking a break. Ernest Rutherford 1917 and all that:  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/05/on-importance-of-taking-break.html 

Channelized 40 meter rig. Heard in Arizona by Andy KB7ZUT on a HOMEBREW SSB Reciever.  Very rare.   SWL HB2HB. 

Pete:  Thumb broken as a Novice?  Early episode of Fat Finger Syndrome? 

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DC RX NEWS:  

Quote from N6QW:  "The radios do not build themselves!"  

Alan W2AEW finishes Direct Conversion Receiver. And even he worries about feedback! 

Phil W1PJE MIT receiver  (with cool MIT stuff).  Coming to see us! 

KN6FVK's Barkausen-Be-Gone Spray :https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/05/john-kn6fvks-fb-homebrew-soldersmoke.html

Indian hams working DC RX. VU2JXN Ramakrishnan, VU2TUM  Puneit Singh, Ashish N5ASD, building one in Bangalore with 3D printed form from Scott, KQ4AOP.  Ramakrishnan is planning on building a second receiver with his daughter. On June 22, 2008 in SolderSmoke #86 we reported on the birth of Ramakrishnan's daughter.  This is that same daughter! See: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2024/01/long-time-soldersmoke-supporter.html    How to get a PTO form in India.  A tip from Ramakrishnan: "I got the 3d printing done via https://robu.in with 1:1 size. After uploading the stl, I received it by post in 5 days or so."

German students of Andreas DL1AJG.  and Canadian students of Daniel VE5DLD. 

Receiver built in Singapore!  9V1/KM7ABZ

John M0XJA reports 8 members of his club are building this receiver. 

Chuck N4AVC got his PTO coil form 3D printed at the local library. For free!  FB! 

Few admit to being fooled by April Fool story.  But still, inspirational. VK3HN was going for a few seconds -- SOTA AI chatbots? John West liked the 85th harmonic threat. 

What next after DC RX?  Choose carefully! Don't bite off more than you can chew. 

Do some mods!  Build something else!  And remember to be a homebrew Elmer.  Help someone else build the receiver. 

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SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION: 

Check out the SolderSmoke blog on the WayBack Machine.  The blog, not the podcast.  www.soldersmoke.blogspot.com   Would this be a useful backup if Google were to pull the plug on blogspot?  Is the format OK?   Is the template recoverable?  How best should  we backup the SolderSmoke blog?  

Be a Patreon SolderSmoke Sponsor!   Please subscribe to the YouTube channel!  Buy your Amazon stuff through our link.  Buy stuff from Mostly DIY RF.  

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DEAN'S BENCH:

Dean has completed his Mythbuster: https://kk4das.blogspot.com/2025/05/kk4das-mb-20-transceiver-complete.html   Plexiglass top! 

Diode switching. 

Dean:  Build of the SDR receiver.  Microscope required? 

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BILL'S BENCH:

VK6JDW and HCJB in the Kimberly. 

The stages of separation:  Shack, Garage, Car trunk:  HP-8640B and HAMEG scope saved from garage. HP-8640B repair.  HAMEG Modulation Monitor. 

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MAILBAG

-- Wouter ZS1KE.  Thinks Soviet spies COULD homebrew.  Hamilton KD0FNR concurs. Agent Sonya and Soviet Spy homebrew. Copacetic Flow. I dunno....I dunno... 

-- Hamilton KD0FNR grew up in New Mexico, supports my idea of Starlink deorbit. See : https://www.kallmorris.com/columns/goodness-gracious-green-balls-of-fire

-- Adam N0ZIB Heard my 10 meter beacon from the DR.  28,233.5 MHz  On now. 

-- Rick N3FJZ  Great memory Direct Conversion messages. 

-- John KN6FVK had fun with DC RX. Tattoos on Board. We need a high sign! Like the Little Rascals. 

-- Adrian M7EFO DC RX builder in GQRP.  FB.

-- Steve KW4H Kits not the same as homebrew, but old Boatanchor kits have value. 

-- Mike WU2D -- Old buddy Charles Kitchen SK. 

-- Craig -- Some really nice feedback on Hack-A-Day re DC RX and Dean's videos. 

-- Peter VK3TPM proposes a certificate for SolderSmoke DC RX Honor Roll. 

-- Michael WN2A used a 3 inch reflector from Northern New Jersey. Edmunds Scientific "Space Conqueror"  

-- Phil W1PJE and Mike WN2A lament that our eyes don't pick up radio frequencies.  This would be a great troubleshooting tool! I can SEE the IMD!  Perhaps some tin foil hats? 

-- John WPE9IRS SW listener! Heard my beacon.  Many SWLs switching to tuning in ham stations. 

-- Peter VK3YE found a homebrew 160 meter double-sideband transciever at a hamfest.  He also found "Solid State Basics for the Radio Amateur -- A QST Anthology"  NOT SSDRA.  But good!

-- Peter VK2EMU  From the Southern Cross (I took a picture of it in the DR!)  Building the DC RX!

 

Ramakrishnan VU2JXN