SolderSmoke Homebrew Direct Conversion Receiver Hall of Fame Update: 104 Completed + 7 Honorable Mentions: Total Receivers Built: 111 (As of January 19, 2026, 0853Z)

G3MOT's Receiver

Please let us know if you spot any errors, or if we have inadvertently missed anyone.  Don't worry about being late to the game -- the challenge continues.  All of the info is still available. 

As of January 19, 2026 0821Z:

So far 104 completed receivers, and 7 honorable mentions.  Total Count:  111.       Receivers built in 17 countries.   

NE3U (KY4EOD)  Matt 

KQ4AOP       First ham signals ever heard! 

N9TD             Derek

AC3NG          Ryan

VK3TPM       Peter Marks  

W4KAC         Ken 

W4KAC         Ken built a second one! 

N2EPE           Erik

VA3NCA        Wayde    

KI5SRY          Mark -- Gears on PTO screw

 

KA1MUQ       Frying pan receiver

AA1N              Adam

ZL1AUN         Aaron -- Using SSB transmitter -- New Zealand

W8UC             Never before homebrewed. 

VK4PG           Phil -- Nice case, "really pleased"

G7LQX           Working well, video of CW and SSB.  -- England

KE2AMP        John     Spring on PTO screw -- great

N9SZ              Steve  nice receiver

KD9NHZ        Piotr  Nice one

KE8ICE          Calvin, Very cool receiver. 

 

WV3V              Jayson!  Got it done!

GM5JDG         Martin.   -- Scotland 

KF8BOG          Jim:  A long struggle, but success.  

Chris Wales    Fantastic video.  -- Wales

YD9BAX         Wayan! Homebrew transformer!  Indonesia

N0NQD         Jeff 

WN3F              Roy -- Made new stickers! 

AB5XQ            Bill  

KB7ZUT          Andy  

AA1OF            Jer

VictorKees        Holland

KC9OJV           John -- Manhattan-style convert

WZ5M              1, 2 or maybe even 3 receivers!

K1KJW             Jim in Vermont

KC5DI              Dallas -- friend of WZ5M

Gary                 Australian -- Wooden PTO form

LU2VJM          Juan in Argentina  -- Argentina

K1OA               Scott "Most fun in 50 years"

KC9DLM         Ben -- Had EFHW problems

PH2LB             Lex  Yellow, Glue Stick -- Netherlands

AI6WR             David

G6GEV            Dave (It was a blast!) 

KC1ONM        Wayne  MakerLabs NH

KB1OIQ          Andy    MakerLabs NH

KA1PQK         Jay       MakerLabs NH

W1TKO           Mike    MakerLabs NH

K5KHK            Karl

SM0TPW         Mikael  -- Sweden

KI7LKB           Brian (coat hanger tube)

M6CRD            Chris

W2DAB           Dave in NYC

W4JYK            Wes of VWS

KA4CDN          Mike of VWS

M7EFO             Adrian 

VK5RC             Rob

KD8KHP          Dave

VK1CHW         Chris

KA0PHJ           Brian

W0IT                Louis

W1PJE             Phil

W2AEW           Alan

KN6FVK          John (Barkhausen-Be-Gone Spray) 

VU2JXN           Ramakrishnan -- India

AA0MS            Doug 

9V1/KM7ABZ   Paul  --  Singapore

VK2BLQ          Stephen -- Australia

N3FJZ              Rick

Daniel               VE5DLD  -- Canada

Student 1          Student of VE5DLD

Student 2          Student of VE5DLD

Student 3         Student of VE5DLD

K7WXW          Bill 

NK3H               Mitch

KN4ZXG         Ted

WA1MAC        Paul

N4AVC             Chuck 

K3IY                 Kevin

N6ASD             Ashish in Bangalore

W1DSP             Rick

WD4CFN         Steve

KM5Z             Mike

KF5DAN         Dan

Fritz                 Fritz

N9OK              Joe

WA5DSS         Bill 

K0GDB           Grant

G0JNR            Shane Glow-in-Dark Coil Form

KK7BCO        Tobias

K2BVR            Bob

Robert              Sutton

K5YFO           Dave (Texas) 

KD4PBJ          Chris

KN4GAH        Chris -- EE perspective

F1GMA           Philippe  -- France

W2TEF            Todd

EI9ITB            Karl  -- Ireland

VU2TUM         Puneit Singh

AA7EE             Dave Richards

KI5VIR            Jay

CT7AXD       Graham -- Promoted from Honorable Mention!

G3MOT           Josh

KW4H             Steve

NJ7V                Charlie (RedSummit)

Denny               N2ETZ

-------------------------

Honorable Mentions: 

*AA7U            Steve No PTO

*VK7IAN        Ian -- No Manhattan boards -- Tasmania

*KC1FSZ        Bruce's build on a PC board

* DL1AJG      Andreas -- Germany

* Matthew      Student of DL1AJG

* Arash           Student of DL1AJG 

*KA4KXX     Walter -- FB 20 Meter version

Walter KA4KXX's Innovative 20-meter SolderSmoke Direct-Conversion Honorable-Mention Receiver

 

It is a thing of beauty.  We were really pleased to see our old friend Walter KA4KXX take on the SolderSmoke challenge, and we weren't a bit surprised to see him do so using some real twists in the design.  You see, Walter is a very experienced homebrewer.   He has built many, many rigs over the years.  Just check out his QRZ page and you will see what I mean: 

 https://www.qrz.com/db/KA4KXX

Walter supported our original high school effort by offering the students a $500 prize for any student who used our receiver (and a similar transmitter) to check in to the 40 meter Sunrise Net.  Sadly, there were no takers.  But we really appreciated the attempt. 

We have listed Walter's receiver in the Honorable Mention category, only because his build is so innovative:  20 meters instead of 40.  An IC in the audio amplifier.  There were differences, but even a quick look at the above picture above shows that Walter's receiver is very much a SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver.  

Here are some additional photos from Walter. 

Congratulations Walter.  Welcome to the Hall of Fame!  

---------------------------

From Walter's QRZ page

SolderSmoke Podcast 262: Hybrid Wireless, 100 Watt Amplifier, Antipode VK6, Tropo DR to PR?, Mixers, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #262 is available: 

Audio only: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke262.mp3

Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSUyE4IaHFw&t=61s 

Intro: 

-- We are over 100 on the Direct Conversion Receiver Builds.  We talked about the receiver project at the GQRP convention.  Video on the blog.

-- G4 Geomagnetic storm November 11-12.  Messed up my computer.  Blackout in the DR?  

Pete: 

-- USMC Birthday. Having served alongside them they have my deepest respect. Veterans Day. 

-- Think about supporting those without a job this Thanksgiving. Cash to various organizations is best.

 -- 50 Hz off frequency -- What does that mean if you tune by ear and not by mouse/waterfall?

--  The Hybrid Wireless is on the air. A unique build and not often seen.

Dean:  

-- Progress on the HOMEBREW MOSFET amplifier.  Claude helped. 

Dean's 100 watt amplifier

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:  Mostly DIY RF.   Become a SolderSmoke Patron.  Buy stuff from Amazon through the link on this blog (in the right side column). 

Bill:  

Bill's antipode from Virginia

-- VK early in the morning.  Also E51MWA and FW5K.  All homebrew SSB. My antipodes. VK6ACF Charley 11,629 miles.  Might be my most distant station worked. 

-- Preping for VHF in HI7.  Can I kerchunk Boricua repeaters with Tropo?  See: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/09/puerto-rico-dominican-republic-tropo-on.html

-- Bill's mixer obsession. Grayson's HSD Chapter 12. The importance of knowing "the paticular go of it." EMRFD Chapter 5. 

-- The new look for the SolderSmoke blog. 

MAILBAG:  

-- Todd VE7BPO -- Doing well. 

-- Grayson KJ7UM on the loss of Jim Tonne W4ENE.  Gone, but through his writting, continuing to contribute.See: https://web.archive.org/web/20220429224036/http://tonnesoftware.com/appnotes/demodulator/EnvelopeDemodulators.pdf

-- Camden is a 23 year-old blind ham who is looking for some homebrew help. He lives in Pleasant City, Ohio, about an hour east of Columbus.  Can you help him? camden@bopp.net

-- Dale Parfitt into the QRP Hall of Fame!  The Radio Gods Approve! 

-- Paul VK3HN -- Bricolage, Cacharreo, Artilugio, and Jugaad.  SA612 going obsolete. 

-- Mike WN2A Mixers and all that. Tropo.  "Greetings from the National Radio Noisy Zone!" (NJ) 

-- Peter Marks VK3TPM -- SolderSmoke template help -- Digital HF Voice

-- Walter KA4KXX -- A great book by L.B. Cebik

-- Bob KD4EBM  -- The Bob Pease Analog Troubleshooting book. Pease quote: "My favorite programming language is solder," 

-- Cor PA3COR  Difference between mixers and adders

-- Mike WA3O  I still have his HW-7.  Amazing water-cooled amplifier.   VK3MO.  

-- Samuele IU2QBW     An Italian Homebrewer  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-wonderful-homebrew-direct-conversion.html

-- Pil Joo VA3GPJ  Experimenting with TIA amps. 

-- Farhan VU2ESE -- USB and LSB LC filters -- Applicable for crystal filters too? 

-- Rogier PA1ZZ Thanks for the great videos! 

-- Captain Mike  KX4WC   Aeronautical Mobile --Santiago, Chile to Panama!  With Mike WA3O and Ian VK3MO:  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/11/vk3mo-and-wa3o-brotherhood-of-ham-radio.html 

-- Dave AA7EE  A completely AI SolderSmoke? "Open the pod bay doors Hal." 

-- Pat W3RGA heard my 1 watt HI7 beacon.  Thanks Pat. 

-- Patrick Voets -- A Belgian living in the Netherlands -- supports our defiant NIMCEL position! 

-- Brian "Moses" Hall K8TIY, Father of Robert of "Crank it in Robert" fame.  Check out the video.  Young Robert appears around the 45 minute point:  https://youtu.be/Xqs2Ihucr6I?t=2730

-- Will Harris KI4POV -- an esteemed homebrewer -- asks about using 75 ohm coax. I say yes, Pete tells him how to do it right. 

SolderSmoke Homebrew Direct Conversion Receiver Hall of Fame Update: 101 Completed + 7 Honorable Mentions: Total Receivers Built: 108 (As of January 10, 2026, 1019Z)

 Please let us know if you spot any errors, or if we have inadvertently missed anyone.  Don't worry about being late to the game -- the challenge continues.  All of the info is still available (see below). 

As of January 10, 2026 1019Z:

So far 101 completed receivers, and 7 honorable mentions.  Total Count:  108.       Receivers built in 17 countries.   

NE3U (KY4EOD)  Matt 

KQ4AOP       First ham signals ever heard! 

N9TD             Derek

AC3NG          Ryan

VK3TPM       Peter Marks  

W4KAC         Ken 

W4KAC         Ken built a second one! 

N2EPE           Erik

VA3NCA        Wayde    

KI5SRY          Mark -- Gears on PTO screw

 

KA1MUQ       Frying pan receiver

AA1N              Adam

ZL1AUN         Aaron -- Using SSB transmitter -- New Zealand

W8UC             Never before homebrewed. 

VK4PG           Phil -- Nice case, "really pleased"

G7LQX           Working well, video of CW and SSB.  -- England

KE2AMP        John     Spring on PTO screw -- great

N9SZ              Steve  nice receiver

KD9NHZ        Piotr  Nice one

KE8ICE          Calvin, Very cool receiver. 

 

WV3V              Jayson!  Got it done!

GM5JDG         Martin.   -- Scotland 

KF8BOG          Jim:  A long struggle, but success.  

Chris Wales    Fantastic video.  -- Wales

YD9BAX         Wayan! Homebrew transformer!  Indonesia

N0NQD         Jeff 

WN3F              Roy -- Made new stickers! 

AB5XQ            Bill  

KB7ZUT          Andy  

AA1OF            Jer

VictorKees        Holland

KC9OJV           John -- Manhattan-style convert

WZ5M              1, 2 or maybe even 3 receivers!

K1KJW             Jim in Vermont

KC5DI              Dallas -- friend of WZ5M

Gary                 Australian -- Wooden PTO form

LU2VJM          Juan in Argentina  -- Argentina

K1OA               Scott "Most fun in 50 years"

KC9DLM         Ben -- Had EFHW problems

PH2LB             Lex  Yellow, Glue Stick -- Netherlands

AI6WR             David

G6GEV            Dave (It was a blast!) 

KC1ONM        Wayne  MakerLabs NH

KB1OIQ          Andy    MakerLabs NH

KA1PQK         Jay       MakerLabs NH

W1TKO           Mike    MakerLabs NH

K5KHK            Karl

SM0TPW         Mikael  -- Sweden

KI7LKB           Brian (coat hanger tube)

M6CRD            Chris

W2DAB           Dave in NYC

W4JYK            Wes of VWS

KA4CDN          Mike of VWS

M7EFO             Adrian 

VK5RC             Rob

KD8KHP          Dave

VK1CHW         Chris

KA0PHJ           Brian

W0IT                Louis

W1PJE             Phil

W2AEW           Alan

KN6FVK          John (Barkhausen-Be-Gone Spray) 

VU2JXN           Ramakrishnan -- India

AA0MS            Doug 

9V1/KM7ABZ   Paul  --  Singapore

VK2BLQ          Stephen -- Australia

N3FJZ              Rick

Daniel               VE5DLD  -- Canada

Student 1          Student of VE5DLD

Student 2          Student of VE5DLD

Student 3         Student of VE5DLD

K7WXW          Bill 

NK3H               Mitch

KN4ZXG         Ted

WA1MAC        Paul

N4AVC             Chuck 

K3IY                 Kevin

N6ASD             Ashish in Bangalore

W1DSP             Rick

WD4CFN         Steve

KM5Z             Mike

KF5DAN         Dan

Fritz                 Fritz

N9OK              Joe

WA5DSS         Bill 

K0GDB           Grant

G0JNR            Shane Glow-in-Dark Coil Form

KK7BCO        Tobias

K2BVR            Bob

Robert              Sutton

K5YFO           Dave (Texas) 

KD4PBJ          Chris

KN4GAH        Chris -- EE perspective

F1GMA           Philippe  -- France

W2TEF            Todd

EI9ITB            Karl  -- Ireland

VU2TUM         Puneit Singh

AA7EE             Dave Richards

KI5VIR            Jay

CT7AXD       Graham -- Promoted from Honorable Mention!

G3MOT           Josh

-------------------------

Honorable Mentions: 

*AA7U            Steve No PTO

*VK7IAN        Ian -- No Manhattan boards -- Tasmania

*KC1FSZ        Bruce's build on a PC board

* DL1AJG      Andreas -- Germany

* Matthew      Student of DL1AJG

* Arash           Student of DL1AJG 

*KA4KXX     Walter -- FB 20 Meter version

-----------------------------------------

Candidates for the Hall of Fame: 

SA5RJS              Rasmus

KA9TII               James

AA7FO              Chuck 

VA3ZOT           Tony  Surface Mount -- Honorable Mention? 

AB2XT             John (Done, just need the video)

KO7M              Jeff (Piper Cub)

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

Another GREAT Book -- L.B. Cebik, W4RNL's "Seven Steps to Designing your Own Ham Equipment" - 1979 - FREE!

Thanks to Walter KA4KXX for alerting us to this gem of a book.  L.B. Cebik is best known as an antenna guru.  I did not know that he also did a book on the homebrewing of rigs.  

Here is the URL: https://archive.org/details/sevenstepstodesi0000cebi/page/n2/mode/1up  Just click on the "borrow" box and you can look at the whole thing.  Thanks too to the Internet Archive for preserving this important piece of ham literature. 

I was a bit apprehensive when I saw "designing" in the title.  We have talked about how, all too often, modern hams seem to challenge the homebrew nature of our rigs by asking if we had "designed" it ourself.  "Well," I answer,  "I did not invent the Colpitts oscillator, nor the common emitter amplifier, nor the superheterodyne receiver... But I did build this rig myself."  I worried that OM Cebik might have been plunging us into this design debate way back in 1979.  

But no need for worry.  His definition of "design" is quite expansive:  

I have not read the whole thing yet.  I hope that others will go through it and highlight for the group the parts that they find to be the best.  Please put your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Thanks again Walter.

SolderSmoke Podcast 261: Travel, AI-Apocalypse, ARRL Award, Amplifiers (with Claude) , Transcoms, Smoke released in DR, QRP, CW, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #261 is available for download: 

Audio:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke261.mp3

Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rzw8lxBzRo

Alaska, Colorado, Dominican Republic

Opening:   Travel notes:    Pete to Denver.  Dean to Alaska.  Bill in the Dominican Republic. 

The future of the podcast.  We will embrace our NIMCEL status and fight on in spite of the AI Apocalypse.   Thanks to Peter VK3TPM, Hamilton KD0FNR, Sam AI7PR, Todd K7TFC  and the WayBackMachine for providing backup and transfer options for the blog. Google could end Blogspot at any time.    

Dean and Bill win the 2025 ARRL Technical Service Award.  Thanks to Bruce KC1FSZ for the nomination. And thanks to Bill Morine N2COP for letting us know.  91 receivers completed so far!  

SolderSmoke East was pleased to host Phil W1PJE, a distinguished MIT radio astronomer AND member of the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Hall of Fame.   

Dean:   Amplifier design,  woes, triumphs, tribal knowledge.  And help from Claude. 

KK4DAS 100W MOSFET AMP

Pete:  Project X  -- The Transcom SBT-3,  Crossroads and Decisions. 

Transcom SBT-3

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:   FIGHT THE AI-APOCALYPSE -- BECOME A PATREON SPONSOR.

GET BEZOS TO SEND US BEZOS BUCKS!  Use the Amazon link on the upper right.   

BUY PARTS AND STUFF FROM MOSTLY DIY RF. 

Bill: 

-- Smoke released in TWO RD06 finals.  Scrounged IRF-510s to the rescue.   

-- Working VK6 on 20 SSB.  

-- My old HW-101 -- inspired by Pete and by Will N5OLA.   

-- High frequency hearing loss and direct conversion receivers. 

-- Eleven contacts on 40 with the DC RX and a Tuna Tin 2. Mike Bryce WB8VGE came back to my CQ! First ever QSO with SolderSmoke DC receivers on both sides:  K1OA-N2CQR.  

-- Do real hams use ALC? Do we really NEED ALC? 

Mailbag: 

Who is the Project 326 Guy?  A British engineer resident in China for last 20 years. 

Steve EI5DD  Ham Radio Ireland magazine.  Hey -- Why no Irish DC RX builders? 

Paul K9ARF -- Thanks for the very kind e-mail about SolderSmoke. 

Rogier PA1ZZ -- Many nice videos and suggestions on blog backup. 

Grayson KJ7UM on the EF-50 valve (thermatron!) 

Bruce KC1FSZ  Four DC RX builders at the Wellesley Mass radio club. 

Chris KD4PBJ -- Long trip to pick up two directional beacons possibly for 630m or 2200m bands! 

Alan W2AEW did a Minimum Discernible Signal test on the DC RX.  FB! 

Mike WN2A  -- Many great comments on MDS in its various forms. 

Philippe F6GUH is a FB homebrewer.  

Mike EIOCL -- Always great to talk on the air with an old friend. 

Walter KA4KXX -- I checked into the Sunrise net!  With my HW-101!  Thanks Walter. 

Farhan VU2ESE -- Watched our interview with Phil W1PJE

Phil W1PJE was an SWL with an old Halli receiver.  VOA?  Boo!  But Radio Marti is BACK! Also, the hydrogen line from the cosmic dark ages has red shifted to... 7.1 MEGA hertz!  So LISTEN UP! 

Phil W1PJE with a Halli and the Haystack Observatory Dome

My Eleven Contacts using the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver -- It is NOT a toy!

I have made 11 contacts using the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion receiver.  Ten of the 11 were after June 3, 2025. This was in very casual operation, operating with less than 1 watt with a dipole antenna.

Alan W4AMV

1. The first of course was back in February 2023 with W4AMV.   On this one I was using a simple "10 Minute Transmitter" that I threw together thinking that I would use it to demonstrate the receiver to our high school students.  "Wait a minute," I thought.  I called CQ and W4AMV answered.  I was running about 100 mW. He too was using homebrew gear.  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/02/first-qso-with-high-school-receiver-100.html

2, 3, 4.  On June 4, 2025 I again fired up the 10 minute transmitter.  My T/R scheme was VERY simple: I have an MFJ coax switch that I use to select the rigs that will connect to my various antennas.  On the antenna switch I selected my 40 meter dipole.  I ran two pieces of coax from two different positions on the MFJ switch.  One I marked RX, the other TX.  The transmitter and the receiver were working off 9 volt batteries. I quickly worked N2WJW. Gil in New Jersey.  But I noticed that the 10 Minute rig was drifting.  So I pulled out my trusty old Tuna Tin 2 transmitter and used it to heartlessly replace the 10 Minute Transmitter.  Now with SEVERAL HUNDRED milliwatts, I worked W2XS, John in New York on June 5, 2025.  Later that same day I worked N9FGC in Indiana.

 

K1OA's Rig

5. My most amazing contact came on June 7, 2025. Here is my log entry: 40CW K1OA First 2 way contact with station also using a SolderSmoke DC Receiver!At around 0630 EDT on June 7, 2025 I heard K1OA calling CQ on 7030 kHz CW. This was exactly where I had a crystal.  I called him, but he didn't hear me.  I sent him an e-mail.  We tried again -- he heard me calling him and I heard him responding by calling me, but I don't think we succeeded in exchanging signal reports. It was close, but no cigar.  I had to walk the dog. Scott and I agreed to meet on 7030 kHz at 0730 EDT.  Arggh.  There was a QSO there.  I thought we might have to try to change frequency, but this would have been tough because both of us were crystal controlled on transmit.   Fortunately, the contact on 7030 kHz wrapped up.   Scott called me, I responded, and we were able to exchange signal reports.  I was so excited that I almost forgot to hit the record button on my phone.   But I caught the last minute or so.This was really something.  This really goes to prove what Dean and I have been saying all along:  this receiver is not a toy!  It can be used for real ham radio contacts.  And now we have had these receivers on both ends of a contact.  For transmit, Scott was using a KA4KXX transmitter with about 3 watts output.  I was on my Tuna Tin 2 at about half a watt output.

Jim W1PID

6, 7, 8.  Later on June 7, 2025 I worked an old friend, Jim W1PID.  Jim is a friend of Homebrew Hero Mike AA1TJ, and was involved in Mike's effort to cross the Atlantic with a voice-powered rig.  Jim also was one of my contacts with the ET-2 QRPppp rig. I also worked WZ2J  Vin in NJ. I also worked John W2XS again. 

Mike WB8VGE

9.   June 11, 2025  (Really evening of 10 June 2025) Famous homebrewer, Anchorologist, Heatkit authority and fellow member of the QRP Hall of Fame Mike Bryce called me!  40CW 0034 WB8VGE Mike Bryce came back to my CQ! Mike wrote: Nothing like quartz locked frequency control!You know it sounded pretty damn good at 500mW. You were holding your own until QSB would take you out in a deep fade. But all in all, one hell of great QRP QSO.I was running my Ten Tec Scout that I had just put back together a couple of days ago.  Got around to putting the case back on it tonight, and had it cooking in the back ground just listening to the stations come and go. I had worked a few POTA stations near by and found a quite spot. I was working on a project when I heard your CQ through the din of the 40M band. Glad I took a break and worked your QRPp signalbest 73  QRP # 4816 You get a QSL for that QSO!

Here's my post about Mike, WB8VGE:  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2018/09/wb8vge-on-qso-today-qrp-hb-boatanchors.html

10. Around June 11, 2025 I worked W4MY in a contest. 

11.   On June 12, 2925 I worked some DX with the rig.  It was VA3ICC, Ian in Ontario. 

Ian VA3ICC

All of this reinforces something that Dean KK4DAS and I have been saying all through this build process:  this little DC receiver is not a toy.  It can be used as a serious ham radio receiver and it can -- even when paired up with a very low-power crystal-controlled transmitter and a simple antenna -- make some great ham radio contacts. 

A FIRST! K1OA Contact with N2CQR -- All Homebrew with SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receivers on Both Ends

At around 0630 EDT on June 7, 2025 I heard K1OA calling CQ on 7030 kHz CW. This was exactly where I had a crystal.  I called him, but he didn't hear me.  I sent him an e-mail.  We tried again -- he heard me calling him and I heard him responding by calling me, but I don't think we succeeded in exchanging signal reports. It was close, but no cigar.  

I had to walk the dog. Scott and I agreed to meet on 7030 kHz at 0730 EDT.  Arggh.  There was a QSO there.  I thought we might have to try to change frequency, but this would have been tough because both of us were crystal controlled on transmit.   Fortunately, the contact on 7030 kHz wrapped up.   Scott called me, I responded, and we were able to exchange signal reports.  I was so excited that I almost forgot to hit the record button on my phone.   But I caught the last minute or so.  See above.  

This was really something.  This really goes to prove what Dean and I have been saying all along:  this receiver is not a toy!  It can be used for real ham radio contacts.  And now we have had these receivers on both ends of a contact.  For transmit, Scott was using a KA4KXX transmitter with about 3 watts output.  I was on my Tuna Tin 2 at about half a watt output.   

Thanks Scott! And thank you Walter!  

A Tale of "Ten Minute Transmitters" and "Tuna Tin Twos": N2CQR Goes Back to CW QRP!

Inspired by K1OA and KA4KXX, I put the SolderSmoke DC receiver to work on the CW portion of 40 meters. At first I used a very (perhaps overly) simple "Ten Minute" transmitter. On June 4, 2025 I worked N2WJW in New Jersey. But the transmitter drifted as it got hot. So I switched to the more robust Tuna Tin 2 (TWO transistors!) and worked W2XS in NY and N9FGC in Indiana on June 5. With both transmitters I was "rock bound" -- crystal controlled. Power out was always less than 200 milliwatts. Antenna was a low to the ground dipole. The receiver was powered by our beloved 9V battery. The transmitter had a second 9V battery. Some observations: First, even if you CAN hear other signals, the different tones allow your brain to seperate them out (this has long been known to CW operators, but might not be readily apparent to newcomers). So even if the DC receiver is broad in frequency response and even though it IS also receiving the other side of zero beat, you can make CW contacts (unless, of course, another station is on a frequency that produces exactly the same tone as the one you are trying to work), even at very low power . Second, you don't always really have to be right on the other station's frequency. Here's why: If he is looking he can see you in his waterfall! So that SDR waterfall is now a friend to crystal-controlled HDR operators. Who would have thought? Above is a picture of the my station with the Ten Minute transmitter. See the notes I wrote on the QSO with N2WJW.

Ten Minute Transmitter (the gray thing is a CW key)

Direct Conversion Receiver

Tuna Tin 2 that replaced the Ten Minute Transmitter

Note battery and crystal

Not a Toy! K1OA Making Contacts with the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver and a KA4KXX Transmitter

This goes to prove what we have been saying all along:  this receiver is not a toy!  It is capable of operating as part of a real 2-way ham radio station. Hall of Fame member Scott K1OA has paired his receiver up with a Merry Christmas transmitter designed by Walter KA4KXX and has been making CW contacts with it (see above).  Walter supplied the crystal and many of the needed parts.  Scott has already worked WA9RNE, N4HAY and W3RJ, and has tried making contact with Walter but no luck yet. He has gotten RBN reports from Germany and New Zealand. All that with just 3 watts.

This is not the first time this receiver has been out to use.   I made one contact with it using a "Ten Minute" QRPp transmitter that I had intended only to use for test purposes: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/02/first-qso-with-high-school-receiver-100.html 

HoF member Aaron ZL1AUN used his receiver with an SSB transmitter to make contact using his receiver:

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/02/soldersmoke-direct-conversion-receiver_23.html  We understand Aaron's article about the receiver has been published in "Break-In" magazine -- we hope to get a copy (electronic would be fine!) 

And who can forget HoF member Nate KA1MUQ who turned his "frying pan"  direct conversion receiver into a double sideband transceiver and used it to make phone contact with Idaho from California: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/03/nate-ka1muq-turns-his-frying-pan-dc.html 

If anyone is aware of other contacts made using this receiver, please let me know.  

I admit it. I am not 100% homebrew. I hang my head in shame.

Walter KA4KXX and Mike WN2A and I were recently talking about the degree to which we are 100% homebrew. Both these guys come a lot closer to this goal than I do.  Here is my assessment of my gear: 

I fall far from a state of 100% homebrew grace:  

-- I use commercial power supplies.  I justify this by saying that I could use batteries, and I wouldn't build them. 

-- I use a D-104 with a Tug-8 amp in the base.  I justify this by saying that I COULD homebrew a mic, but I'd just be using a commercial electret element. 

-- My .1 kW amplifier is from a CCI kit.  I find it hard to homebrew 100 watt amplifiers that do not oscillate. Kits make this a bit easier.  

-- I use a K4KIO Hex beam.  I had a homebrew MOXON, but that got destroyed by a Northeaster.  And I have to limit trips up to the roof. Like to zero. (I ask the gutter guy to do this.) 

-- I have a DX-100 and an HQ-100 that I use to check into the Old Military Radio Net on Saturday morning.  I had a DX-100 as a kid, and John Zaruba K2ZA later gave me his dad's DX-100.  That is the one I use. I picked up the Hammarlund HQ-100 in the Dominican Republic in 1993 and have been repairing it ever since.  It is not a great receiver, but it looks good atop the DX-100 and I have a sentimental attachment. 

-- I have an HT-37 and a Drake 2-B that I have had since I was 14 years old. I have a strong sentimental attachment to this gear.  I have worked on most of this old stuff.  

The three SSB dual banders that I am running are mostly homebrew.  The Mythbuster uses a VFO out of the Yaesu FT-101. The 17/12 rig has an LM386 AF Amp. The 15/10 rig has an SBL-1. 

I will try to increase my HB percentage. 

SolderSmoke Podcast #258 -- Travelogue, SDR, Direct Conversion Receiver Project, Homebrew HDR SSB, Mailbag

Falcon 9  from our apartment in Cap Cana DR

SolderSmoke Podcast #258 is available: 

Video Version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ewswI7CcA

Audio Version:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke258.mp3

Travelogue:  I am back from the DR. Trying to get a real HI7 call.  Lots of science and nature: Earthquake (5.9) . Falcon 9.  But no Starship.  Two possible Starlink de-orbits. Whales.  Hawks.  A drone. (Pictures on Patreon.)  A total lunar eclipse. A 10 meter CW beacon, with an LED, thanks to WN2A.   Lots of great people. But it is good to be back.  Planning for a better antenna for DR. 

Pete's bench:  Pete is building a seismograph! CL Stong had several in his book "The Amateur Scientist." The MHST.   Help from Oliver KI3P of VWS. 

Shameless Commerce Division:  Please continue to use the Amazon link on the right.  Mostly DIY RF!  Link on the blog page. And please become a Patreon sponsor.   People have asked, what is happening to the blog and podcast.  Well, listen to this one for a sobering description of what is happening on the internet to things like SolderSmoke: https://share.fireside.fm/episode/2YAGasSP+_rbTJaWN  Patreon might be the answer for us too.

 

Dean/Bill:  Lessons learned from the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Build project: -- 45 successful builds!  Wow.  See: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search/label/DC%20RX%20Hall%20of%20Fame -- Differences between kit-build and true homebrew. -- Discord, Questions, Mods, Creativity vs. Build it our way the first time.  Dean and the trials and tribulations of being the electronic problem go-to-guy.  HRWB (what happened?)  We used copper clad boards and Manhattan technique with no fatalities.  DSB TX seems the most popular next step -- some have already been done. 

Dean's Bench:  The VWS SDR receiver build.  The 20 meter Yaesu VFO transceiver build (ANOTHER one?).  Why is this Yaesu VFO different?  Filter building   Balloons! 

Bill's Bench:  Checking into "The Old Military Radio Net."  South Pacific and Australia on 20 SSB in the morning.  Approaching "Worked all Rarotonga." Makes me think I need a directional antenna for the DR...   Beacon left on in the DR.  A 10 meter AM QSO using the converted GE rig. G3YPZ!   Dean has the JC Penny.  Hamfest report heard on the OMRN: DX60s stacked like cordwood.  Buy one and get one free.  

MAILBAG: 

Bob:  Software for SSB on the QMX. 

Roy WN3F new stickers

Rogier PA1ZZ-  Capacitors replace batteries in French electric bikes. 

Walter KA4KXX -- Lots of help on the DC RX project

Aaron ZL1AUN  Doing an article for Break-in (NZ) about the DC RX

Farhan  VU2ESE  On DC RX:  "They have mastered the Alchemy of turning lifeless components into living and breathing radios. May the tribe grow!"

Ramakrishnan VU2JXN -- We need an Indian DC receiver Ramakrishnan! 

Grayson KJ7UM -- Discord gang discovering Hollow State Design for the Radio Amateur 

Mike WN2A Sent keyer for beacon and good advice on diplexer. 

Alan W2AEW    JOO, but we are hoping for more! 

Mike WU2D  FT-101 videos. Son is making coils! https://www.ebay.com/usr/blakertree

Buzz W3EMD  One guy complained of the noise of his Dynamotor.  Pete knows a guy... 

Dave W2DAB  We NEED an upper east side DC Receiver 

Phil W1PJE   We need an MIT DC receiver. But we understand the delay. 

Wes W7ZOI  A nice email from Wes. 

Jeff WA7MLH  Homebrewing and the number of homebrewers. 

Dave AA7EE put a nice comment out about Armand WA1UQO's regen. 

Sticker by Roy WN3F

SolderSmoke Podcast #256: HNY SKN, LA Fires, Barkhausen! Southern Cross, Homebrew vs. Kits, AN762 Kit, Woe, Beacon, ARRL Kids, SDR Build, DC RX videos, Pete Hacked! Power alternatives, KWM4, Mailbag

A Tale of Woe! 

SolderSmoke Podcast #256 is available: 

Audio:  https://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke256.mp3

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

Travelouge:  From the DR.  

Happy New Year! 

Fires in LA.  

Dean:  Breaking the Barkhausen criteria.  

Seeing the Southern Cross for the first time in 30 years. 

For all three of us:  The SolderSmoke Homebrew Challenge.  And assembling a kit. https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/01/some-history-of-homebrew-ham-radio-from.html

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-magic-that-only-comes-from-radio.html

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2025/01/steve-g0fuw-talks-homebrew-and-kits.html

________________________________

Bill's (Southern) Bench: 

-- SKN with QCX given to me by Bob.  Thanks Bob! 

-- Finishing up the AN762 .1kW amplifier.  Socketry and relays.  Working well.  

-- A tale of woe:  Some difficult troubleshooting on the 15-10 rig. Intermittent oscillation.   Naturally I blamed the TJ DC RX AF amp.  Spent a lot of time working on that amplifier.  But problem always returned.  Started looking at output from carrier osc/BFO.  Waveform weird. Then weirdness disappeared and so did the whooping.  So I rebuilt the entire carrier osc/BFO/ mixer board.  Went back to singly balanced 2 diode mixer.  Used LTSpice for the oscillator amp.. No more whooping.  Turning the diodes on and off  but not quite 7 dbm...  Should I be concerned? 

-- A 10 meter beacon!  28.233   Please listen. Send e-mail reports.   Thanks to WN2A.   

-- Antenna thoughts.  Getting a tripod.  

The HI7/N2CQR 10 meter Beacon

_______________________________

SHAMELESS COMMERCE!   Mostly DIY RF!  Lots of useful kits and boards there.  I have used their TIA boards.  Todd K7TFC is one of us.  FB store. 

Become a SolderSmoke patron.  We need the help.  Homebrew is under seige!  We are one of the few sites, blogs, podcasts that are promoting it!  Help us!  

Buy stuff from Amazon and E-bay using the links on our sites. 

------------------------------------------------

Dean's Bench: 

-- ARRL kids day -- Exhausting.

-- VWS Makers SDR receiver build.  

-- High School DC RX Build news. How to watch the videos.  

_______________________________

Pete's Bench:  

-- Hacked! 

-- Power Alternatives. 

-- Thermatron Finals

-- KWM-4. 

__________________________

Mailbag

Dave Newkirk W9BRD (son of Rod).  Great comments on homebrew radio. And a great picture. 

Derek N9TD built the DC Receiver.  FB Derek! 

Peter VK2EMU at 39C in Australia.  HOT! 

Drew N7DA -- Some great comments on kits vs. homebrew. 

Tommy SA2CLC has a nice video about fixing the cavity resonator in his HP8640.  Respect! 

Ben KC9DLM sent good presentation from India: https://github.com/kholia/talks/blob/master/Dhiru_My_RF_Homebrew_Adventures.pdf

Scott KQ4AOP and Derek N9TD offering to 3D Print PTO coil forms.  FB!  

Donnie WA9TGT on the beautiful signals from DC receivers. 

Chuck KE5HPY's FB Altoids DC receiver. 

Todd VE7BPO:  POPCORN ELECTRONICS IS BACK!  Thanks Todd.  And thanks Vasily! 

Jim KA4THC has his uBITX on the air and is making contacts!  

Farhan VU2ESE fond memories of homebrew dinner with Wes and other HB Heroes (on the blog). 

Charlie ZL2CTM -- About his new Pelican Case SSB rig. 

Walter KA4KXX.  All new hams should build a transmitter. 

Buzz W3EMD  A nice QSO on 10 and then a shout out to the Old Military Radio Net

Stations that heard my beacon and reported to RBN