The image I had for Part 1 was frighteningly large, so I made it smaller.
I know this is controversial (!) but I share Van's aversion to flat head screws.
Becoming a hoarder is a real danger that we all face. Be careful out there!
Monday, March 24, 2025
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Honorable Mention: Graham CT7AXD's Reassembled SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver
Graham was another good sport. When I asked him about the receiver, he had already moved on, and -- is often happens -- had separated the stages and replaced some of them. He agreed to put the receiver back together and to shoot a video of it in action. Above you can see it, happily inhaling SSB from nearby Spain. He used a different AF amplifier cicruit -- that is why this is in the Honorable Mention catergory.
Graham writes:
It has been an interesting exercise as I've tended to use active mixers before, but I think I am converted to DBMs now. The other rx I've been working on with a VCO is performing very well. I need to move the preamp over to the PTO one and see how it performs.
Thanks Graham and congratulations.
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For more information on how you too can build the receiver:
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Documentation on Hackaday:
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Friday, March 21, 2025
David AI6WR's Beautiful SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver
David AI6WR was a patient craftsman during the build of his receiver. He diagnosed and fixed defects in the AF gain controls that he was trying to use. He hung in there, found the problem, and fixed it. Even with a challenging antenna situation his receiver is pulling in SSB signals on 40 meters.
David writes:
Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I have tried a bunch of them out, those that I could try without making a ton of changes. I have made a couple of changes and it's working much better now. It turned out that one of the major contributors to the unpredictable noise was the audio pot itself. It had poor mechanical connections between the input leads and and the internal traces that go to the resistor and wiper. They were actually wiggling around and constantly disconnecting and reconnecting randomly. I took it apart, cleaned the wiper with some rubbing alcohol, tried to get a better connection on the inputs by crimping them down and putting some solder on them, and then put it back together. Once I put that back into the circuit, it was still humming at high volume settings, but much more predictably. I also cut off the unused center tap lead on the primary side of my audio transformer. That wasn't the source of the problem, but it wasn't helping things. Finally, I put a 470u cap from the power rail to ground. That doesn't totally eliminate the hum, but along with the other changes, it reduces it enough that nearly all of the volume range is reliably usable. It will still hum if I turn it all the way up, or if there is no antenna plugged in, but I think it is working in ordinary circumstances.
Congratulations David.
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For more information on how you too can build the receiver:
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Documentation on Hackaday:
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Thursday, March 20, 2025
The Electrolytic Capacitor Plague
So, what caused it? Maybe a variety of factors? Perhaps different factors explain different circuit failures? The video, for example, focuses on CPUs that drew a lot of current and got real hot. OK, but we also see failing electrolytics in small, very low current Sony receivers.
Hack-A-Day has a good post about this:
The Hack-A-Day comments are also (mostly) good. I agree with the fellow who said he never heard anyone call electrolytic capacitors "E capacitors." Me neither.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
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:
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:
Documentation on Hackaday:
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SolderSmoke YouTube channel:
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:
Documentation on Hackaday:
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SolderSmoke YouTube channel:
Sunday, March 16, 2025
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:
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Documentation on Hackaday:
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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:
Documentation on Hackaday:
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SolderSmoke YouTube channel:
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
Friday, March 14, 2025
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:
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Documentation on Hackaday:
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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:
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:
Documentation on Hackaday:
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