#Soldersmoke

2025-04-19

A while ago, the #SolderSmoke podcast issued a challenge to build a 40 meter (7 MHz). direct conversion receiver. They created schematics and videos detailing the process.
The ham shack resource manager (KA1PQK) at #MakeItLabs organized a group project. Together, we each built our own copy of each module (oscillator, mixer, band-pass filter, and amplifier).
I decided to go a bit further than mounting it on a simple board ...

2025-04-14

The thing I really like about the #SolderSmoke #podcast is that it's just some guys sitting around BSing about #HamRadio. No particular topic or anything else. Relaxed and informal. They remind me a lot of the guys I hang out with locally.

2025-03-26

Last night, we assembled and tested the individual boards we've been constructing in the #SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver challenge into a complete radio. Tuning is a bit fussy, but it worked. Now for some woodworking and other "packaging" tasks.

2025-03-19

Last night's build in the #SolderSmoke Challenge was the last module - the audio amplifier. Now to connect them all together in the cigar box I've gotten to house the completed project.

Rasmus SA5RJSraek@tilde.zone
2025-03-15

The joy of oscillation!

I turned on the first module of the Soldersmoke direct conversion receiver challenge radio. It worked!

#AmateurRadio #HamRadio #SolderSmoke #SolderSmokeChallenge

Cutting board with a copper clad circuit board. The circuit board is divided into four parts and one is populated with the Permeability Tuned Oscillator. An oscilloscope in the background displays a sine wave like shape.Close up photo of the PTO
2025-03-12

Last night's build was the band pass filter for the #SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Challenge. Three out of Four boards completed!

40 meter (7 MHz) Band Pass Filter
2025-03-05

This week's part of the #SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Challenge is the mixer board. I don't know how my soldering skills could have gotten even worse! As bad as it looks, it is "mixin."

2025-02-26

Several of us at #MakeItLabs have begun the #SolderSmoke challenge direct conversion receiver. Last night we constructed the oscillator. Please forgive my poor soldering skills. 😃

2024-02-17

@jeffpc OK, I'm in no mental shape to think about this right now (low on sleep), but I think this is leading toward the right answer for a common-emitter amplifier: eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves

(next section is common-collector, for comparison)

But I'm not sure what the "load impedance" is. Shouldn't it be the impedance looking back into the amplifier?

Possible related, #SolderSmoke discusses measuring (not calculating) this in episodes 231 and 232. #hamRadio

2023-12-30
2023-12-18
2023-11-26

A free book from the early days of ham projects with transistors: The CK722

The impact of the CK722 on Pete Juliano, on ham radio, and eventually on SolderSmoke was quite profound.

The book was the size of a notebook and had a gray cover. Pete built some of the projects like the CPO. If you had a CK722 then you were there.

#homebrew #raytheon #ck722 #soldersmoke

n4trb.com/AmateurRadio/Raytheo

2023-11-02

@quantensalat rocking #ManhattanStyle there; the #SolderSmoke fellas would surely love it

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