The SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Challenge
This summer, Bruce MacKinnon KC1FSZ is leading daring members of the Wellesley Amateur Radio Society in constructing their own 40m direct conversion receivers as part of the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Challenge. For those not familiar, SolderSmoke is a monthly podcast that focuses on the design and construction of homebrew HF radios. The podcast host, Bill Meara N2CQR, recently challenged his listeners to build a copy of a simple receiver that he and co-host Dean Souleles KK4DAS designed for a group of local high-school students. This simple rig is well documented and has been constructed by many hams around the world. Schematics, video tutorials, and a robust Discord forum are available to help guide the builder through the process. At the end of the summer we’ll each be proud to show off a working receiver that will look something like this:
Field Day 2025 Report
Check out the W1TKZ ARRL Field Day 2025 Report by Dan Brown W1DAN here.