{"id":10909,"date":"2025-03-03T20:02:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T09:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/03\/03\/andy-kb7zut-is-a-good-sport-he-built-the-direct-conversion-receiver-his-way-then-our-way-great-startrek-cartoons\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T18:00:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:00:58","slug":"andy-kb7zut-is-a-good-sport-he-built-the-direct-conversion-receiver-his-way-then-our-way-great-startrek-cartoons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/03\/03\/andy-kb7zut-is-a-good-sport-he-built-the-direct-conversion-receiver-his-way-then-our-way-great-startrek-cartoons\/","title":{"rendered":"Andy KB7ZUT is a Good Sport &#8212; He Built the Direct Conversion Receiver HIS WAY, then OUR WAY.  Great StarTrek Cartoons"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"247\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gBv7d7gVzL4?si=hvXz-dpxvsFS1vSO?rel=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"440\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"> <\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/a\/AVvXsEi4lN65B0yZe2egv1L1qyNkEtf2oMHILcuRjpf0_wyVKK-a3BbHZKgKmyLYhU_dS_JFaVGeTu0ytoySRYrygLnu6MmOnOUOgWeP_Pns2tcyVDYpO2m5-8etKzi9fPyDMMmv6KQx2-a7P2vza0lcgbBLapilJ4vFPpkL1rajFGZaAZaqw4wtD5oUhvoiUEo\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"1433\" data-original-width=\"2500\" height=\"229\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image_1753125715.png\" width=\"400\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Early on, Andy sent in a report on a Direct Conversion receiver that he had built. It looked kind of like ours, but it was clearly NOT ours. It even had a 20 db RF amplifier ahead of the mixer. We politely (I hope) pointed out the differences. Andy quickly came back with the receiver picutred above. Yes, that is ours! Thanks Andy! <\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Andy writes: <\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><b>I&#8217;m calling it done (for now)! 1) Biggest challenge for me was &#8220;coloring inside the lines&#8221;. In other words, building the actual DCR challenge to the schematic vs. getting too creative with other circuits in my head. 2)My biggest breakthrough was developing a much better understanding of the diode ring mixer. And how brass displacing air in the PTO works. 3) What&#8217;s next? I want to try some transformer-less audio amps to see if I can find a design for the folks that are having trouble finding a cheap source for the 1000\/8 transformer. A super big thanks to both Bill @N2CQR and Dean @Soldersmoke for all the hard work bringing the DCR challenge and the Discord community to life. Bravo! And I would also like to thank Pete (N6QW) our guiding light and spiritual leader too. If it wasn&#8217;t for the SolderSmoke Podcast and the Blog, I would still be living life as an appliance operator. 73 KB7ZUT ..<\/b><\/i><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><b><br \/><\/b><\/i><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Andy posted these to the Discord server: <\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/a\/AVvXsEg8kxdF-0VzXjDT3yRBBLqQlstF-SC9nPF6otzYeUDqIuq4nT5KikNQkM7XyverNHpSMC6YWo4guLWAGRfnlwaPeCY6Z7umU4hk5Uv_thhs00kBl0szhMBcxSs7OqNST1OpRVBEBf0pafMkNUOlgdP9LXwMllTJVA8cNtmSn5HDByrcSCZ9P0cvCvUTkOI\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"473\" data-original-width=\"590\" height=\"321\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image_1753125719.png\" width=\"400\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/RadioMarti.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1322\" data-original-width=\"1500\" height=\"353\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/RadioMarti.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b style=\"color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;\">For more information on how you too can build the receiver: <\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: 400;\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: 400;\">\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Join the discussion &#8211; SolderSmoke Discord Server:<\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt;\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/discord.gg\/Fu6B7yGxx2&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1739470652838000&#038;usg=AOvVaw1ZoxkyzfQb8pwED_KtyCKW\" href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/Fu6B7yGxx2\" style=\"color: #1155cc; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/discord.gg\/Fu6B7yGxx2<\/span><\/a><\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> <\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Documentation on Hackaday:<\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/hackaday.io\/project\/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1739470652838000&#038;usg=AOvVaw026vJuHIWdv6aJ9NJ9QDHJ\" href=\"https:\/\/hackaday.io\/project\/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver\" style=\"color: #1155cc; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/hackaday.io\/project\/<wbr><\/wbr>190327-high-schoolers-build-a-<wbr><\/wbr>radio-receiver<\/a><\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> <\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px;\"><b><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">SolderSmoke YouTube channel:<\/span><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<div style=\"color: #333333; font-family: \"Trebuchet MS\", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;\"><b style=\"color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\"><span face=\"Arial, sans-serif\" style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@soldersmoke&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1739470652838000&#038;usg=AOvVaw3FnV3eIUU7IiaVG8c_Qd3v\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@soldersmoke\" style=\"color: #1155cc; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@<wbr><\/wbr>soldersmoke<\/a><\/span><\/b><b> <\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/b><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Early on, Andy sent in a report on a Direct Conversion receiver that he had built. It looked kind of like ours, but it was clearly NOT ours. It even had a 20 db RF amplifier ahead of the mixer. We politely (I hope) pointed out the differences. Andy quickly came back with the receiver &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/03\/03\/andy-kb7zut-is-a-good-sport-he-built-the-direct-conversion-receiver-his-way-then-our-way-great-startrek-cartoons\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Andy KB7ZUT is a Good Sport &#8212; He Built the Direct Conversion Receiver HIS WAY, then OUR WAY.  Great StarTrek Cartoons&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,35,248],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dc-rx-hall-of-fame","category-direct-conversion","category-direct-conversion-challenge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10909"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10913,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10909\/revisions\/10913"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}