{"id":8505,"date":"2025-02-08T21:27:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-08T10:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/02\/08\/soldersmoke-challenge-direct-conversion-receiver-video-5-building-the-audio-frequency-amplifier\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T18:00:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:00:59","slug":"soldersmoke-challenge-direct-conversion-receiver-video-5-building-the-audio-frequency-amplifier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/02\/08\/soldersmoke-challenge-direct-conversion-receiver-video-5-building-the-audio-frequency-amplifier\/","title":{"rendered":"SolderSmoke Challenge &#8212; Direct-Conversion Receiver Video #5  &#8212; Building the Audio Frequency Amplifier"},"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\/SRMPqQeiorM?si=FH0qoUCqiF-mLhVj?rel=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"440\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p> <b style=\"color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\">SolderSmoke Challenge \u2013 Direct Conversion Receiver \u2013 the Audio Amplifier Build and Receiver Demonstration<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><u><\/u> <b>In this episode Dean, KK4DAS wraps up the initial build of the SolderSmoke Challenge DCR. He takes us through the audio amplifier stage and demonstrates the newly built receiver just moments after connecting the audio module to the mixer and hooking up a speaker. The audio module is conceptually simple \u2013 three nearly identical stock-standard common emitter audio amplifiers which provide the 80-100 dB of amplification you need to go from microvolts of RF to volts of audio to drive a speaker. The challenge with all that amplification in a small board is to keep it amplifying but to stop it from oscillating and as you\u2019ll see in the video, good construction technique is critical to good performance.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><u><\/u> <u><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b>And wow! We now have more than 30 builders working on the SolderSmoke Challenge, with more builders completing the challenge every day. And those are just the ones who are active on tour Discord server. If you have completed the DCR or even if you have just started building it, we want to hear from you. Send a picture or better yet a video \u2013 make it a selfie and you can join the SolderSmoke challenge hall of fame!<u><\/u><u><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><u><\/u> <u><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b>And if you are not yet building it, you must ask yourself one question: <u><\/u><u><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><u><\/u> <u><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b>What are you waiting for?<u><\/u><u><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><u><\/u> <\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Join the discussion &#8211; SolderSmoke Discord Server:<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/discord.gg\/Fu6B7yGxx2&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1739133212721000&#038;usg=AOvVaw0Rp1jyvNzTqZibovZ-mM6D\" href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/Fu6B7yGxx2\" style=\"color: #1155cc;\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/discord.gg\/Fu6B7yGxx2<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"> <\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Documentation on Hackaday:<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; 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=1739133212721000&#038;usg=AOvVaw2vAFchLG2ECCd_c6xYIyjk\" href=\"https:\/\/hackaday.io\/project\/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver\" style=\"color: #1155cc;\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/hackaday.io\/project\/<wbr><\/wbr>190327-high-schoolers-build-a-<wbr><\/wbr>radio-receiver<\/a><\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"> <\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">SolderSmoke YouTube channel:<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@soldersmoke&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1739133212721000&#038;usg=AOvVaw0-k9Q6d8PrRFzoKsb0SMly\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@soldersmoke\" style=\"color: #1155cc;\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@<wbr><\/wbr>soldersmoke<\/a><\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"> <\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">SolderSmoke blog DCR posts:<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/soldersmoke.blogspot.com\/search\/label\/TJ%2520DC%2520RX&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1739133212721000&#038;usg=AOvVaw1fv4U8IVFECC8Cq7D5W9Ke\" href=\"https:\/\/soldersmoke.blogspot.com\/search\/label\/TJ%20DC%20RX\" style=\"color: #1155cc;\" target=\"_blank\"><b>https:\/\/soldersmoke.blogspot.<wbr><\/wbr>com\/search\/label\/TJ%20DC%20RX<\/b><\/a><u><\/u><u><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;\"><u><\/u> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SolderSmoke Challenge \u2013 Direct Conversion Receiver \u2013 the Audio Amplifier Build and Receiver Demonstration In this episode Dean, KK4DAS wraps up the initial build of the SolderSmoke Challenge DCR. He takes us through the audio amplifier stage and demonstrates the newly built receiver just moments after connecting the audio module to the mixer and hooking &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/02\/08\/soldersmoke-challenge-direct-conversion-receiver-video-5-building-the-audio-frequency-amplifier\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;SolderSmoke Challenge &#8212; Direct-Conversion Receiver Video #5  &#8212; Building the Audio Frequency Amplifier&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,35,248,90],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dc-receiver-build","category-direct-conversion","category-direct-conversion-challenge","category-souleles-dean"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8505","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=8505"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11154,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8505\/revisions\/11154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}