{"id":9847,"date":"2025-03-03T19:23:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T08:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/03\/03\/bill-ab5xqs-ugly-duckling-not-true-soldersmoke-direct-conversion-receiver\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T18:00:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:00:58","slug":"bill-ab5xqs-ugly-duckling-not-true-soldersmoke-direct-conversion-receiver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/03\/03\/bill-ab5xqs-ugly-duckling-not-true-soldersmoke-direct-conversion-receiver\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill AB5XQ&#8217;s &#8220;Ugly Duckling&#8221; (Not true!) SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver"},"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\/x0wrlm6sD_c?si=gyIGZcce6zlfc_HV?rel=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"440\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>Bill AB5XQ told me that his was an &#8220;Ugly Duckling&#8221; receiver. I would disagree with him. Any device &#8212; like Bill&#8217;s &#8212; capable of pulling conversations out of the ether is, in my book, beautiful. Condgratulations Bill. <\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Bill wrote: <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: inherit;\"><i><span style=\"background-color: white; color: #1d2228;\"><b>Well that was the first time I ever tried to record my work, so I know it is poor quality. My <\/b><\/span><b style=\"color: #1d2228;\">antenna is an attic dipole which is not optimum either. Yes I have tweeted the bandpass filter, but I am guilty of <\/b><b style=\"color: #1d2228;\">trying to touch it up by ear and I know I have gotten it off, so I will give that a go also. I am very happy with the <\/b><b style=\"color: #1d2228;\">receiver, I know it is an ugly duckling as compared to some of the others, but I learned a lot and know that I <\/b><b style=\"color: #1d2228;\">still have some learning to do. Thanks again to you and Dean for challenging us to get busy in homebrew.<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: \"Helvetica Neue\", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;\"><b><i>73, Bill, AB5XQ<\/i><\/b><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Thanks Bill! <\/p>\n<p><b style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: \"Trebuchet MS\", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<br \/><\/b><\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: \"Trebuchet MS\", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: \"Trebuchet MS\", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;\">\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\"><b>For more information on how you too can build the receiver: <\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\">\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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bill AB5XQ told me that his was an &#8220;Ugly Duckling&#8221; receiver. I would disagree with him. Any device &#8212; like Bill&#8217;s &#8212; capable of pulling conversations out of the ether is, in my book, beautiful. Condgratulations Bill. Bill wrote: Well that was the first time I ever tried to record my work, so I know &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2025\/03\/03\/bill-ab5xqs-ugly-duckling-not-true-soldersmoke-direct-conversion-receiver\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Bill AB5XQ&#8217;s &#8220;Ugly Duckling&#8221; (Not true!) SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver&#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":[9,11,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dc-receiver-build","category-dc-rx-hall-of-fame","category-tj-dc-rx"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9847","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=9847"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9847\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11131,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9847\/revisions\/11131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9847"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}