A Work Of Art That Also Receives AM And SSB

In winter, [Michael LeBlanc] he thought that a good way to spend his time during these long dark nights would be to create his own receiver for direct conversion. He managed to find plans for such a project easily enough online, but where is the fun in the following instructions? The end result includes what he found online with his unique tweaks and artistic style.

[Michael] bases its receiver on a modified approach to the DC40 created by [Ashhar Farhan], name probably familiar to readers involved in amatuer radio. It also modified the design by replacing the audio amplifier for the TDA2003A and attaching it to a digital tuner via an Arduino and a Si5351 clock generator. It has a small OLED to display the current frequency, which is tuned with a high-quality Bourns EM14 optical encoder to be able to surf the air in comfort and style.

The digital tuner connected to the DC40 analog receiver gives the radio an interesting duality that [Michael] really embraces with the design of the enclosure. From a practical point of view, he wanted to keep both halves of the system in their own boxes to minimize any interference, but the 3D printed case exaggerated this practical consideration in a captivating conversation.

The analog and digital compartments are tilted and their rotary knobs are on opposite sides. The radio seems to have turned over if it weren’t for the fact that everything is connected together, complete with brass inserts for printed parts. The integrated carrying handle at the top somehow manages to look both retro and ultra-modern. Rarely do you see a printed body that is both meticulously designed on the inside and aesthetically pleasing on the outside. [Michael] has certainly won its 3D printing mark with this.