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The New Radio Receiver Building Handbook


Synopsis


A shortwave radio, without use of satellites, will receive commercial free foreign government supported English language radio programs from thousands of miles away! Shortwave radios can be built at home in a time period of a few hours to a few weeks. This book contains over one hundred illustrations. Written for both the expert and the novice, it provides information for understanding how the radios work, for obtaining the necessary parts, and for constructing the radios. Shortwave radios were first developed in the 1930s and new designs can be built to resemble radios of that era.

Williams, BSEE, Lyle, Russell

Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction to Radio Receivers

This chapter provides an overview of radio receivers, including their history, basic components, and different types. It discusses the principles of radio transmission and reception, such as modulation and demodulation.

Example: A basic AM radio receiver consists of an antenna, a tuning circuit, an amplifier, and a speaker. The tuning circuit selects the desired radio station, while the amplifier boosts the signal strength and the speaker converts the electrical signal into sound.

Chapter 2: Basic Receiver Design

This chapter covers the design principles behind basic radio receivers. It introduces concepts such as sensitivity, selectivity, and image rejection. It explains how these factors affect the performance of a receiver and provides guidelines for designing receivers with optimal characteristics.

Example: To improve the sensitivity of a receiver, one can use a low-noise amplifier as the first stage. To enhance selectivity, a narrowband filter can be employed at the input of the receiver.

Chapter 3: Tuned Radio Receivers

This chapter focuses on tuned radio receivers, which are the наиболее common types of radio receivers. It discusses different tuning methods, such as superheterodyne, direct conversion, and regenerative receivers. It explains the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Example: A superheterodyne receiver uses a local oscillator to convert incoming radio signals to a fixed intermediate frequency (IF). This allows for better filtering and amplification, resulting in improved selectivity and sensitivity.

Chapter 4: Digital Radio Receivers

This chapter introduces digital radio receivers, which use digital signal processing techniques to demodulate radio signals. It covers the basics of digital signal processing and how it is applied in radio receivers. It also discusses different digital modulation schemes, such as FSK and QAM.

Example: A software-defined radio (SDR) is a digital radio receiver that uses a computer to perform all the signal processing functions. This allows for great flexibility and software-based updates, making it possible to receive a wide range of radio signals.

Chapter 5: Antenna Systems

This chapter covers the importance of antennas in radio receivers. It explains different types of antennas, such as dipoles, loops, and phased arrays. It discusses antenna gain, impedance matching, and how to select an appropriate antenna for a specific application.

Example: A dipole antenna is a simple and effective antenna for receiving radio signals. It consists of two metal rods connected to a transmission line. The length of the rods determines the resonant frequency of the antenna.

Chapter 6: Receiver Measurements and Troubleshooting

This chapter provides practical guidance on measuring and troubleshooting radio receivers. It covers common measurement techniques, such as sensitivity, selectivity, and image rejection. It also discusses troubleshooting techniques for identifying and resolving receiver problems.

Example: To measure the sensitivity of a receiver, a signal generator is used to inject a known signal into the receiver. The signal is gradually reduced until the receiver can no longer detect the signal. The point at which the receiver loses the signal indicates the sensitivity of the receiver.