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Air Band Receiver High Sensitivity Aviation Radio 118-136MHz AM DIY Kit

scottiebabe

A 30 year-old electronics hobby kit still lives on to this day.

I came across a superhet airband receiver kit that peaked my interests. It’s based on a few venerable but not extinct radio ICs, namely the NE602 and the MC1350. I don’t know where the kit producer is sourcing these ICs, but for $20 it was worth taking a chance on it being more than a pack a of bubblegum. Fingers crossed I receive at least functional equivalent ICs, if not new/salvaged old stock.

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You can find the kit at the usual places searching “Air Band Receiver High Sensitivity Aviation Radio 118-136MHz AM DIY Kit”

The schematic is to clean and logical to be a typical noname solder kit. After some digging around on the internet, I found the origin of the kit. This project was originally designed by Fred Blechman and published in the spring 1994 issue of "Electronics Hobbyist Handbook" by Gernsback Publications.

A pdf of the publication is available here:

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https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/Experimenters-Handbook/Electronic-Hobbyist-Handbook-1994-Spring.pdf (Page 82)

Tony van Roon also shares their experience and analysis of the project kit here:

https://www.learningelectronics.net/VA3AVR/circ/aviarx/aviarx.html

  • Looks like a nice through hole project. The sockets will help if there are problems with the ICs.

  •  Nice find.  Like many cool thing... not new, but new again. Thumbsup So far, I've resisted buying one.  I look forward to your "review".

  • I started my electronics career in the aviation RF space in 1981.

    Look like one adjustable inductor for frequency tuning. I'm curious about the response across the band. Do you plan on doing any sensitivity checks? 

    Are you on any flight paths/ airdromes? I've attached an old Canadian flight supplement. Find something similar for your area. The documents are regularly updated to let pilots know the  communication and navigation details of the area. I'm thirty minutes south of Winnipeg. This lists the known communication frequencies, COMM and the air traffic control center WINNIPEG CENTER. 

    Antenna might be a bit tricky. Know any ham radio people, They might be able to help.

    Curious where you found the relic?

  • in reply to colporteur

    The antenna should be easy, most 2meter band antennas should work. 

  • Being a HAM radio operator, this would be a nice project!!

  • in reply to dwinhold

     I've been tempted to buy a couple in hopes of getting kids interested in the hobby.  So many irons in the fire.  Laughing
    I'm going to hold out for  review.

  • in reply to kmikemoo

    It's such a nice hobby, I've been a Ham since 1991. Trying to get the younger generation into it is so hard. If texting is their thing, it can be done, just need to learn Morse Code!! Not likely!!

  • Thank you for the kind comments and advice, I will reply!

    I Have received the kit. It is subtly different from the original version, in that my kit has PCB planar inductors (not sure if that will be a positive or negative, but will will test it and find out!)

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    Here is the contents of the kit:

    PCB Front

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    Alternate Image: image

    PCB Back

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    Components 

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    Components Alt

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    Schematic

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    Alternate Image: image

    Instructions

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  • in reply to dwinhold
    dwinhold said:
    Trying to get the younger generation into it is so hard.

    How are you trying to sell it to them though ? The younger generation are communicating wirelessly via text messaging every day with ease, so learning Morse Code probably isn't going to be the way to promote it. It perhaps could do with reinventing itself a bit given the ease of access to alternative wireless communications technology in the modern world.

    This probably applies to a lot of hobbies these days however.

  • in reply to scottiebabe

    Is the symbol they used in the schematic for a planar inductor a standard? I can't seem to find a reference. I see on the schematic page they have the symbol off to the right side with some Chinese script. I assume it is indicating this is how we draw a planar inductor