DIY FM Tuner - what's the problem?

[jackinnj]

I have read several articles on the Tivoli FM Tuner which uses discrete GASFets etc., and this peeked my interest. The best FM tuner I've owned was an old pioneer. Even the great Linn I own doesn't seem to quite cut the mustard. The Tivoli goes back to the era of discretes, just like the stuff I see for VHF/UHF in amateur work and I just might spring for the mono-version which is only $99 at JRMusic. (Not that i dislike bible stations, but the adjacent channel interference from a couple of these in NJ on my table top , sometimes blocking WQXR in NYC is really annoying.)

I have also perused a couple of my 90's era ARRL handbooks -- the VHF sections of course -- I am now wondering, why, this subject seems to be so lacking in DIY circles? Maybe folks are just leery of winding their own coils, or building their own mixers, or using ceramic filters. Any thoughts are welcome.

[Jocko Homo]

1.) No one I know has tuner. LPs and CDs only.

2.) RF is trickier to get working without test equipment.

3.) Less people have RF experience.

4.) FM stations process everything to death. Except the classical stations, and then they have the modulation turned down so low it is ridiculous.

My background is RF, so ask away.........

Jocko

[jackinnj]

We have two classical stations, the NPR affiliate is becoming less classical and moving to more chat, but some of the stuff is really interesting to listen to. The problem which I cited is adjacent channel interference one local Bible station which sits almost on top of WQXR, and multipath (which I guess I could take care of with a more expensive antenna) While I can't speak for Arlen TX, in NJ we have couple good jazz stations (WBGO), blue-grass (yes, bluegrass in NYC!) and the usual humping thumping rock (which is pointless, I would rather be forced to listen to Phillip Glass).

At any rate, my idea is to use a GASFet front end and mixer as in the 2 meter design in th ARRL handbook adjsted down to 88 to 108MHz. I can use any number of devices for the LO. For now, I will probably bootleg some stuff from an old tuner which is lying around. I really haven't found discrete designs on the web yet.

[shadow]

I have once tryed to built stereo FM tuner,but project was too much complex.With almost no measuring devices project was doomed.
So i probaly buy Velleman kit in the future.Many have good opinion about this tuner.Now world is dominated by recievers so nobody care for tuners,they are quite cheap.Buying commercial one is not my style.DIY is in my blood