ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

AC/DC receiver design

Imagine you want to listen to the radio in the car. The radio station sends out a signal, called a radio wave, that travels through the air. The antenna on the car picks up this signal and sends it to the radio.

In order to hear the sound coming from the radio station, the radio has to be able to take this radio wave and turn it into an electrical signal. This is where the receiver comes in.

A receiver is a device that takes the radio wave and turns it into an electrical current that can be amplified and turned into sound by the radio. There are a few different types of receiver designs, but we'll focus on two: AC and DC.

An AC receiver is designed to pick up radio waves that are alternating current (AC) in nature. This means that the current is constantly changing direction, which can make it difficult to amplify and use for sound. To deal with this, AC receivers use a device called a diode to convert the AC current into a series of pulses, called DC (direct current). These pulses can then be amplified and turned into sound by the radio.

A DC receiver, on the other hand, is designed to pick up radio waves that are DC in nature. These waves have a constant direction and are easier to use for amplification and sound. DC receivers use a device called a capacitor to filter out any AC noise from the radio wave, leaving only the DC signal for amplification.

Both AC and DC receivers have their advantages and disadvantages, but both are used in radio technology today. Regardless of the type of receiver used, the goal is always the same: to take the radio wave and turn it into an electrical signal that can be used for amplification and sound.