[50mhz] Homebrew VHF lo FM receiver

[Dennis L. Wade]

Hello everyone,

 I've been wanting to set up a bank of dedicated FM monitor receivers 
for
some 6 meter repeaters and our highway patrol (dual channel 46 mhz)  
so I can have them up at a touch of a button and not rely or tie up
a scanner for them.  The highway patrol here uses separate 
frequencies for
base and mobile, so each "channel" is actually a pair of frequencies. 
 I
would want the ability to add a subaudible tone decode function to 
it.  No
other odd features...crystal control preferred, squelch, respectable
selectivity (I'm in an urban area).

 This looked like a nice project to do myself, but I'm having 
difficulty getting a design in hand.  A Google search revealed a 
design that looked good until I realized that it uses a chip from 
roughly 10 yrs ago, and the chip (MC3353 in think) is no longer in 
production.  Another chip, MC13135 apparently is current (?) but I 
didn't run across a design with it. (Both Motorola of course).  

 I'm not wedded to any particular technology, so a "vintage" design 
is fine as long as I can get enough parts for about 8 receivers 
(though I would draw the line at tubes in this application...hehe).  
The
ARRL handbooks from the mid-70's had a 2 meter receiver that would be
ideal if I could find enough parts for it today.  

 Am I looking at a design using surface mount components these days?  
Is
homebrew with SMT practical?  Special tools I need if I have to go 
SMT? 
My breadboard skills are OK if a little rusty.  

 Thanks for your collective wisdom...

  Dennis-----------------
"If you can remain calm, you just don't have all the facts"

Dennis Wade
KG6ZI
Carmichael, CA