A pole switch down-converter with symmetric resonator which reduce the non resonating phase to approximately half of the RF carrier period of the modulated signal is proposed. The down-converter comprises a first and second .lamda./2 resonator for collecting RF energy, wherein a differential RF signal is coupled to the first and second .lamda./2 resonator, a switching means coupled at one end of the first .lamda./2 resonator and one end of second .lamda./2 resonator for connecting the first and second .lamda./2 resonator, a control means for controlling the switching means, and a detecting means coupled to the first and second .lamda./2 resonator for detecting the down-converted signal, wherein the control means is adapted to initiate in a down-conversion cycle the switching means to connect the first and second .lamda./2 resonator for approximate half of the RF carrier period of the modulated signal. With this pole switch down-converter adjacent RF channels can be selected and down-converted by slightly varying the pole switch repetition rate.