Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

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Warf135
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Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by Warf135 »

Hi, I'm planning a mod to a Lincoln, where the display changes colour when you TX. I have it basically figured out, but need to know where to "safely" connect the TX and RX LED's.
I can easily find a couple of points with my test meter and schematic, but dont want to just tap off from anywhere as that might put other bits of the circuit out of allignment.

Anyone know a good point to tap off a TX and RX LED in this rig?

Thanks in advance guys!
Norm
zodiac
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by zodiac »

As you say your using LED's you'll be adding resistors in line as well, so give it a try you'll soon find out if you have any problems with it and the resistors will protect the circuit, as you'll only be using milliamps.
Let us know how you get on with it and what you've done.
Dave.
How far is it.
Twice it's length from halfway.
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The Defpom
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by The Defpom »

You could just use a flip flop type transistor switch pair, and feed that directly from the mic TX line, which is 0V when in TX, nice and simple.

Yes there are points you could connect to, in order to pick up the RX and TX only voltages, off hand I cant name them, but there is a PNP switching transistor which turns the main TX supply on and off.

But like I said, if it were up to me I would just hook up to the TX from the mic, to keep it isolated from the rest of the radio preventing accidental damage to the circuits if something goes wrong. (I have fixed quite a few HR2510 / Lincolns, even brought junkers back from the dead).

If you still need me to lookup the connection points let me know and I will take a look.
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Warf135
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by Warf135 »

Thanks Dave and Scott,

Hadn't thought about making a circuit to come direct off the TX line of the mic, that would be easier in some ways and certainly safer in respect of not pulling any other parts of the radio out of allignment.

I'll have to have a play around I think and see what happens... usually my best ideas come when I'm tinkering...lol (but maybe I'll experiment on an old rig first)

When I've done it I'll post my results.

UPDATE: After many hours of trolling the web I can not find a suitable transistor flip flop design, all the diagrams either require 2 switching inputs (which I thought would be perfect, until I remembered that the Lincoln doesn't have an RX wire in the mic plug :roll: ) or flip flop automatically which is no good, or just use a transistor to switch a relay...

Can anyone suggest a transistor flip flop design that for example, with no action lights a green led, then when a switch is pressed and held turns off the green LED and lights a red LED, reverting to green when the switch is released. I know this is possible but just how to do it escapes my brain at present :oops:

UPDATE: I have decided to make things very simple and just use DPST minature relay to do the job... ok so its crude, but will work perfectly!
Norm
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by Warf135 »

Job Done! :dance:

Now the Lincoln looks blue when in receive:
lincRX.jpg
lincRX.jpg (21.95 KiB) Viewed 16236 times
And red when in TX:
lincTX.jpg
lincTX.jpg (22.35 KiB) Viewed 16246 times
The colours are a lot deeper than shows in these pics and it looks very nice :lol:

In the end I used a subminature relay, switched by the TX line of the mic. The relay switches a Bi-Colour LED, powered from the original bulb wires through a 510 ohm resistor. I will draw (and upload) a diagram soon
Norm
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by craigowl »

WOW THIS LOOKS COOL.
I am the proud owner of a Lincoln,and i think this mod is the best and easiest to do,it totally changes the appearence of the rig,and im a big fan of blue lights,it seems to bring the radio more upto date,if you know what i mean. =D>
Good luck with your radio,happy DX to you.

Craig.
26SY077 26FB079
Chow chow my friend,good DX to you,73s.
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Warf135
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by Warf135 »

Hi Craig,

Yea this was a pretty simple mod and it does make the radio look a lot different.. I did think about also modifying the DIM switch so that pressing it would swap the colours round too (so it could be red in RX and blue in TX) but I never got round to that...

Could have any colour LED... I put ultra-violet LED's behind my Jumbo's meters and that looks way cool at night.
Norm
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Re: Adding TX/RX LED to Lincoln

Post by ErikRobertson »

Warf135 wrote:Hi Craig,

Yea this was a pretty simple mod and it does make the radio look a lot different.. I did think about also modifying the DIM switch so that pressing it would swap the colours round too (so it could be red in RX and blue in TX) but I never got round to that...

Could have any colour LED... I put ultra-violet LED's behind my Jumbo's meters and that looks way cool at night.
SOunds very impressive.. I will try to implement similar mod and hope it works well
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