[ICOM] Re: Availability of lamp parts for IC-375A

[Michael P. Olbrisch]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of STeve Andre'
> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 3:34 PM
> To: 'ICOM Reflector'
> Subject: [ICOM] Re: Availability of lamp parts for IC-375A
>
>
>    My 375A and 575H seem to have developed a problem with some
> of the front panel lamps.  I suppose this is only reasonable given
> their age.


I have found that the cheap radio shack replacements are just that, cheap.
They didn't last very long.  Even replacing them all every time one went, I
probably didn't save much over the price of quality ICOM lamps.

HOWEVER...

I got a great deal on E-Bay.  I bought 60 Super-bright White LEDs for $15.
I took a few to work and played with them on the bench.  I didn't like the
focus.  And they were too big for some of the radios.

I played some more.  I found that if you carefully worked the LED shell on a
fine grinding wheel, it could be ground into a small enough size to fit
anything.  Also, by grinding the lens flat, the focus was very broad.  So I
have ground a number of them to just about the size if the bulbs, in an
octagon shape.  BTW, the opaque finish the grinder leaves on the plastic
seems to diffuse the light almost perfectly.  I use a 560 ohm 1/4w resistor
to do the voltage drop.

So far I have replaced the ALL the lamps in my IC-820, IC-PS30, IC-R9000,
and Yaesu Satellite rotor controller.  I am quite pleased with the outcome.
I will continue to replace the bulbs with the LEDs in every radio as one
bulb fails.

Yes, it is a lot of work.  But it is work that I will do once, and never
again.  I can deal with that.

Mike.  KD9KC
El Paso, TX.