[Kenwood] Re: TS-940S Bulbs

[Bryan Swadener]

> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:32:31 -0500
> From: Biker DaddyDawg WB?GZR <DaddyDawg at peoplepc.com>
> Subject: [Kenwood] TS-940S Bulbs
> To: <kenwood at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID:
> <002b01c8a4ea$4901b3d0$9506f404 at RicksDeskTop>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Does any1 have or know where I can find some of the little
> mini wheat bulbs for the Clock sub-display for the
> 940's? I think they are 9 volt but not sure. Will use
> 12 volt if need be. I check with radio shack & ebay
> with no luck. Rick in Missouri WBØGZR

Hi Rick,

GOW (Grain Of Wheat) lamps can be found at a well-stocked hobby store... 'bout a buck each.  My '120 & 130 use them.  IIRC, they're about 12V @ 40mA and have a lifetime of around 10,000 hours.  This is based on continuous use -- lifetime will be less when they are cycled on/off, due to the mechanical stress of heating/cooling (mainly heating).  They can be made to last a LOT longer by limiting the inrush current.  An LM317L arranged as a current limiter will do that.

Others have suggested using LEDs.  I tried that with my rigs but found the dispersion angle to be too narrow, even with the so-called wide-dispersion angle types.  They left a spot on the meter/dial face.  Then (after I buttoned my rig up with incandescent lamps) a friend who runs the service department at a local pro audio company said, "Oh!  Just file or grind off the lens on a super-bright LED and the dispersion angle will be very wide."  I tried it on the workbench.  It does seem to work, and the light output seems to be better if the surface is then polished.

73 es gud dx,
Bryan WA7PRC


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