Realistic DX-160

[DavePEI]

I did my second pair of Telex CS-61s tonight - easier this time, as I discovered that you don't have to disassemble the phone, only remove the ear pad, pull the staple which holds the cord to the phone, remove it, clean the plug, reinsert the staple and put the pad back on. I still have one to do - also looks as if it is the same problem, but the other has no 1/4 inch jacks on the other end, so I will have to at least temporarily put one on to test it.

These were very expensive headsets 30 years ago, and a few years back, I picked up the three for around $10 total, so I feel good about putting a little time into them for such a simple fix! We used CS-61s back when we were Ham Radio contesting, and there was nothing better.

I also located a matching bandspread knob for the DX-160 set today, and it is on the way.

[DavePEI]

Just for fun, and to appease those who hate analog displays, I ordered a Chinese 0.1 MHz TO 65MHz LED RF Signal Frequency Counter assembly from ebay:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/171822483576?

For $9.98 including shipping. This display can be programmed with the 455 khz offset needed to get an accurate frequency output from a radio using a 455 khz IF by the buttons on the back.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_neC5Z_wEg

Frequency sampling may be done by adding a 68 picofarad feed capacitor which connects to R12 in the radio on the end that goes to Q4 and C12. The coax braid connects to the grounded side of R12 and out to a BNC jack mounted on the back..

The counter runs off a 9v supply and may be mounted in a suitable case.

Back in the day, the only way to add a digital display to these was to build an expensive digital frequency counter, and subtract the IF frequency manually from the displayed frequency to get accurate results, and now for $10, you can buy the complete display and program it so it automatically subtracts the IF. Time marches on!

[19and41]

Mighty sharp.

[DavePEI]

Mighty sharp.

Yes, I thought for $9.98 it would be fun to play with!

[DavePEI]

The replacement knob for the band-spread arrived. Small thing, nut it bothered me, and I could never find the original here. VE3AB, Earl Andrews runs a business in Ontario which buys up old rigs, and he sells the parts - I was able to get one from a slightly older DX-150 for $3 - a perfect match!

http://www.nettyelectronics.com

[andre_janew]

Nowadays, it seems like nearly all the new radios have a digital display of some kind.

[twocvbloke]

http://www.nettyelectronics.com

It's funny looking at that web address, as in the northern parts of England, a Netty is a toilet...