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Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 765
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 12:06 am: | 
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Ok, I'm doing a little surgery on a DX66.
I'm going to waste(in somes opinion)my time and money doing a few modifications to a recently aquired DX66. And I'd like a few suggestions on a few things I have concern with.
First off I'm going to replace the covers on this radio. Do new covers come with the original stickers that was on them when new? If not, where could you get your hands on them?
Next I'm going to replace the bezel and faceplate. Should I go back with the stock 66 faceplate or should I get one of the chrome/silve jobs. I'm not into the flag thing, so those are out of the question.
I've already replaced the channel indicator with the blue LED's and the freq counter as well. Get off my back about blue, I like it ok? The question here is about what material to use for lenses. I read somewhere that somebody used the blue tinted plastic out of the top of a 1 liter mountain dew bottle. Anybody here tried that? What would be a good item for the counter display?
Ok, should I do the ERF mod to this radio or would you go with the amp pill conversion? If I go with the ERF I plan on dual finals.
Last I was thinking of putting a speech processor inside this one. Where is a good place to get one and which one or type? I've tried the one that CBC is putting out in kit form and I'm not real impressed with it. Anything other than that one.
I'd appreciate your input on this matter. It's a project to pass time so I'm not a real big hurry. Hurry up and decide what you would do, I'm in a hurry here... |
Vanillagorilla
Advanced Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 595
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 5:40 am: |
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Sooooooo....basically you wanna build an S-9?
 Sorry...couldn't resist.
If it helps you out, I put a DX88 chrome bezel on my Pluto and it seems to have gained 1db on TX  . Looks great too. Not sure what you mean by original stickers on the case though?
Warranty stickers? "Don't break this seal" stuff? |
Dale
Intermediate Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 434
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 10:00 am: |
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well being ya dont like the flags that was my reccomendation id then recommend the all crome covers top and bottom.as for mods id think if ya do the finals wouldnt ya have 2 add heatsinks aswell?if it were me id just do the npc-rc something mod should get close 30watts.if ya really wanna get radical put 3 erf2030 finals in it and the npc mod |
Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 768
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 4:22 pm: |
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Dale, I was planning the dual final swap with the 2030's, and the heatsink.
I like the rebel flag over the USA design only because it just looks better to me. The USA design seems to stretched or something, it just looks funny. Or atleast it does in catalogs.
I was thinking about the diamond plate material for covers today. Not really sure if I wanna go that route or not.
The stickers I'm referring to are the ones you see on some radios that says you must have a license to use it and the one that shows the frequencies it covers. Basically the ones that were on some of the radios when new.
HA-HA...yeah an S-9. Already got one of those, just trying to find something to do with my spare time since I bought the S-9. There isn't anything to do to it, and it never seems to need any adjusting or tweaking or nothing...so I'm bored.
I'd like to figure out how to put a LCD display in it for the channel display and light it in blue like I did a 2970DX I had once upon a time. But that'll take a little more time than I think I'm willing to put into this. But anyone having any info on that, post it or send it my way and I'll give it a try!!
Thanks guys! |
Vanillagorilla
Advanced Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 596
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 6:55 pm: |
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"HA-HA...yeah an S-9. Already got one of those, just trying to find something to do with my spare time since I bought the S-9. There isn't anything to do to it, and it never seems to need any adjusting or tweaking or nothing...so I'm bored."
Was hoping you were tuned in to my humor and didn't take it the wrong way 
Experimental projects are fun. A friend of mine did the dual final swap with sink on his Galaxy 33. That and the super swing mod. It keys 3 and swings to 45+. Bought the kit off e-auction. Same idea...his 148GTL works so good theres nothing more he wants out of it.
Shoot the moon and let us know how it goes! |
Chad
Advanced Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 873
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 7:32 pm: |
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I like black faces, You could always make the lenses out of black plexi and apply a tint to them. Then everything would black out when off. You would not need a high percentage tint since the inside is dark. I would also just go dual 2030's, a pill mod seems to be hit and miss. If you are darn good with electronics and can measure harmonics, etc then go with the pill mod. The 2030's seem proven, and are available with all the support components and people that have done it. As for speech processors.... The voice processor is available from magnum now to be installed in other models, I HIGHLY recommend it, it does a wonderful job in my 257, no pumpung, just loud and very clean. I had thought about putting one im my 2547 for grins to see what it does, I have heard good things about them in galaxy's but the radio is going up for sale pronto (how many times have I said that) and I don't want to spend the cash now.
Chad
Chad |
Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 769
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:48 pm: |
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Chad, you and I must be brothers or something dude. I was thinking exactly the same thing today while at work about tinting lexan or plexi. I was thinking about it blacking out when it was off, and I thought how cool and different that would be.
I had a 33 I did the amp pill mod to. I posted the directions somewhere on here about how to do it. I have no way to measure harmonics, atleast not that I know of, but I did de-tune it a bit and it was very loud and very strong. I had no trouble selling it after being on the air 15 minutes. A 75 dollar radio, parts were laying around anyway and about 1 or 2 hours. I sold it for 300 bucks, he wanted it worse than I did.
Probably gonna go 2030's though. I'll have to check the processor out, haven't thought of that one yet.
I would like to figure out or find someone who could make a faceplate that is like the S-9. I like the shiny finish over the matte finish. Also want to find someone who can make one of those badges like you can get for your computer. The one that is resin covered or whatever it is, except I want a Galaxy badge. Just something different, you know?
My newest problem I've encounter tonight while pittlin' is the meter light. You know it uses those oblong style bulbs, and the transmit light is coated in red. Well I mucked it up and scratched the red off. I also haven't figured out the blue part for the meter light. I had a 48T I drilled two holes into the bottom of the meter and installed the LED's that way. Only problem is the LED's have that angle pattern to them, the way the light is directed, and it caused a dim spot in the middle of the meter. Kinda don't want that this time. Any suggestions.
I planned on selling this radio, but I'm too far into it now and probably gonna have to hold on to it. |
Chad
Advanced Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 877
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 10:35 pm: |
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File the head (lens) of the LED flat, it will spread the beam significantly, Don't go too deep. use a few and wire in series not paralell with only one dropping resistor, that's the proper way. The red tint is available at hobby stores for glass.
They make turquoise LED's now, it could be blue then turn blue-green on transmit 
Hey man, we can pimp it! A steady hand can paint the meter numbers with flourescent paint, then illuminate it with UVLED's (blacklight), you are a car guy, know anyone handy with a pin-stripe brush?
I think Tomcatinva tinted his blue 257 to ease his eyes, I bet it blacks out nice. Mine is a base now so tint is irrelavent in the shop, the blue works well under the intense lighting in there.
In stage work we always say, "black is louder, I want it in black."
Chad |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 156
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 7:47 pm: |
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I used to tint canopies for RC airplanes with RIT fabric dye. The longer the soak, the darker it got. |
Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 771
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:05 pm: |
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I never thought of using flourescent paint, that would be cool with the UV LED. Nice idea. Yeah, I've got a buddy that does custom pinstriping by hand. I'll have to see if thinks he can tackle it. Nice idea.
Why wouldn't just plain clear plexi with a layer of like 20% tint work? It would be nice to do the meter as well, think it would make it hard to see with the UV?
I'm P to the C Porkchop...Welcome to The Copper Forum's "Pimp My Radio".
Another buddy of mine suggested putting LED's in the bottom of a radio for him one time. I was just thinking about doing that, kinda make it look like a spaceship floatin' on the dash.
Wonder what else can be done? Hmmmm.... |
Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 790
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 07, 2006 - 10:32 pm: |
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Ok, I'm slack, but atleast I came back to this instead of starting another one.
Ok, here is the deal. This is the easiest way I've found so far to put a BLUE (or any other color) LED in a Galaxy radio with the large meter. This is with a suggestion from Chad, so thanks go out to Chad for putting the thought into my head.
Ok depending on what size LED you are using get a drill bit that will let the LED fit snug once the whole is drilled. I used 3/16 if I remember correctly. Remove the radios knobs and bezel and all that jazz. Now you can remove the meter, or you can leave it in the radio. Right above the 9 which is about dead center of the meter, drill a hole with the drill bit of your choice.
Now I've got to tell you this, be very careful. Or you'll ruin a meter during the process. And once the hole is drilled and you go to insert the LED, be carefull again. Cause you can crack your meter, and it shucks real bad to crack a brand new meter...trust me. You should already know how to connect the LED to power and where you are going to power it from and ground it. So I don't need to go there. You will need to run the wires where they don't cause problems for the bezel.
Now when you click the radio on, you've got a cool looking backlight, and the needle almost glows. Plus it now matches the freq counter and the channel display.
Oh yeah...I almost forgot (I'm very sleepy right now, bare with me) you will need to file the LED down. It's easy and quick, and you'll be able to fit in right in. Just make sure you don't 1.) let the LED leads touch each other if you plug it in during the filing process (duh...why didn't I tell myself that) 2.) Don't go down to the contacts, if you do guess what you'll be doing? 3.) don't worry about it being cloudy on the end where you filed, it'll be fine.
So anyway, I was bored so I thought I'd try it. It look really neat, thanks Chad. Now I've gotta find what I'm going to use for the lens' and then I can order the faceplate and bezel. Does Copper carry them? |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 163
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 6:08 pm: |
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quote:I used 13/16
Was that hole for a LED or appliance bulb, Chop? A .45 round wouldn't even leave a hole that big. 'Corse Pat would suggest a 12 ga. rifled slug for this project....
moderator note
Allan,I just jumped in and edited 'Chops post to read 3/16.that would be the correct size for t-1.3/4 led's....Tech 291 |
Allan
Intermediate Member
Username: Allan
Post Number: 164
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 08, 2006 - 8:40 pm: |
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Well, poo. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 2943
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 10:18 am: |
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DOUBLE-ZERO buckshot works good too-& the hole is close to the right size to boot!!!  |
Chad
Advanced Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 913
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 11:58 am: |
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Glad it worked. You can also experiment withe the file work along the edges to get different beam spreads, etc. I'm getting ready to LED out a vintage power amp (audio) I don't want to, but I can't seem to keep meter lamps in it no matter how dim I run the bulbs
Chad |
Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 791
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 8:19 pm: |
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Thanks Tech 291, I was rather sleepy when I was outside doing it, and I wasn't 100% sure about the numbers. So thanks for setting it straight.
Pat...mmmm.mmmmm.mmmmmmm. I don't know what I'm going to do with you. I have come to expect it though, but shame on you.
Chad, cool deal with the file. I never knew or even thought you could do such. Thanks for the tip.
Alan, yeah it was a LED as I'm sure you now know. I guess that would have been a rather small hole to try to use huh?
I believe this project is winding down. I haven't found or figured out the decal for the cover issues. So I'm thinking of going with the diamond plate covers. Might strip the stockers down and then spray them with some of that color shifting paint. Thought about chrome...but I don't know if I really want that or not.
Still hunting the material to make blue lens out of, and checking into the "black-out" idea as well. Still lost on the speech processor, anybody got a link to Magnum ones? I think I'll put LED's or something in a row from the front of the top cover to the rear of it. Fix them where they'll light up one behind another when you key up until they are all lit from front to back. Kinda like run-way lights...haha.
Just gotta find something else to do to keep me out of this house... |
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