Because I speak more than one language, I can understand this mans stumbling with words. I had to interact with many cultures and languages at college. My background was science and engineering with a special interest and study in physics. The best and brightest in these fields were from other countries. To this day, because English is my native language I still stumble with words I do not use every day in other languages. So I can identify with what this guy is doing in trying to do in producing these superb videos. While I believe that no ideology should be suppressed and that everyone should be allowed to share all constructive contributions. I deplore mockery and criticism. I feel that most of the subscribers here are pleased with there experience with this mans videos and will continue viewing them and I welcome the chance to interact with them. People of low I.Q. are also welcome, but others should find videos on you tube that are not so technical and refrain from negative comments ....,. Because none are due here. This is another excellent presentation for those of us that pursue can electronics lifestyle and technical excellence. I really like these videos and in defense of TRXBench really hope he keeps contributing as it has terrific educational benefit. Maximum Thumbs Up to this videoblogger!!!!!
I have the highest appreciation for both the quality of these videos as well as the fact that he does infinitely better at English than I could ever do with German! I am upset with myself in that I have never learned another language. The worse one that I ever did try was Hebrew!!! I was so happy that I could count to ten...then was told yeah, if you are talking to a woman! Different words to say the same thing depending on the sex of the person you are talking to??? Dang! I have found only 2 RU-vid Channels on Electronics that I respect and enjoy watching...TRX Bench and Mr. Carlson's Lab!
Your English is fine and your videos are great. You explain very slowly and practically and everyone understands very well. They are really very Educational. Thanks. I'm Christ (GREECE).
I have 2 of these radios and i must say i never use the light bulb test to power them up. One of the radios was a daily user the other had been sitting in a garage for 30 years. Both radios work fine. I did a full restoration on the radio that had been sitting for 30 years and i must say it works like new. I replaced all the electrolytic capacitors (48 in total), then i changed out the very small power wires from 1mm to 8mm and adjusted the internal power supply to 14.2 volts DC then done a full alignment on the radio. It turned out to be a very good transceiver. I replaced the old meter bulbs with Cool White L.E.D.'s and cleaned and re lubed the meters as they were stuck on zero and would not move at all. Cobra 142 GTL radios were made in Japan and are some of the best old rigs still around.
Congratulation, you are the first person to ever say that bulb resistance when cold is practically zero, I have known this for years...I was car engineer at one time...but no one has ever said this about the bulbs before best wishes Fred in uk.
TRXBench Hi Peter yes I done that once a few years ago, obviously around zero ohms, just a piece of thin wire... you can only work out the real resistance really from Ohms law, well as you say...I think that is why most electricity bulbs in your house blow when you turn them on, due to the massive current flow initially..Fred.
Very simple and interesting home brew test instrument. It reminds me of the old school electronics classes teaching series and parallel curcuits. I thing I will copy your idea and build one this weekend.
I am from New Zealand and I have been a CB'er since 1980. In the early days, we had to register ourselves and our CB radios to which we were given a license and a local CB callsign to use our radios legally here in New Zealand. CB radio licenses were finally done away with around 83 - 84 I started out with a "Pye SS140" 11 Channel AM radio, which gave me unfaultering service for several years. In 1984 - 85 I finally bought a Midlands 40 Channel AM radio and retired my Pye SS140 to a box in which I still have. I have not fired my old CB to life to this day, I guess I'm too afraid to try incase I blow it up lol. During the early 80s, Sideband was not that big here, as most of our country still had mainly AM radios, but by the late 80s, things started to change, more and more people were buying the new (at that time) SSB (single side band) and DSB (double side band) radios pouring in to the country from Australia and the USA. I finally did buy a sideband CB radio, a Uniden Grant, which I still have though the LSB/USB does not transmit properly, it is too far off frequency. As your country does not use AM radio, perhaps you could persuade your customer to put that Cobra on ebay or somewhere and put it up for sale. Seeing that Cobra sitting on your bench brings back memories, just thought I'd share...
+Roger Te Puni Hi Roger, thank you very much for sharing your memories with us! Very nice story, sounds a bit like my own :^) All the best and take care!
Thanks for the videos, very nice of you to share your knowledge with us. I combined my variac and bulb load (switched) along with a voltage and current meter all in one nice housing. Then plug that in a large surplus isolation transformer i came across.
Peter, Great video. You sent me to this video about a month ago when I inquired about bringing a Yaesu FT901DM back into service. I don't have a fancy setup as yours with the switches, but I just rewired a 6 outlet power strip (3 on each side) so that one set of outlets need a bulb plugged in to complete to hot side circuit to the other 3 outlets. I will just plug in or out the bulbs as needed. I will eventually make a unit with the switches included. WB3BJU
I built one of those electric bulb current limiters several years ago; they are really useful. I used a 100 watt and 60 bulbs. I think you will find it more useful if the switches are wired in parallel with the lamps, rather than in series; and the lamps in series with each other. Sincerely /blair
Do you still get incandescent light bulbs in Germany? Here in Australia you can only get them for special appliances like refrigerators or sewing machines. You should stress that CFLs and LED bulbs can not be used as a substitute.
Best description I have seen on dim bulb tester.I made one from old table lamp that has a switch so I can use as bench light. It just shorts out the bulb. How would you make a tester for 12 volt dc radios Like mobile cb or 2meter ham to protect them and your power supply if a short or low resistance happened while checking out?. Jimmy in USA
James Lane Hi Jimmy, thanks for your feed-back. Well for 12V DC radios it is even easier. My DC power supply is short protected itself and I can adjust the maximum current in advance. So its works same way as the light bulbs.
Your English is fine and your videos are great. Please keep making them they are really enjoyable and very educational. If I could speak German as well as you speak English I would be very happy.
Now in the USA since 2014 they essentially banned 100, 60 and 40 watt tungsten light bulbs and they are hard to find. You might be able to find some halogen bulbs, but they have to have 27% less wattage.
I just acquired an old 142. It's rougher than a night in jail.. the meter bulbs were working yesterday now they are out. Anybody know where to get replacement bulbls cheap?
Very nice video. I will certainly build one of these lamp-protectors.......if i can find old bulbs he he. I think i have 60w and 40w at home, but i may struggle a bit to find 100w.
mike charette Hi Mike, well yeah but it is always a question what one would like to invest. In Germany people do not usually restore an old radio. They prefer to buy it new. To covert it to FM makes it even more cost intensive.
Hi, well never searched for a FM board. Thanks for the info. The CB market here is very special..there is limited interest in a cobra.. Thanks for watching 73
And here is my finished product. I miss a 100w bulb, but that i can connect later. Thank you for the idea. ( in the background you see my 1000VA separation transformer i build, which i connect my amateur radios to, and i have a smaller homebrewed separation transformer for elctronic works too). 73 de Asle facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1321864487917632&set=a.391802174257206.1073741825.100002822802211&type=3&theater
