I show how I repaired the backlight on my Icom Ic-746pro amateur radio. Special thanks to KA1MDA for his excellent guide which I used as the basis for this video. www.ka1mda.org/ham/homebrew/74...
Hi, I know this video is 9 years old, but I have just carried out this repair on my 25 year old IC 746 successfully and thanks to your excellent video the disassembly was a breeze. I did put in a higher rated transistor and fixed it to the inside of the shielding can as a heatsink, separated by a mica film and heatsink paste, with short flying leads connectred to the circuit board pads. I measured the capacitors and they were fine, so I didn't bother to chage them although I do have them should the need arise in the future. So just a thank you for taking the trouble to video your experience. 73s
I was recently given an IC7400 (same rig different badge), I was told that the backlight did not work, weirdly while I was playing with the radio on a small power supply I was curious to see if TX coverage was expanded. Of course the subsequent brown out due to 5a current limit caused the radio to reboot and backlight came back on. Was OK for days after that but has now gone out again. Tempted to drill some vents in the screening can when I repair it and maybe a stick on heatsink on the transistor. Even on receive the radio runs pretty warm, I bet the temperature in that screening can is very high hence the capacitors failing. Thanks for the video.
i have the icom 7410 and really wish they had an on and off for the display. i am a cheap like that, lol. my scanners, if i am not scanning, i turn the displays off. fig the bulb will last longer. same thing for these ICOMS.
You could have made a metal strip to the metal box next to the transistor and use the case like a heat sink. With some spring tension and contact compound it would have worked fine and is easy to make :-)
Once I get info from N1EQ who performs this I can decide if its harder or easier. He also repairs this problems. Someone in Canada is selling a kit. I emailed them for the installation instructions. Ken
Sorry to be so off topic but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account? I somehow lost my password. I would love any help you can give me!
hmmm---I've never seen one of these look yellow at all. Dim white, but never yellow-ish. I wonder if someone modified your radio with a different backlight type
Not so much these days as there isn't very much activity in my area anymore. I have a couple of vintage sets I bring out a few times a year for nostalgia's sake.
The bulb is fine ... as you can see in the video, replacing the transistor and caps solved the problem. Also this is a well known and documented problem with these radios. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
SevenFortyOne my "bulb" question was just being facetious. just being funny. but, all joking aside, it is a bulb and bulbs do burn out. make an aftermarket switch to turn that thing off!
