On Air LED Sign

David Ahrendts

In the category of total ham vanity, I've acquired a nifty LED "On Air" sign with my call to remind me (the dogs, cats and wife) how important I am when I transmit! What's best practice to hook up to my fabulous Flex 6500? TX1, 2 or 3? Do I need another relay. Its 12VDC. Probably really annoying for CW, huh? Blink-blink-blink-blink.   

K9DUR

David,

Use TX1, TX2, or TX3.  I would use TX2 since I am using TX1 to key my amp.

No, you would not need another relay. 

If you are not using full QSK & set the CW Delay to a value long enough that the rig does not drop out of transmit between characters, you would not have it flashing when you send CW.

73, Ray, K9DUR

Mark_WS7M

I think you should keep it connected during CW to check if either you, your wife, dogs, or cats are prone to Epilepsy.

:-)

But on the serious side Ray has good advice!   Now I have to go and get me one of those!

Cal N3CAL

My daughter gave me one of these signs for fathers day!  It hangs outside my shack and is wired to a WIMO switch which I can control via a phone app.  When I'm operating either at home or remote I just turn on the sign via the app and my daughter and wife know I'm on the air from wherever I may be..

Cal / N3CAL

David Ahrendts

Here's mine:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfVujuOII-E

Cal N3CAL

That's pretty cool David!

Cal/N3CAL

David Ahrendts

Ray, I am dumb as a board. Help. So I connected my nifty self-important LED "On Air" sign to TX2 -- zip line to my 12VDC power source, sign-to-power interrupted with an RCA plug to TX2. I am assuming TX2, on transmit, closes the loop and supplies 12VDC to the LED sign. When not transmitting, the power should be off. Appears TX2 is closed and the sign is on continually. 
What did I do wrong?

K9DUR

David, The TX1-3 jacks do not supply power - they short to ground. Connect your 12VDC power supply to the plus terminal of your sign. Connect the - terminal of the sign to the center pin of the TX jack you are using. Now it should work.

David Ahrendts

Works like a charm. Thanks, Ray. 

Steve W6SDM

Okay, I am going to delve into the vanity of an ON THE AIR sign.

Two questions: I have a Flex 6300. Since I only have one TX port, would it be okay to use that to key the sign and also key the amp?

Also, I am primarily a CW op. I would rather not have the sign key on and off as I send code. Can someone guide me toward a simple circuit that would I delay the on/off of the LEDs for about 500 milliseconds?

73,

Steve, W6SDM

Mike-VA3MW

You could use an 8 Port USB Relay that plugs into the back of the radio and every time you go into TX, the relay closes.

Steve W6SDM

Mike, now you have me thinking. I have an 8-port relay board that I got years ago for another project and never used. I would use one relay to key my amp, another for the on-the-air sign, and then I need to come up with some creative uses for the other six ports. I am sure the people on here have some ideas. 🤣

Steve, W6SDM

Ken Wells

Have it turn a spotlight on your tower every time you transmit! Wouldn't the neighbors love that?

Mike-VA3MW

For others, this is the document on how you can play with this.

https://www.flexradio.com/documentation/usb-cable-interface-guide-pdf/