DR1200T.6
     
        From Jim, KD6QVO and Lou, KE6EOI
     
     My bad experience with my Alinco DR1200T data radio prompted me to 
     seek a better solution than just replacing lamps every year or sooner.  
     I posted an ALLUS bulletin on Alinco DR1200T lamp burnouts.  
     
     With the technical expertise of Lou, my DR1200T now has all lamps 
     replaced and an OFF/ON switch installed to control all lamps but the 
     Power LED.  Here are the instructions as written by Lou for lamp 
     replacement info and how-to stuff.
 
     Alinco shows 2 P/N's in the DR1200T svc. manual. BQ031-40608A used for 
     the 3 switches (these have a removable blue filter), and BQ031-40604A 
     the 2 to backlight the display. Only BQ031-40608A is available from
     Alinco at $1.50 ea. plus shipping ($3.00), so you must remove the 
     filter for the display application. You need a total of 5 lamps for 
     the job, replace all 5 since the good ones will die soon. The lamps 
     from Alinco are T1 (1/8 dia x 1/4 long with 1 3/8 leads) and are 
     identical to Chicago miniature CM 8111 or JKL P/N 8111 with the 
     following ratings: 14V; 0.065A; 0.150 MSCP (intensity unit), and a 
     10,000 Hr life (actual is more like 5,000 Hr). 
     
     Slightly above average soldering skills, a small soldering iron, small 
     dia. solder (0.015 dia.) and a solder sucker or solder wick is required 
     to replace these lamps. The pads are small and the traces are fine and 
     close. To access the lamps, remove the top and bottom panels, and the 
     front bezel, which is retained by 2 nuts at the mic. connector and 
     channel sw.  Now remove the 3 screws holding the display PWA to the 
     chassis.  DO NOT remove the display from the PWA. The 2 display lamps 
     are at either end of the display. Use the tubing on the old lamp leads
     to keep the new leads seperated if they short good by small traces! The 
     solder sucker is needed to clean out the small holes for the switch 
     lights. Don't forget replace all 5 lamps!
     
     To add a switch in this lamp power line requires advanced soldering 
     skills, a push on push off switch - mfr. C & K p/n 8161 SHZ (standard 
     configuration with a 1/4-28 mounting bushing), and a small xacto knife, 
     and about 1 ft of 26 or smaller AWG stranded wire, ribbon cable works 
     great. Total rework time is approx. 1 1/2 hr.
 
     1. Center a 1/4 inch switch mtg. hole on the side of the chassis adjacent 
        to the channel selector switch approx 3/8 inch above center.
     2. Remove the display from the PWA. Before it is reassembled the rubber 
        connector must be removed and flattened by pressing on it with your 
        thumb to increase its length slightly to insure good contact to the 
        PWA.

CONTINUED IN DR1200T.7