Batboard

I am wondering if anyone knows where to get the labels for HLN1196/HLN1206 Auxiliary Switch Panels? I know this has been asked before but from what I could find that was years ago...

73,
W9CNW

Not sure if they are NLA or not, but somewhere I have a word file that has the spacing setup where you can custom make the label strip and print them out on a lazer printer. Not the greatest way, but does the job well.

A template to print out my own would work too. The labels that came with mine don't all apply to my setup.

73,
W9CNW

I just completed a template in Microsoft Word that works BEAUTIFULLY! The VERY good news is; you can modify it with any description that will fit into the light channels. The other good news is, since it's a one piece strip, there's no light leakage or fumbling with inserting individual labels. I printed out a legend and used "Advanced Print" parameters to darken the black background shading to prevent "graying" when the backlighting is on. I laminated it for better light conductivity and managability, cut it to the correct width with a razor and inserted it into the recess. I also just modded the Wildcard box with bright white backlighting - including the legend. I removed several SMD resistors and tapped into the higher voltage "Active" supply and inserted flashing red LED's that mount inside the original light channels. Now; when I activate one of the buttons; it flashes a bright red LED light, so I know for certain that it's on. This was motivated by my having driven around town for three days with my rear deck light activated after stopping to help a stranded motorist. You can barely notice the difference when they are activated in the stock condition, unless you're looking directly at the box.

My other "mod" was to make an external controller that handles more than 1 amp. I made a 90 degree DB-25 cable (so it would rest against my carpet, mounted on my stock console and ran the cable under the carpet to the controller under the right rear seat. I now have 6, 15 amp circuits with both NO / NC contacts with fused outputs that correspond to the equipment assigned to each switch. I use the two "momentary" switches to toggle between Hi / Low strobe intensity and the second to change the rear flash pattern on my rear LED deck ligh bar so I can switch to directional flash, if I need to. BTW; you can also remove the momentary switches and replace them with latched on-off switches, if need be by sacrificing another Wildcard Box - they're cheap as mud if you can still find them on eBay.

4n6inv wrote:I just completed a template in Microsoft Word that works BEAUTIFULLY!

Is it available?

Jeff

Absolutely. If you'll PM me with an email addy; I'll send it to you. I'll also be glad to send you one that is already laminated and cut, if you'd like. Just need a snail mail address. Include what legends you want, and in what order.

I found that with these templates that it fits the printer that you created it with. If you move to a different printer the size will more than likely change. Minor alterations but it is very simple to make. Excel works good for it too. That is what I use.

Jason

I've tried it on several different printers - my Cannon inkjet on my desk, the laser printer at work, and both HP Photosmart printers I have at home end never experienced any difference - except that my Photosmart printers at home did a MUCH better job of blackng out the dark areas, as they are high $$$ photo printers with more image adjustment properties. The one that sucked the most was an HP Professional laser printer. The toner didn't keep the light from bleeding through as well as any of the injects. You just can't adjust how much toner it throws down on the paper to a greater extent. The ink seems to wick into the paper, coloring the paper fibers better and when laminated, seals out any "drying" effect and gives it a more uniform light dissipation. Also prevents and color bleeding by keeping the moisture out. I've done three mods on mine ~ three months back, and no change. The white backlighting is a God-send! Coupled with the nice labels, it makes it completely readable at any angle.

The stock box sucks in so many ways I don't know where to start. No light pipe. Poorly voltage supplied backlighting (with the 1.8 - 2mm round top LED's facing up, as opposed to facing the buttons), and non light conducting pushbuttons. Installing bright white 3 mm flathead LED's on the main circuit board and orienting the flat face (90 degrees) of the LED's towards the bittons helped backlight the buttons considerabley. Next; I desoldered each of the LED's in the light channels and replaced them with 3mm flashing red LED's. I removed the SMD resistors on each switch that provided a weak 2.6vdc - which was supposed to support backlighting for the legends. When you activated the switch, it switched from the 2.6vdc to 2.93 vdc which only slightly increased the LED output. So, what to do about backlighting the legends? I found the smallest drill bit and drilled two holes in the side of each light channel. I inserted a 3mm bright white round top LED just beneath the normally mounted LED's that I replaced with the flashing ones. The 3mm round tops at a horizontal angle provided a perfect amount of white backlighting for the legend labels. I paralelled them with the backlight LED's on the main circuit board which droped the brightness just enough to be perfect. The luminiocity for the buttons and the legends matched perfectly. Not X-Ray bright - but just perfect. When you activate the switches to the on position, the brightness of the flashing red LED's overpowers the small white ones that are in the same channel. It's almost like turning off the backlighting to the legends when they are activated. The legends are still perfectly readable - with a flashing red backlight when on. All are perfectly readable in day and night conditions without being overpowering. It was a lot of intricate work, but the payoff was having a Wildcard box that I would have hoped from the factory.

I did essentially the same with my siren / DEK box. Live and learn... The 3mm Flat tops LED's wer simply too bright. I replaced them with 2mm round top LED's that give the buttons - which are in a light pipe precisely the same luminocity as the Wildcard box. And, the smaller LED's fit perfectly inside the light pipe. Win-win. Both are mounted on top of each other on the bottom side of my console with the cables resting essentially on the carpet which I ran the cables under for a nice installation.

Now; on to the really tricky part... Not being able to glance at my W-3 HHCH and being able to see which agency was talking in scan mode - day or night, was maddening. If I had more room, I'd have just installed a regular display. Carefully dissected the W-3 and installed 0805 bright white SMD LED's as a keypad and LCD backlight. It made all of the difference in the world - day and night. Tricky work, though. I smoked an LCD light pipe with my hot air pencil until I could get the angle right to remove the LCD LED backlights mounted on the side of the display. With a pair of mosquito tweezers and a lot of beads of sweat; I got them all positioned and working great.

Before we start any flame wars over what's your favorite color for backlighting, IT'S YOUR CHOICE. Pink, purple, yellow, amber, blue, red, gold, orange, bright white, soft white - if it's available, it can be done. Don't give me any BS about undercover work... I've done enough of it to know that you DON'T use a mobile to monitor radio traffic - unless you want to blow your beard. You use a portable with an earpiece! If you really are that dense; there is a programable button on the W-3 to enable / disable backlighting completely. OR; you can program the backlighting to be activated ONLY when you press a function key, automatically. It simultaniously controls the DEK backlighting, as well. As for the Wildcard box; I know it's 12v sense, so if you're really intent on using a mobile "darked out" the simple thing would be to install a switch to disable the backlighting on the Wildcard box. Easy enough, and enough said. I have some really good photos of the "before" and "after" in daylight conditions, as well as at night. I'm working with a friend to take some better shots of the above in complete darkness without any blurring. I als have a short video clip of the Wildcard box activated with the red LED's flashing out of sequence for more eye catching appeal.

And, bear in mind; this is simply what I like! Your milage many vary - like opinions - and you can mod yours any way you like. It's all good. Just different preferences.

Well done, thank you.

Jeff