Radio LED brightness

[FlyBy]

How do I increase the brightness of the LED on the radio display of an old cessna 150? The frequency numbers are very hard to read during day time.

The cessna 150 has a very old radio (the one that has a frequency "use" and "stby" with a button to switch). Sorry I don't have the make/model of the radio.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bnt83]

It might be a bad photocell for automatic dimming models or the dimming control may be wired to a rheostat and likely other equipment is too in that case.

A picture of the panel might help since you don't know what the radios are

 

[FlyBy]

Here is how the radio panel looks, I don't see any make model printed on it.

 

[GeorgeC]

That's a kx155, and those are not LEDs. IMO it would be throwing good money after bad to try to fix it; get a radio with an integrated intercom.

Has anyone used www.kx155display.com?

https://www.kx155display.com/ As I was looking for a budget friendly solution to my dying KX155 display, I came across this website offering a new OLED display for 530 bucks. it looks pretty good, and for that price, I would be willing to give it a shot, but the website has some interesting...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

 

[robin ardoin]

If this is your airplane consider conversion to an LED display. This relatively inexpensive if the radio is performing well otherwise.

https://www.kx155display.com/product/kx-155-display-oled-replacement/

 

[FlyBy]

If this is your airplane consider conversion to an LED display. This relatively inexpensive if the radio is performing well otherwise.

https://www.kx155display.com/product/kx-155-display-oled-replacement/

not my airplane, this is one our school's old C150. I rent this aircraft off and on for short flights and was curious how to adjust the brightness.

I was calling it as a "LED" for lack of a better word.. I guess i should call it a display

 

[GeorgeC]

Start flying at night

 

[Gary Ward]

Doesn’t it have rheostat on the panel that controls the lighting?

 

[FlyBy]

Doesn’t it have reostat on the panel that controls the lighting?

I only see 4 rheostats - 2 small and 2 large
first small rheostat controls on/off and volume, the 2 larger knobs are for frequency change and the 2nd smaller one is the squelch

 

[asicer]

If this is your airplane consider conversion to an LED display.

Having flown with a KX-155 that had the LED conversion, my opinion is that it wasn't as clear or bright as a properly functioning stock VFD (vacuum fluorescent display). Good enough to extend the life of the radio, but not as good as what it replaced.

I only see 4 rheostats - 2 small and 2 large
first small rheostat controls on/off and volume, the 2 larger knobs are for frequency change and the 2nd smaller one is the squelch

Those are on the radio. The question was for one that's on the panel, possibly the same one that controls the instrument lights and/or the eyebrow lights.

 

[FlyBy]

I will try different rheostats on the panel and see if that makes any difference

 

[Clip4]

I will try different rheostats on the panel and see if that makes any difference

The brightness is set internally and has automatic dimming.

 

[donjohnston]

I think those old radios used nixie tubes for the display. They get dim with age. Probably can't even find those for that radio anymore.

The Nixie Tube Story: The Neon Display Tech That Engineers Can’t Quit

How the neon-filled glow lamps came to hold a special place in enthusiasts’ hearts

spectrum.ieee.org

 

[asicer]

I think those old radios used nixie tubes for the display.

Um, no.

Nixie tube characters are not segmented.

Vacuum fluorescent displays are.

 

[Domenick]

Need a KX155 display!

I learned a lesson today.. I have had a digit flicker sometimes on my KX155 nav/com for a year or so now.. usually I just give it a little tap and it comes back on.. well did it today and gave it a good tap and the entire display went off! doh! I can see a faint dark line on one side and I...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Read the entire thread. There are good suggestions in it and description of an adjustment for brightness.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about the KX155/165: 669 pages!

http://www.mikeg.net/hobbies/aviation/avionics/combined/King%20KX-155-165%20Combined.pdf

 

[Gary Ward]

Need a KX155 display!

I learned a lesson today.. I have had a digit flicker sometimes on my KX155 nav/com for a year or so now.. usually I just give it a little tap and it comes back on.. well did it today and gave it a good tap and the entire display went off! doh! I can see a faint dark line on one side and I...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Read the entire thread. There are good suggestions in it and description of an adjustment for brightness.

Cheap try: Put a small piece of black electrical tape over the photosensor. Make it think it is night.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about the KX155/165: 669 pages!

http://www.mikeg.net/hobbies/aviation/avionics/combined/King%20KX-155-165%20Combined.pdf

But won't that make the display even dimmer?

Reminds me of when I fixed my check engine light on with black electrical tape.

 

[Domenick]

But won't that make the display even dimmer?

Doh! <Headslap>
Inverted thinking. Not sure how that happened. I've removed the statement to cover my tracks.

 

[GeorgeC]

gas plasma displays, not vfd or nixie tube

KX-155

While picking up the Encore (with new G-725, camera, cabin display, etc.) the shop owner was trying to help some poor guy in a 182 whose radios were on the fritz. He later told us that the straight 155's (not the -A's) are failing at a more rapid rate due to capacitors leaking and ruining the...

www.pilotsofamerica.com