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6 Position Mode Selection for APM with LED Feedback

Posted by LTMNO on February 13, 2013 at 11:00am

3689503281?profile=originalHi All, This forum has been so helpful so I thought I would give back and contribute...
I was trying to understand how a previous poster on this forum actually did the 6 Position 2 Pole Rotary Switch Mod with LED Feedback. No where is there a write up on the HOW-TO for the LEDs but there is lots of information on the 6 Mode Selection. 

Firstly, these posts below are great and have been very helpful.  I take no credit on the Mode Selection.  I just figured out the LED part is all.  ;)


There is a DIY Post by Max Levine dated March 30,2011 and another on April 1, 2012. This post shows a picture of the LED's but no writeup to be found.
There is a DIY Post by ARHEXA doing the same thing but no information on LED's. (June 2, 2011)
There is a DIY Post by Paul Mather on DIY DRONES showing how to do this minus the LED's. (June 11, 2011)

Well, all that being said, I knew this is a MOD that I had to have and was not giving up on getting it done.

So let me show the Pictures.... and then I will explain some more.

 

 

3689503231?profile=original

 

You might be saying to yourself, why is there only 5 LED's? Good question. If you look closely there is only room on the panel in my desired location for 5 LED's.

So I had two choices : 
First, I could have a 6th Mode with no LED feedback/Indicator/Label
or
Second, just make a 5 Pos Switch and 5 Mode Selection with Labels

I decided to do the latter. I have limited space in my T9x as I have done many mods to it thus far. That being said, that was really the only location that made sense to me to put the LED's and I really don't think I will be using any more than 5 Modes at any given time. And yes, I made a custom Face Plate for the Switch (will explain later).


EDIT: And that when you calibrate your radio sticks/switches/pots, it will mess up your mode selects.  The following configuration will always work and never mess up by a calibration of the radio sticks.

Attached is the How-To-Guide

Here is the Wiring Diagram as well.

3689503244?profile=original

All the best!

LTMNO

Tags: 6, apm, mode, position, rotary, selection, switch
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Comments

  • Dmitry Che February 13, 2013 at 8:11pm

    I don't know exactly. But you can use 10 segments indicator as well. Just use

    3 segments for first mode,

    3 for the second,

    4 segments for the last 4 modes.

    So you can combine segments as you want!! Also 5 segments led will also work if for the first mode you will NOT light any segment. 

  • LTMNO February 13, 2013 at 7:29pm

    @Marcelo, Ha, the trick to soldering is using a lot of flux.  ;-)

    @Dmitry, now that is really cool the bar.  Do they make a 6 LED Bar?

    Also, I did get an Numeric LED to work but I thought what is the sense of having a number show up.  I want the light to beside the Label.  If you wanted, with my Mod you can just connect diodes on Pin 7 to 11 individually and the LED will increment with each switch.  That will give you 1 to 5 LEDs on at any given time.  But then again, I thought why as I want the label to be noticed.  Also, I have the Voice9X in my radio, so depending on which position I am on, the Radio will sound out the Mode.  Just going to configure that as soon as I can figure out how to setup the Switch.  I know it is doable.

  • Drone Nerd February 13, 2013 at 6:57pm

    Ok, thanks for support offer!

    I really will need..hahaha. I'm not master in soldering or to interpret electronic schema, for sure! But will try!

    If is possible combine your LEDs with this variable resistor, will be awesome!

    Thanks and keep in contact!

  • Dmitry Che February 13, 2013 at 6:48pm

    This is KB-2550SGD (digikey). You kind find more by searching "led segment bars" or here.

  • LTMNO February 13, 2013 at 6:26pm

    @Dmitry Che, what is that LED?  It looks interesting?

    @Marcelo, no that is not me... I see the prices has went down a bit from $40 to $11ish now.. 

    Those blue boxes look cool. I guess they are variable Resistors?  That is interesting.

    But sadly I am not selling or have an EBAY store.  I did this for me, but I am help you along the way if you should decide to do it.

    I spend too much as is in front of my computer and open radio.  ;-)  Selling these is just not worth it to me. I hope you understand.  Again, I am happy to help you along the way, it is really easy.  I did the best I can to document it.  I am going to research the Blue boxes and perhaps they can be put on the middle 4 Resistors?

  • Drone Nerd February 13, 2013 at 6:15pm

    Wow, great, well done.

    Are you a seller from ebay that sale universal 6 positions switches (this one)?

    Did you planning to sale it?

    Thanks for sharing!

  • Dmitry Che February 13, 2013 at 6:05pm

    Thank you for the scheme, I'm going to do the same but with other led, like this KB-2550SGD

This reply was deleted.