Hello here is an idea about how you can substitute expensive type-C batts in a ICOM IC-202S and / or resurrect some of your 1980’s radios.
Here is the idea:
Using four liitokala 26700 4000 mAmp liFe batts and 3 type C dummy batts in the center row doing the bridge. They work and they fit in place (very very tight…) but they fit.
I took the idea of other colleague that made this:
But I didnt want to use solded wires… and try the dummy batts. Worked!!
Hope this simple idea is usefull to other colleagues. It can also be used in other radios using 9 type-C batts.
(This mod needs a small drop of solder in the possitive tip of the liitokala batts, to improve conduction because they possitive poles are too flat )
If someone knows where is possible to find any source for an IC-202s mini iEC plug power cable and/or for the ICOM 36-3 and the ICOM 36-4 Xtals (144.400-600 and 144.600-800 Mhz segments) would be very pleased.
My radio has installed the 36-1 (144.000-144.200 Mhz) and the 36-2 (144.200 - 144.400 Mhz) as you can see in the foto. I would like to find the third 14893.28 (144.400 - 144.600) and fourth 14915.50 (144.600-144.800) HC-25/U Xtals. But are very difficult to discover.
I made a 3-cell Li-Ion pack (3 x 18650) for my old FT208R, a small wooden block keeps it pressed against the contacts.
Max voltage is 12.6V when fully charged, which is the same as for a 9 cell Ni-Cad pack when fully charged (9 x 1.4V).
I suppose you want to keep your rig in its’ original state?
Otherwise it would be simple to make a replacement oscillator for the XTALS, with just an Arduino Nano and a Si5351 module. I’ve done it to modify a Drake RR-1 maritime receiver (see RigPix Database - Drake - RR-1) which needed ONE XTAL for every 500 kHz of frequency span.
With my oscillator it now covers all bands 0-30 MHz.
Generating separate TX and RX frequencies is also not so difficult.
Personally I think it looks brilliant! I went down a Yaesu HT rabbit hole there and discovered the amazing looking FT-202.
Look at that meter it has on the top! Straight from an FT-290R! If it was all mode it would be like an HT edition of the 290.
Check out the great advert art too. The BMW, the city gent on his way to the country club in his C&A diamond patterned jumper, a dab of Steve Davis Pot Black or Yardley Gold to boot. Armed with a Showaddywaddy 8 track and a Yaesu FT-202R in one hand and a box of Terry’s All Gold in the other, washed down with a sniffter of Croft Original. Perfect!
The FT-207, 208 and 209 all look fantastic too. I like!
EDIT: I just noticed the city gent appears to have traded in his BMW for a Datsun. I wonder if he got liquidated going long on pork bellies and frozen concentrated orange juice? He looks a bit more anxious as well, as if he’s caught between being told some bad news and trying to listen to the football scores on BBC World Service shortwave. His XYL seems to have moved on as well…
