BC780XLT: BC780XLT issues after home lightning strike

[mancow]

I added a transistor so the light comes on with squelch.

 

[Ubbe]

I had to take the lid of my scanner and take a peek. What I thought was the 9 volt regulator since 15 years back are actually the driver for the display backlight. Thank God that it was possible to still solve the problem in spite of the false information.

But that also makes it easy to add the switch to turn off the display light. Cut the blue wire going from the regulator to the main board and insert the switch.

/Ubbe

 

[kruser]

I had to take the lid of my scanner and take a peek. What I thought was the 9 volt regulator since 15 years back are actually the driver for the display backlight. Thank God that it was possible to still solve the problem in spite of the false information.

But that also makes it easy to add the switch to turn off the display light. Cut the blue wire going from the regulator to the main board and insert the switch.

/Ubbe

Yep, the regulator for the logic and RF section is soldered to the board and is smaller than a TO-220 package. I forget what that package size is called.
I also could not remember what was what in the 780 until I opened mine up and saw that I'd tapped the real regulator for a power source for a fixed level audio output board I'd installed many many moons ago. It's been years otherwise since I needed to get inside my 780. I recall I had the display issue with poor contrast that I'd fixed apparently as that problem never came back. Other than the contrast issue, my 780 has worked fantastic since the day I bought it. I use it near every day and mostly for the military air band (and railroad). They were good radios.

 

[bongo1]

Bought mine new when first released..always liked the sensitivity and the quiet squelch tail...and to survive an electrical storm..wow. Kruser did you do the contrast mod via the 822 res at the display ?
Ubbe..thanks for the display switch location.