More DX-60 PTT Wiring

[Dave K6XYZ]

Some time ago I got a DX-60A from a friend.
It worked but the wiring harness had melted plastic insulation so I tore it all out and replaced the burned up wires.
During this I wondered why the insulation melted.
It's possible with a 2 wire line cord as originally designed.

The Dow-Key antenna relay had 120vac on it at all times depending which way the line cord was plugged into the wall socket even with the DX-60 turned off.
I think that at some point...the Dow-Key which is usually laying on the floor under the desk had come in contact with something connected to neutral or ground which then burned up the wiring.
Of course the goofy glass ckt breaker kept on doing nothing.

After doing all the usual cleanup and re-wiring of unsafe connections and removing the ckt breaker and installing a 3 wire line cord....it actually worked the first time.

Then I looked at how guys had for years modified the HV keying and Dow-Key keying and some of it was really goofy...but most of it was pretty good.
But....I wanted to prevent the line voltage on the D-K when on receive and during power off while still getting the HV off the function switch....and turning off the HV when on receive.
Some mods leave the HV on at all times but considering that almost all of the time the unit is turned on....the TX is not transmitting and it has no need for HV.

I re-arranged some original wiring on the function switch and accessory socket, added a 12v relay and a D-Lab K-2 module.
https://d-labelectronics.com/d-lab-push-to-talk-module

Wired this way....nothing happens unless the PTT is activated.
Leaving the HV off on receive allows moving the function switch to any position without putting the unit on the air.
So...to operate the Dixie...
Put on tune...select the meter position and operate the PTT, adj grid.
To spot the VFO...put on tune and operate PTT.
For AM and CW...put on desired mode and operate PTT.
No need to ever put on Standby...but if PTT is operated...nothing happens.

Nothing really new about all this other than I have never seen a mod article that corrects the DK safety concern and the HV turned on at all times.

I decided to make a cartoon of my version of the DX-60 PTT mod.
It has been working very well every night in 2 DX-60A/B for over a year and solves all the PTT and some other problems....at least from my viewpoint.

I have been operating these units with a Henry 3K Classic X MKll and a Henry 3K-A at 375 watts out and enjoying a very basic transmitter, it feels very solid...no drama at all.

One of the next projects is to add the QIX audio mods.
Some time back I heard Steve and could not believe my ears....
I gotta have me one of them thangs!!!

[DMOD]

K6XYV "...

Wired this way....nothing happens unless the PTT is activated.
Leaving the HV off on receive allows moving the function switch to any position without putting the unit on the air.
So...to operate the Dixie...
Put on tune...select the meter position and operate the PTT, adj grid.
To spot the VFO...put on tune and operate PTT.
For AM and CW...put on desired mode and operate PTT.
No need to ever put on Standby...but if PTT is operated...nothing happens.

Nothing really new about all this other than I have never seen a mod article that corrects the DK safety concern and the HV turned on at all times..."

Replacing the shorting 1/4" Key Jack solves quite a few problems, including damaging the Final.

Here is a schematic I posted for another member here of some mods I make to the Sixty:

AC0OB.

[Dave K6XYZ]

K6XYZ "...

Wired this way....nothing happens unless the PTT is activated.
Leaving the HV off on receive allows moving the function switch to any position without putting the unit on the air.
So...to operate the Dixie...
Put on tune...select the meter position and operate the PTT, adj grid.
To spot the VFO...put on tune and operate PTT.
For AM and CW...put on desired mode and operate PTT.
No need to ever put on Standby...but if PTT is operated...nothing happens.

Nothing really new about all this other than I have never seen a mod article that corrects the DK safety concern and the HV turned on at all times..."

Replacing the shorting 1/4" Key Jack solves quite a few problems, including damaging the Final.

Here is a schematic I posted for another member here of some mods I make to the Sixty:

AC0OB.

Thanks Phil...I looked at your schematic previously.
Can you explain what the problem is with the 1/4" key jack re damaging the final???

[Dave K6XYZ]

K6XYZ "...

Wired this way....nothing happens unless the PTT is activated.

--------------------------------
AC0OB

Replacing the shorting 1/4" Key Jack solves quite a few problems, including damaging the Final.

AC0OB.

--------------------------------
K6XYZ

Phil.....You are referring to your mod....not mine.

K6XYZ

[DMOD]

@K6XYZ

If you look at the original schematics, the Keyjack is shorting the Keyline to ground without a Key plug. Shorting this line to ground turns on the oscillator, the driver, and the Final generating RF.

So a person not studying the schematics for these transmitters may turn it on without a plug and set it to say CW. Not having connected his transmission line or dummy load as yet, the transmitter attempts to output power into an infinite load impedance.

Most, if not all, of the tube's input power will be dissipated within the tube, shortening its life or causing it to fail.

My modifications, schematic 2, show a Mono Key Jack for that reason.

BTW, the DX series aren't the only transmitters that came with shorting jacks.

[W3JKO]

I stared at the schematics forever and couldn't wrap me head around the function switch so I made a table of what wires do what.  I did basically what most do, I used a 4PDT with a 6VAC coil, put the HV red wires on one contact, the yellow (to key jack) on another and the 110V to the accessory socket on the third and ran the 6.3V through the function switch contacts that had the yellow wires. I kept the line AC power on the original contacts.  I also pulled the AC line wires out of the harness and ran a new set away from the modulator circuit and routed it under the drive level pot. Then I replaced the shorting key jack with an open style and will just connect the PTT to that or key if I want CW.  I didnt like the idea of switching the rotary switch to transmit, especially when the tune function is between standby and off.  

[DMOD]

@W3JKO

If you look at my schematic again, Page 2, it has the PTT relay 1 grounding the KeyLine, and supplying LV and HVB+ to the speech amp and modulator respectively (and only when needed), with a Mono Keying jack.

One lead of the 260Vac transformer secondary is keyed by the relay 2 from lugs 4 and 5 of FS-2, the Function Switch.

I always recommend recording the color codes of all wires since not all kits or fact. wiring may have had the same colors from one unit to another.

Phil - AC0OB

[Dave K6XYZ]

@K6XYZ

If you look at the original schematics, the Keyjack is shorting the Keyline to ground without a Key plug. Shorting this line to ground turns on the oscillator, the driver, and the Final generating RF.

So a person not studying the schematics for these transmitters may turn it on without a plug and set it to say CW. Not having connected his transmission line or dummy load as yet, the transmitter attempts to output power into an infinite load impedance.

Most, if not all, of the tube's input power will be dissipated within the tube, shortening its life or causing it to fail.

My modifications, schematic 2, show a Mono Key Jack for that reason.

BTW, the DX series aren't the only transmitters that came with shorting jacks.

------------------------------------------
To AC0OB

Phil.....the operator has to take SOME sort of responsibility on the operation of the transmitter if it is wired as designed by Heathkit.
If he read the manual....I would expect him to know what he is doing.
One caveat....these days I dunno though....

As I mentioned above...this thread is about MY mod....not yours.
Considering that you have posted yours several times already...I suggest that you edit YOUR thread as to how YOUR mod operates.
In my opinion....your PTT mod is far too complex and most if it is unnecessary.
I did not look at the audio mods you posted.

MY mod...THIS thread....completely solves your concerns about the ORIGINAL key jack wiring....without changing the jack.
As I previously mentioned a couple of times....on MY mod....nothing happens on any mode unless the PTT is operated.
I would hope that an operator would know what to expect if he operated the PTT on MY mod.....

I do not claim that one mod is better than another....only that what I posted on THIS thread addresses MY concerns about the original design.

As I originally posted....I had never seen anyone post a 'cartoon' wiring diagram of a PTT mod.
For a lot of guys....figuring out how to remove a lot of crap wiring of the original design and then replacing that wiring with a safe mod that will work as THEY desire can be difficult....so....I decided to put up those cartoons along with a description of why I did it that way....and what the function switch does on MY mod.

I don't appreciate you hijacking my thread.

Oh...also I don't appreciate your disparaging comment to me where you said...
"BTW, the DX series aren't the only transmitters that came with shorting jacks."
I've only been doing this since 60' so it ain't like I fell off the turnip truck last week....

-----------------------

K6XYZ

[DMOD]

@K6XYZ

First, this is a public forum so no one is hijacking your thread. The last time I looked no one was forbidden to comment or post in a public forum such as this one.

I share modifications in an attempt to help operators improve their transmitters, and there may be other modifications that are better (or worse). Nothing wrong with the mods you made and I never made a negative comment about them, so don't be so sensitive.

People can either implement modifications posted or reject them since no one is twisting their arms.

My schematics are created in LTSpice and placed in a document file for downloading. With LTSpice, one can also simulate the circuit to validate it.

"Oh...also I don't appreciate your disparaging comment to me where you said..."BTW, the DX series aren't the only transmitters that came with shorting jacks."

Nothing disparaging about this comment. This was a heads-up that the DX-60 series are not the only transmitters with this situation so as to alert others to avoid future problems.

So reconsider your dismissive comments.

[Dave K6XYZ]

@K6XYZ

First, this is a public forum so no one is hijacking your thread.

****Yes you are. You did not make a single comment about MY mod yet you only wrote about YOUR mod despite your numerous posts of YOUR mod.

The last time I looked no one was forbidden to comment or post in a public forum such as this one.
**** Start a new thread if you want to talk about YOUR mod.
You cause confusion when you post a completely different mod to do the same thing on MY thread and then YOU make more comments about how the key jack needs to be replaced but not explaining why or pointing out that the key jack change does not apply to MY mod!!!
People all over the world read this forum and their technical level ranges from zero to very experienced.....many have to try to understand what we are talking about.

I share modifications in an attempt to help operators improve their transmitters, and there may be other modifications that are better (or worse).
*****I did not do that this time because there are many previously posted versions of how to do it......but....as I said in my first post....I had never seen a cartoon of any PTT mod for the DX-60 transmitters posted online so I decided to do it this time.
Many guys don't have time or expertise to figure out the wiring which is why I used the cartoon concept to show another way to get this mod done without getting wrapped around the axle.

 Nothing wrong with the mods you made and I never made a negative comment about them,
****I never said you did!!!

so don't be so sensitive.
****I'm not....but I'm not going to let you get away with hijacking MY thread with YOUR mod....especially considering that you never said a single word about MY mod on MY thread!!

People can either implement modifications posted or reject them since no one is twisting their arms.
*****True....but that is not what I am talking about here.
You don't seem to understand this....

My schematics are created in LTSpice and placed in a document file for downloading. With LTSpice, one can also simulate the circuit to validate it.
*****Does not matter....that is not what we are talking about here!

"Oh...also I don't appreciate your disparaging comment to me where you said..."BTW, the DX series aren't the only transmitters that came with shorting jacks."

Nothing disparaging about this comment.
*****Yes there is! You imply that I did not know about that fact!
As I noticed....you don't seem to read or remember what I previously wrote. The key jack concern of yours applies only to YOUR mod....not MY mod!!!
But you did not point that out...causing confusion.
In fact...you never said a SINGLE WORD about MY mod!!!
And you don't have to...but don't post confusing unrelated info on MY thread....if you want others to see how you did it....make a new thread!!!

This was a heads-up that the DX-60 series are not the only transmitters with this situation so as to alert others to avoid future problems.
*****MY mod does not require replacement of the key jack.....
Your mod DOES require replacement of that jack.
BUT....you don't point that out...causing confusion.

So reconsider your dismissive comments.
*****I will not allow you to garbage up MY thread with your disparaging and confusing comments.
If you want to make comments regarding MY version of this mod....that's great!
If you want to comment about YOUR mod....that's great as well but start a NEW thread about YOUR mod!!
I will not reconsider my dismissive comments....ever.
But at least you recognize that they ARE dismissive.

Please do not make any further comments unless they are directly related to MY mod.

[DMOD]

@K6XYZ

I don't think this is YOUR thread alone since this is a public forum where anyone can post technical information.

W3JKO also had a question which he injected, and I was addressing his concerns as well--all part of public discourse.

When I make a thread or post I don't think I OWN the thread and welcome other's comments because others may have improved circuits as well.

IMHO, You are being argumentative, overly sensitive, and paranoid.

You need to chill, dude!