That will work! I have also seen PS7s modified with an ugly toggle switch on the front panel there but that's a road I did not really want to go down. An idea I have considered is adding a small vampire circuit with a relay inside the PS7 and just run a DC control voltage to the rig, but then that does not solve the power switch wear issue. So I just use a power strip. It works well enough for me.
However, if you don't like unsightly power strips hanging around here is another idea sort of related. Recently I was pondering a way to easily kill my RFI generating satellite receiver when I want to hear stuff on HF. Around the holidays I found these in the Christmas lighting supplies section of my local Home Depot. Cheap.
Supposedly capable of switching 15A and it sounds like they can handle moderately inductive loads. Problem solved. Although I did have to think about what to use the other two in the three-pack for. There was nothing in the shack that I "need" to turn on and off wirelessly but I found something to use the second one for. They have been working well for several months. We'll see if they survive our thunderstorm season. Ironically, I did put the third one in the shack last week so I could remotely reboot my LAN connected SDR receiver when it drops off the network. I suppose you could use one to turn the PS7 and a FA7 on the rig on at the same time, saving having to rig up a DC fan. It would take just a short extension cord from the FA7 to the 2nd receptacle on the box.
73
-Jim
NU0C
On Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:21:31 -0700
"Glenn Hetchler WB0DKT via groups.io" <ghetch@...> wrote:
I never liked the fact that there was the AC for the PS7 routed through the TR7. I have used a good power strip for years and tried to not switch the volume control to OFF since I read about them being unobtainable, and failing both electrically and mechanically.
Working on a project TR7 and PS7 with a younger ham, I decided that I should finally figure out how to keep the AC out of his and my TR7s. As we were checking out the PS7 I looked at the circuit board that has the voltage switching and all that (mounted by the switches being pop-riveted in place, seriously???) and decided there had to be a better way that to mess with that wiring.
And then an idea came to me that should have 40+ yrs ago when I got the rig. Surplus Sales has the Jones connectors (for a cable, but we did not connect any cable) that are the same configuration as on the back of the rig. Part Number: (CNE) P310CCT
With it we just jumpered pins 1-2 and 3-4 inside the connector (check your PS7 and TR7 manuals to see) and then plugged it on to the cable from the PS7 and it works just like the PS7 was plugged into a turned-on radio. If you need ALC or VOX, you'll need to get another connector to plug-in to the back of the TR7, but we have not needed either yet.
Then we leave the PS7 cable that has the AC and wires for the ALC and VOX coiled up behind the PS7 and turn things on with the power strip. Now only the 12V cable is plugged into the TR7. Of course the fan will need to be changed to 12 VDC on the radio. That will be our next upgrade.
Before recommending the Jones connector from Surplus Sales to the group, I called them to make sure there were more available. They checked stock and said that they should have at least several hundred.
Thought I'd share this idea with the group. I am sure others may have done something similar, but it is nice to know where we can still get Jones connectors at a reasonable price.
73,
-Glenn/ WB0DKT
--
73
-Jim
NU0C
Jim Shorney