So much is covered up by that sexy body dressing, but you need to get under it to really get down to business...

Here's how... start with taking off the side covers. A #3 phillips works best, as a #2 will fark up the screw... ask me how I know.

13957

Once the covers are off, you will need to remove the allens around the lower fairing perimeter. There are 2 sizes of allens.. two larger sizes on the back half and 4 smaller ones with plastic washers on the front end of the fairing. Remember which ones use the plastic washers.

13958 13959

On the bottom of the fairings where they come together, they use a plastic type rivet to hold the fairing halves together. There are 3 total... one in the front and 2 underneath. To remove, use a flat blade to pop out the middle section and then remove the rivets from the holes.

13960

On the inside front of each fairing is a black plastic piece being held on by two plastic rivets on each side. These work by pushing the center pin in till it clicks... about 1/4", then remove the rivets.

13961

One last allen to remove. It is located in the middle of the plastic tunnel looking thing in the center of this picture. It's the same size as the smaller allens from the fairing, but it has no plastic washer.

13962

At this point, all of the fasteners should be removed and the fairing is only being held on by tabs along the topside between the black plastic piece for the console and the fairing. You need to kind of slide it out and forward to get the fairing to separate. Easy does it as the plastic is brittle here.

13963

Once you get the fairing to separate, you need to unhook the blinker harness. I support the bottom edge of the fairing with my foot as I depress the connector tab to separate the connector. For some reason, this little connector can be a real SOB to come apart, sometimes. :mad:

13964

The tab to release the connector is next to my thumb in this pic.

13965

Some pics of the right fairing with the allens removed from the bodywork.

13966 13967 13968

Once you have both fairings off, you should be left with a bike ready to be worked on... and this is what she looks like nekkid...

13969 13970

Installation is the reverse.. duh! To keep things organized, I usually group things as I take them off so when it's time to go back on, the parts are in the same place. Hope this helps all of you to feel more comfortable about how to undress your bike. :)

13971

some additional photos on how to remove the bottom fairing fasteners...

13972 13973 13974

You're the bestest kkim! :D

This is reminding me of poker rules btw...

I see your "Putting a bike on the stands" and raise you a "Adjusting valve lash" thread! :salute2:

You're the bestest kkim! :D

This is reminding me of poker rules btw...

I see your "Putting a bike on the stands" and raise you a "Adjusting valve lash" thread! :salute2:
The good thing is that everyone here is the winner by hitting the jackpot.
:jumping20::jumping40::jumping30::jumping40::jumping20:

Thanks for sharing your DIYs, too. :rad:

Kelly, Your DIY`s are better than a Shop Manual. When I get my new computer, I will put them all on a CD. I still plan to buy a shop manual--not an Ebay pirate copy. I think that copying someone else`s work and selling it is wrong.

Glad to be of help, Alex. :)

Sometimes reading about it in the service manual just doesn't give you the full effect on what needs to be done. I try to supplement the manual with picture DIYs so people can visualize the task at hand.

Between Vex and myself, you ain't seen nothin' yet... hope to contribute more DIYs soon. :D

Kelly, You guys could publish a 250R DVD Shop Manual Supplement.

Kelly, You guys could publish a 250R DVD Shop Manual Supplement.

lol... Alex, we are just trying to make working on the bikes a little easier by sharing what we have learned to fellow 250 owners. I always find pictures help a lot to supplement words if you're not right there doing it.

I contribute because I feel a need to give back, in some small way, to the people who have graciously helped me in the past.

I'm a firm believer of "Paying it Forward".

Just a follow on from kkim's post, for removing upper fairings and replacing a globe in the gauge cluster.

** images can be clicked to open higher quality version.

Remove the screws circled. One on each side. These two screws are the reason why you need to follow kkim's method first.. For some reason they decided to make it difficult to remove the front fairing. I guess so they can charge more on labour.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltOne.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltOne.jpg)

at the front
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltTwo.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltTwo.jpg)

at the front towards the bottom, although these two should have already been removed when you followed kkim's method.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltThree.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltThree.jpg)

Under the upper fairing, there are I believe 4 plastic rivets, to remove you just use the end of a screw driver or something small and push the centre of the rivet in. The rivet should now come away when pulled.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltFour.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltFour.jpg)

Remove these two screws while supporting the upper fairing, might be easier to get a second person to hang on to it, although I managed to do it myself with a bit of twisting. The fairing should now be loose to come away.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltFive.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltFive.jpg)

You should be able to pull the upper fairing with windscreen/mirrors/headlight attached together, forward a few cms'. You then reach in behind the fairing and unplug the headlight cables. If you just wingle them back and forward they should come out. One closest to the camera is plugged in, and further unplugged to demonstrate what the plug looks like under the plastic.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltSix.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltSix.jpg)

and thats it for removing the upper fairing.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltSeven.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltSeven.jpg)

-----

Now for replacing the broken globe


this is the globe
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltNine.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltNine.jpg)
Drove over to kawasaki parts store and they gave it to me for free. Recommend them.. Pro Kawasaki Nerang store on the gold coast, qld, australia.

Here is the back of the gauge cluster. You don't need to remove the cluster to access the bulbs.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltEight.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltEight.jpg)

The rubber grommets each represent a globe, you can generally gauge which globe is for what by looking at the front and then at the back and lining them up.. The speedo is the one circled. I just used a pair of pliers and twisted back and forward while pulling and the grommet popped out.

Pull the bulb out, can just use fingers... replace it, and turn the ignition on to check that it all works.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltTen.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltTen.jpg)

Success for me and if everything works for you, you can put it all back together in reverse.

Hope it helps someone else. :)

On the inside front of each fairing is a black plastic piece being held on by two plastic rivets on each side. These work by pushing the center pin in till it clicks... about 1/4", then remove the rivets.

http://www.kawiforums.com/gallery/data/542/medium/DSC04246-1.JPG

this may seem like common sense, but it took me a while to figure out...

when you need to put these "rivets" back on: from the back side of the rivet, push the center pin back past the outer ring. position the rivet in the hole and push the center pin flush with the outer ring of the rivet until it clicks into place.

what cha doin', Gary?? :jumping20:

oh, no. hehe. that is from when i shimmed my needles.

i was trying to push the rivet in the hole, reach behind the fairing, and tried to push the tab flush that way..... doesn't work. i figured it had to be something really simple.

Kelly - props for all your DIY(s). Putting a series of "remove & replace" type operations down in pictures and writing is sometimes taken for granted. You really convey them in excellent form. Especially for someone who lives in paradise!

Kerry,

Thanks for the kind words... especially coming from a man in your position.:o

I'll take that as a compliment... even if I do live in paradise. ;)

I'd like to also take this time to say "thank you" to you for all you do to support our small band of 250 riders with outstanding products from your shop. It's always nice when there are great companies like yours that provide support for niche bikes.

Any thoughts of perhaps developing an exhaust system for the pre 08 bikes? :)

My pleasure.

I have thought about doing a full system for the pre-'08 models for awhile now. From 1980 - 1993, I ran a company called SuperTrapp/Kerker. In the Kerker division, we sold Slip-Ons for the older model 250. If there is interest, I would love to R&D a full system for one. We can do so much better than dual Slip-Ons, while gaining much more power and lighter weight with a 2-1 design. Someone nearby in SoCal would need to provide a bike for a few weeks. And of course they would get the first production system for free.

Wow... we need to get this offer out in the general forum.:thumbup:

Oh, Alexx!!!!! :)

Thanks, Kerry! :D

My pleasure.

I have thought about doing a full system for the pre-'08 models for awhile now. From 1980 - 1993, I ran a company called SuperTrapp/Kerker. In the Kerker division, we sold Slip-Ons for the older model 250. If there is interest, I would love to R&D a full system for one. We can do so much better than dual Slip-Ons, while gaining much more power and lighter weight with a 2-1 design. Someone nearby in SoCal would need to provide a bike for a few weeks. And of course they would get the first production system for free.


No way, I had a Kerker on my 1991 CBR600F2 for a while. Was a nice pipe.

Loads of help using this today! :thumbup:

Nvm

Just when I can't figure out why my fairing isn't coming off I remember Kelly did a DIY, I see why and my day is simplified. Thanks KKim.

lol... and which fastener did you forget? :D

lol... and which fastener did you forget? :D

The one in front in that black tunnel.

You know, the title of this thread, while amusing, makes it darn hard to find when you need it! ;)

You know, the title of this thread, while amusing, makes it darn hard to find when you need it! ;)

In forums go to - 2008+ Ninja 250R Tech Talk -

At the top there are stickies with all the DIY - Directory of all DIY threads on Ninjette.org-

It's in the first section.:thumbup:

Can someone post a DIY on removing the remaining plastics? I can probably figure it out with the service manual, but these DIYs with photos are fantastic!:thumbup:

What kind of thread-locker should I use and are there specific torque values?

In forums go to - 2008+ Ninja 250R Tech Talk -

At the top there are stickies with all the DIY - Directory of all DIY threads on Ninjette.org-

It's in the first section.:thumbup:

That's how I ultimately found it. :thumbup: I just didn't know if I should look at the Wiki or the DIY section first and thought that it would be easier to search. Normally, it would have.

Can someone post a DIY on removing the remaining plastics? I can probably figure it out with the service manual, but these DIYs with photos are fantastic!:thumbup:

Someone else can get you pictures but here's a quick explanation: The tail pieces require you to remove the side panels (two phillips screws-don't even try the ones in the included tool kit) and the main seat (two allen bolts). Unlock the rear seat and you can then remove the four allen bolts on top and two on bottom. The rear-most bolts goes into a rubber wellnuts that are probably both in two completely seperate pieces by now... you will want to hold the bottom and catch the loose piece when you remove each one. That's all there is to it except that you may have to remove the right side to remove the left side due to overlapping plastic.

anybody taken the tail section off yet?

ive gotten the fairings off, but i need to take the rear plastics off, and im not trying to break anything.

:thumbup:

*edit* reading owns me.

thank you sir CZroe. lol.

would it be a good idea to do all this work, just because you want to clean more easily? or is it really not worth the trouble?

it's a good idea to learn how to undress your bike just for practice. :)

seriously, the more times you do it, the more you learn all the little tricks that make removing and reassembling the bodywork easier and faster without breaking/forcing anything.

as far as cleaning, I usually remove and clean everything that I can once every year or so with the bodywork removed. Once you're done cleaning, spray a light coat of rubber protectant on areas that were especially difficult to reach and next time clean up will be easier. just be sure to keep that stuff away from hand/foot controls and tires.

I did it today and I must admit that this DIY was very helpfull. As I live in Belgium (Europe), I think it must be interesting for you to see some differences.

The first is that there are no screws! See pictures. I don't how you call those in english but they are very easy to remove.

The second is that I could already unhook the blinker harness after removing the black covers. pretty handy :)

yes, we have the same screws... they are called Allen head screws/bolts.

hey thanks big mike! i am about to do a turn signal swap and was hoping to accomplish without having to remove the whole side fairings. im gonna go pop the black pieces off and hopefully i will see the connector!

good write up.

Thx loads for this. I just got a new fairing for the right hand side. Looks easy to follow your guide:)

excellent. went down on my bike wednesday and need to align my front fork, and this will help me take off the plastics (and eventually replace them). I have no qualms about working on my bike now..working on my car, that's a whole different story!!

I'm a picture type, so noticed there were no pictures for the tail. Hope this helps someone...


Someone else can get you pictures but here's a quick explanation: The tail pieces require you to remove the side panels (two phillips screws-don't even try the ones in the included tool kit)
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9896

and the main seat (two allen bolts).
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9887

Unlock the rear seat
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9888

and you can then remove the four allen bolts on top
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9889

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9890

and two on bottom.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9891

Finally, I found lifting the center part first (at the key lock) then pulling the rear peg from the rubber plug (not sure technical term), followed by the front peg seems to get the piece off the easiest as it is tight.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9892

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9893

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9894

And now your bike is truly butt nekkid!

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=9895

:thumbup:

Just a follow on from kkim's post, for removing upper fairings and replacing a globe in the gauge cluster.

** images can be clicked to open higher quality version.

Remove the screws circled. One on each side. These two screws are the reason why you need to follow kkim's method first.. For some reason they decided to make it difficult to remove the front fairing. I guess so they can charge more on labour.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltOne.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltOne.jpg)

at the front
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltTwo.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltTwo.jpg)

at the front towards the bottom, although these two should have already been removed when you followed kkim's method.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltThree.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltThree.jpg)

Under the upper fairing, there are I believe 4 plastic rivets, to remove you just use the end of a screw driver or something small and push the centre of the rivet in. The rivet should now come away when pulled.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltFour.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltFour.jpg)

Remove these two screws while supporting the upper fairing, might be easier to get a second person to hang on to it, although I managed to do it myself with a bit of twisting. The fairing should now be loose to come away.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltFive.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltFive.jpg)

You should be able to pull the upper fairing with windscreen/mirrors/headlight attached together, forward a few cms'. You then reach in behind the fairing and unplug the headlight cables. If you just wingle them back and forward they should come out. One closest to the camera is plugged in, and further unplugged to demonstrate what the plug looks like under the plastic.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltSix.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltSix.jpg)

and thats it for removing the upper fairing.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltSeven.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltSeven.jpg)

-----

Now for replacing the broken globe


this is the globe
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltNine.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltNine.jpg)
Drove over to kawasaki parts store and they gave it to me for free. Recommend them.. Pro Kawasaki Nerang store on the gold coast, qld, australia.

Here is the back of the gauge cluster. You don't need to remove the cluster to access the bulbs.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltEight.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltEight.jpg)

The rubber grommets each represent a globe, you can generally gauge which globe is for what by looking at the front and then at the back and lining them up.. The speedo is the one circled. I just used a pair of pliers and twisted back and forward while pulling and the grommet popped out.

Pull the bulb out, can just use fingers... replace it, and turn the ignition on to check that it all works.
http://www.trozza.com/files/thb_BoltTen.jpg (http://www.trozza.com/files/BoltTen.jpg)

Success for me and if everything works for you, you can put it all back together in reverse.

Hope it helps someone else. :)

If you don't want to buy the 194 bulbs, how do you wire the normal LEDs? Since they don't have the flat connector

Are the pics for removing the front showing for anyone else? All I see are broken links.

If they are broken, I can snap some pictures...

Are the pics for removing the front showing for anyone else? All I see are broken links.

If they are broken, I can snap some pictures...

The pix and links are broken on the upper fairing removal. The domain is up for sale.... I'd appreciate a few pix. I have to jump in this area in the next week. Thanks!

Ok, my phone is charged enough for pix. I'll upload the pics here so they never vanish.

And just for the record, about 15-20 minutes with me fussing with the camera. :)

Okay, repair of the upper cowling pictures....

Don't mind my dirty bike. She's had a rough life since the pictures from Dec 2012. :rotflmao:

First remove the side cover and lower cowling as detailed above:

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12299

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12300

Undo the two lower bolts uncovered

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12301

Undo the two upper bolts

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12302

Undo the two lower windshield bolts

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12303

Remove the two lower rivets

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12307

Be aware of the lip on the front edge of the radiator cover

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12306

Lift and pull the front cowling off

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12304

Balance the cowling with one hand and reach behind it to unplug the headlights

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=1229&pictureid=12305

Thanks, Wolf!

Thanks for doing the community a service. It truly is people like you who make this a better place for all of us.

You've inspired me to do a proper DIY for my upcoming valve lash adjustment.

We need a thread like this for the 300! Great pics on this DIY thread everyone!

Loving this thread, never liked the look of the 4th gen fully faired. Can't wait till it's done. Good luck!

Great write up! I just removed my front fairings with this :bow:

Hey Guys,

I am new around here and I would like help and suggestion from all of you. I own a 2010 Ninja 250R in India. Recently, the speedo console (Dashboard) lights have gone dim and I feel they need to be replaced. I was thinking of going the LED way. Can you fellas guide/help me out? https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT25jevJzOnEyaBA4_ZEz6jxOLpAy7DzcJG3TYWRK1MQahMBTMCaA

will these bulbs do good? will you guys suggest White LED or Blue LED?

Personally I like a dull-red display. Just enough to see at night, but doesn't destroy night-vision.

Once upon a time back in my younger years, I was into bright white gauge-faces and bright LED bulbs that was fashionable. I think I had more lumens from my dash lighting up sky than my headlight was putting on ground. But I found whenever I looked at my gauges and back up at road, it was black! I had to wait 3-5 seconds as my pupils dilated back up to see road.

Personally I like a dull-red display. Just enough to see at night, but doesn't destroy night-vision.


blue dash isn't pleasing to the eyes, hence I am trying to change the color (not sure how effective it would be by changing the color of the bulb) I drive a car with white dash and I am comfortable with it. However, the difference would be. I can adjust the brightness in my car which I won't be able to do with on my Ninja

Once upon a time back in my younger years, I was into bright white gauge-faces and bright LED bulbs that was fashionable. I think I had more lumens from my dash lighting up sky than my headlight was putting on ground. But I found whenever I looked at my gauges and back up at road, it was black! I had to wait 3-5 seconds as my pupils dilated back up to see road.

Sounds like you are suggesting me not to go for the LED white bulbs! With a very good intention and I will take it.

Thanks for the suggestion! I will probably pull of the fairing and get the things done over the coming weekend unless my wife has other plans.

Anyone else with other inputs? I am open to any suggestion and cautions :)

LED white would be good but not the super bright ones.... unlike regular incandescent bulbs LED lights can get really bright and fit in small places...
so it's not so much stay away from white it is stay away from super bright LED's in the dash..... !!!!!
.....
Hay Danno, can't you just add a Potentiometer(resistance Pot) to the V+ wire and then to the LED to make a dimmer for the LED's ? that way you could have a dimmer switch for your dash on the Ninja ....
it's a thought ......
Bob........

No, LEDs don't have linear response like incandescent bulbs. They're mostly on or off. To dim LED, you can't vary voltage, need to use PWM similar to fuel-injectors.

https://www.amazon.com/pwm-led-dimmer/s?k=pwm+led+dimmer

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1kx8kcxdH5Bsb8RWeKE9rtRffpBMaXEiQ

No, LEDs don't have linear response like incandescent bulbs. They're mostly on or off. To dim LED, you can't vary voltage, need to use PWM similar to fuel-injectors.

Danno, you can definitely vary LED current to vary brightness, so using a series resistance to limit current works fine. PWM is often used because it's more efficient and easier to do with a microcontroller.

Danno, you can definitely vary LED current to vary brightness, so using a series resistance to limit current works fine. PWM is often used because it's more efficient and easier to do with a microcontroller.

Sure, with incandescent, you can vary 1-12v to change brightness, LEDs are squeezed into narrow 3.0-3.5v range. If using any kind of pot, you're looking at 1/16-turn between full-brightness and complete darkness. And if you've got it balanced at that point, variable-voltage from alternator will cause it to flicker up & down. Just try it. ;)

PWM is also much more precise due to them being current-regulators as well. So you set an output and it stays there regardless of variable input-voltage.

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.TrFwNH26ItEhlwYZDdVRoAAAAA%26p id%3DApi&f=1

https://www.circuitbread.com/tutorials/how-to-dim-an-led

Sure, with incandescent, you can vary 1-12v to change brightness, LEDs are squeezed into narrow 3.0-3.5v range. If using any kind of pot, you're looking at 1/16-turn between full-brightness and complete darkness. And if you've got it balanced at that point, variable-voltage from alternator will cause it to flicker up & down. Just try it. ;)

I've worked with LEDs for many years. It's not the junction voltage you vary with a series resistance, it's the current. With a 12v supply, an LED with a 3v junction drop can have its current controlled with a potentiometer and it will work quite well. As you change the resistance, the forward voltage of the LED will stay near 3v, but the current, and consequently the brightness, will vary much more linearly. Just try it. :)

seems to me I've done it with a pot before too... but it's been decades ago in my Ham radio days... haven't played with electronics much sense !
yes a pulse width Modulator is the Preferred way to do it, but not the only way !
they use much less power with a PWM .... but we're hooked to a big bike battery and don't care about power right ? ( we're not running it on 3 AAA batteries)
I suppose the value of the pot used would make or brake the idea, if you used a 3 meg ohm pot it probably would have such a narrow range you'd just see the LED flash as you went by the sweet spot... and if you use a 5K Ohm resister
Pot... it might not be enough I don't know.... not my day to figure it out ! LOL
might be fun to experiment with though !
.... it was just a thought !
Bob........

For an LED that's rated at 20 milliamps, a starting point might be a 10k pot. If it won't go dim enough, try higher resistance values.

Of course you need to either use an LED that is an assembly with an internal resistor like the incandescent replacement LEDs or if it's just a bare LED you need to have a fixed resistor in series with the pot so when it's up all the way current is still limited to no more than the LED's rating.

Efficiency is not a concern in this application because the highest power requirement will be when the pot is set to full brightness and the LED is run at its maximum current rating, and that power is 0.020 amps x 14 volts = 0.28 watts (about 1/4 of a watt) By comparison, the brake light draws about 2 amps and its power requirement is about 25 watts.

if using pot, make sure you get linear and not audio pot.

aren't all Pot's (potentiometers) variable resistors ? or did something change while I was away ? ...what's the difference between a regular pot and a audio-pot ?
Bob....

aren't all Pot's (potentiometers) variable resistors ? or did something change while I was away ? ...what's the difference between a regular pot and a audio-pot ?
Bob....

There are different type of potentiometers for different applications. Their resistance values change at different rates as you turn them. https://eepower.com/resistor-guide/resistor-types/potentiometer-taper/#

If you use a pot to vary the brightness of an LED, a linear type pot is probably the type you would use, but if you find that as you turn the brightness up from minimum that you use too much of the pot's range getting to halfway bright, and from there to fully bright is just a small amount of turning, then an inverse log taper might be better. (just an example)

wow... how things change over time ! I built the HW-101 Ham radio from heathkit many years ago, a tube and transistor 100 watt transceiver....
now everything is printed circuit boards and little dots on it that I can't tell what they are ! LOL.... if ya snooze ya loose ! HAHAHAHA
Bob......

wow... how things change over time ! I built the HW-101 Ham radio from heathkit many years ago, a tube and transistor 100 watt transceiver....
now everything is printed circuit boards and little dots on it that I can't tell what they are ! LOL.... if ya snooze ya loose ! HAHAHAHA
Bob......

Log taper pots are as old at pots. :) I have a box of them from the 1950s and it has linear and log taper pots in it. If you try to use a linear pot for a radio volume control it gets loud at low settings, and the last 1/2 of the pot's rotation does almost nothing more.

The link I posted above explains the codes that tell you which type of pot is without having to use a meter on it to find out.

interesting ! in my days that sort of reaction is not getting the right Pot for the job ! LOL....I used linier wound pots mostly as their what was supplied with most of the kits I got. I built a 555ic timer chip into a 757 ic amp chip to make a audio amplifier for CW work with a real tight filter in it... put it in a box and all that good stuff and used it for years on CW.... Morse code was my thing back then. But sense I didn't add any protection circuits to it I found out years later it damaged my hearing.... anything at around 1000hz is way down in hearing for me .... and I told the Doc I know what did that ! but sense I am hard of hearing on every scale now it really doesn't matter that much ! HAHAHAHA
(too many motorcycles with no mufflers ! ) that boom you hear from the exhaust covers a very large spectrum and the talking frequency is in that !
so I say "What?" alot now ! if it wasn't for my Wife I'd have to have hearing aids ! .... she is my interpreter LOL....
Forest M. Mims was the best Author for electronic projects back then....
Radio shack carried his books.... I had dozens !
...then I got into Gyrocopters and never looked back ! only flew mine 1' off the ground once.... but had fun rebuilding the gyro 3 times !
....
later !
Bob....

Morse code was my thing back then.

Excellent! My father and I talked every morning by Morse Code until he got too old to do it. Wherever I was... working on a job in SC, back in MD where I grew up, or here in NC, we didn't miss more than a handful of days in 10 years. I enjoyed code very much. It got to where I was hearing the other guy talk to me rather than hearing dots and dashes.

I got to Advanced in licenses, didn't make Extra because I can't write at 20wpm ! LOL.... my friends Don & Clint and I talked every night on 80m for about 5 years straight... they got me from barely 5 wpm to well over 20 wpm
I could copy 60 wpm in my head of normal conversations but doing DX where they do numbers and symbols all the time threw me for a loop ! HHAHAH
Jone Coffer was my teacher really... she was real sharp on everything !
....
now I would be lucky to copy 5 wpm LOL just because I haven't used it in years !
my favorite morse code was ..--.. LOL
i made an Iambic keyer and had a set of nice paddles and I could send at 60 wpm ... and yes at that speed you learn the sound of the letters not the dits and dahs ! I wonder if all that paddle time is the reason my right hand goes numb so fast when Riding ? LOL
those were the days..... unfortunately I lost 4 ham radios and all the electronic test goodies I had when the Ranch house burned down about 9 years ago... and 12 motorcycles ! ... everything but the gyrocopter !
tools included I now have a bunch of untempered tools ! lol.
( that is why I have been slowly replacing them all)
oh well, that's life... **** happens !
Bob........