■ FIGURE 4. Close-up of antenna’s flat area on the LED side
of the board.
(note polarity), and the voltage regulator. Solder a piece of
1/2” solder braid to the hole marked Gnd. Solder the 10
µF cap. Turn over the board and solder the 470 uF
capacitor to the bottom side of the board (noting its
polarity). There is a file called Trailer Template on the
website. Cut out the templates and glue (using glue stick)
them to the small transmitter aluminum box. Drill the
antenna hole using a 5/16” drill. Drill four 1/8” holes
for the wires. Remove the templates with
hot water.
Starting left to right, push white,
brown, yellow, and green wires through
the chassis; solder them to the board.
Push the antenna through the chassis and
secure it to the board using its screw.
When securing the lid, pull the solder
braid over the lip of the box to ground
the box.
For the receiver, solder IC1 and IC2
to the board noting pin one. Solder the
two resistors and the switch. Bend the
wires of the transistors where the leads
thicken, bending them backwards at a
right angle. Secure them with 6-32 screws
and nuts, and solder them in place. Place
the 33 LEDS on the other side. The long
leads go to the square pads. Solder from
the top side. Run the battery holder wires
though the strain hole and solder the red
to positive and the black to negative.
Using the template (from the
website), glue it to the 4” square of plastic
lens. Drill four 9/64” mounting holes
through the lens. Glue another template
to the box; drill five 9/64” holes (including
the center hole). Secure the chassis in a
vise and using the center hole for a guide,
drill a 3. 25” hole using a fly cutter. You
36 July 2010
may have to sand or file the corners a small amount on
both the plastic lens and the board to make them fit.
To determine which is the top of the box and which
side the switch hole is on, place the board with the LEDS
toward the 3. 25” hole noting the mounting hole locations.
Glue the antenna template to the top of the box and the
switch hole template to the side of the box (where the
switch is). Remove the board. Drill a 5/16” hole for the
antenna and 1/4” hole for the switch plug. I used three #8
eye bolts for bungee cord mounting: two on the sides and
one on the bottom. I cut them to shorten the length. Use
two nuts on each eye bolt. Do not use an eye bolt next to
the antenna. Drill three 3/16” holes in the center of the
sides and bottom. Do not add the eye bolts at this time.
Put a small bead of silicone glue around the inside of
the 3. 25” hole in the box. Mount the Plexiglas to the
inside of the box using one 6-32 screw where the antenna
will be. Use three each of 3/4” 6-32 screws for the
remaining holes. Add the 3/8” standoffs. The board holes
will self-thread or you can secure the board to the chassis
using three 6-32 nuts. Once tightened, use fingernail
polish to secure the nuts. Add a small amount of silicone
glue around the antenna. Push the antenna through the
hole and fasten with its screw. Its flat area should be on
the LED side of the board (Figure 4). Add the plug to the
switch hole. Drill two holes in the lid to hold the battery
box; secure the battery box either with screws or pop rivet.
PARTS LIST
ITEM QTY DESCRIPTION MANUFACTURER
TRANSMITTER
Antenna 1
Cable 1
C1 1
C2 1
Chassis 1
D1-3 3
IC 1 1
IC2 1
R1- 2-3 3
VR1 1
418 MHz 1/4
Four connector male
470 µF 16 V
10 µF 16 V
Aluminum 2. 7”x1.5”
1n914
PIC12f508
TXM-418
1 Meg 1/8W
LP2950ACZ- 3.0
LinxTechnologies.com
Hammond 1590WH
Microchip
Linx Technologies
RECEIVERS
Antennas
Holder
Chassis
Eye Bolts
IC1
IC2
Optos
Lens
Plug
Q1-2
R1-R2
S&N
S&N
Standoff
S1
2
2
2
6
2
2
66
2
2
4
4
2
6
6
2
418 MHz 1/4
Two D
4” x 4” x 2
#8
PIC12F508
RXM-418-LR
Super Bright Red
4” x 4” x 1/8” Plexiglas
1/4”
TIP31A
10K 1/8W
6/32 1/4”
6/32 3/4”
3/8” #6
F2UEE
Linx Technologies
Hammond 1591USBK
Microchip
Linx Technologies
C&K Components
For more info on parts and sources for this project go to the
