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Re: [CQ-Contest] Mk2R+ optocouplers

To: "cq-contest@contesting.com" <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Mk2R+ optocouplers
From: David Gilbert <ab7echo@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2021 18:34:23 -0700
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>

I was kind of sloppy there.  Given the Vf of an infrared LED, the drive current would be less than 4 milliamps.

73,
Dave   AB7E



On 6/8/2021 11:30 PM, David Gilbert wrote:

Yeah, that would be 5 milliamps for all of them, which certainly is not an excessive amount of drive current.  Most application notes for optocouplers tended to spec about 10 milliamps for a typical application, and as best I can remember 50 milliamps was often the max rating.  If those optocouplers were degrading at 5 milliamps they really had poor quality LEDs in them.

I still don't buy the idea that the lower speed slots should make much difference, though.  I can't think of any reason why speed should make a difference in LED lifetime at 5 milliamps unless those slots simply were activated significantly more often ... higher duty cycle, not higher speed.

73,
Dave   AB7E




On 6/8/2021 10:19 PM, Ken K6MR wrote:

From the info I have it looks like they are all driven through a 1k resistor, supply voltage is either the USB 5V bus or the system 5V bus.  Drive current looks to be well below the max shown on the data sheet.

My unit is pretty old and has all Fairchild (white devices).

Ken K6MR


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