Adding Remote Volume Control Switches to Your RDAT

Author: Wayne Harris

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Originally appeared in the Volume 1, Number 3 issue of Made in the USA magazine.

© All rights reserved.

Greetings, Dude, from Wayne's World.

In the last issue, I railed about the phenomenal capabilities of the new Symmetry EPX signal processor, as well as the mind boggling brilliance of its creator, ME! Anyway, if you haven't purchased an EPX by now, you're a total Lame-0 and will probably get toasted the next time you compete! For the rest of you highly intelligent and way-cool dudes, I'm gonna describe a completely unauthorized method for modifying your EPX RDAT, so that you can have a remotely mounted auxiliary Volume control if desired. A quick word of advice. If you have an IQ two points lower than plant life, please don't attempt this modification. In fact, if you don't understand EVERYTHING in the procedure outlined below, you should not attempt this process. Finally, any modification to your unit will VOID your factory warranty. In other words, if you attempt this modification, you do so at your own risk.

Cruise down to Radio Shack if you need ...

Procedure

  1. Turn the EPX off.
  2. Disconnect the RDAT from the modular phone cable.
  3. Place the RDAT face down on a soft cloth or towel.
  4. Using a small Phillips screwdriver, remove the two fastening screws from the back of the RDAT. Don't lose the screws!!!
  5. Remove the back of the plastic housing.
  6. Verify the RDAT is positioned face down (Figure 1).
  7. Identify connectors P2 and P3 (Figure 1). Each connector has ten pins. Pin 1 is designated by a SQUARE solder pad. (Figure 1.)
  8. Solder a wire to pin 1 of connector P2. This wire will be called +5.
  9. Solder a wire to pin 1 of connector P3. This wire will be called X0.

  10. Solder a wire to pin 7 of connector P3. This wire will be called Y1.
  11. Solder a wire to pin 9 of connector P3. This wire will be called Y3.
  12. Compare your connections to Figure 2.

  13. Snake the wires through one of the rectangular holes in the back of the plastic housing.
  14. Replace the back plastic housing.
  15. Replace the two fastening screws. DO NOT over-tighten.
  16. For the Volume Up function, connect a momentary DPDT switch as shown in Figure 3. (Shorting the+5 lead to the X0 and Y1 leads simultaneously has the same effect as pushing the Volume Up button on the RDAT keypad.)
  17. For the Volume Down function, connect a momentary DPDT switch as shown in Figure 3. (Shorting the +5 lead to the X0 and Y3 leads simultaneously has the same effect as pushing the Volume Down button on the RDAT keypad.)

This completes the modification process. To test the unit reconnect the RDAT to the modular phone cable and turn the system ON. Momentarily press the auxiliary Volume Up button. The system's volume level should increase. Repeat this process for the auxiliary Volume Down button.

Once operation has been verified, you can install your new auxiliary Volume control buttons in the location of your choice. With a little ingenuity, you should be able to substantially improve your installation score.

Until next time...Party On!