About three months ago I installed enough screws to finally secure the top and bottom covers to my R4C and T4XC. The screws had been removed years ago and were finally lost. The radios worked just fine with the screws missing but I finally decided that secured covers were better than loose covers.

No sooner had the new screws been installed than a couple of the pilot lights went dark. I might have known something was going to go wrong as soon as I buttoned the rigs up. It always does and matters not what rig.

I have been living with the dark panels for about six months. Turns out the radios work just fine without pilot lights. Besides, I got used to working in the dark. Recently I finally bought some leds with the intent of replacing the defective pilot bulbs.

Today I open up both rigs and both of the dark pilot lights came on.

I removed all the pilot lights, inspected the sockets, cleaned everything with Deoxit, and put everything back together. Everything except the screws that hold the top covers on these radios. Those covers may never again see another screw…ever.

Still holding on to the leds. Got them in a plastic bag tucked inbetween the IF transformers of the respective radios.