The 6040 has an elaborate meter amplifier with temperature compensation, which looks as though the RF designer was intending the best-ever S-meter for these tuners, but when the control board was designed the designer gave him just 5 'lights'. You can implement the RF designer's dream by adding an external S-meter, and this will greatly add to your enjoyment of the 6040 as a Dx receiver
You can use an external voltmeter, including a DVM but preferably a 100ľA moving coil movement, about 2.5V full-scale. I added a switch to expand the bottom 20% for weak signals, and I mounted two 4mm sockets in place of the original 'system control' sockets so the meter can be connected externally. Connect the meter between IC23 pin7/R314/R312 and ground, via a 27k resistor
Unfortunately, as you can see, the meter does not respond well to the lowest signal levels
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Last updated Oct.2008
