Supplier for M54826P in USA: Specifications, Features, Applications, and Sourcing Guide

 Finding a reliable supplier for M54826P in USA can be challenging because the M54826P is a highly specialized legacy frequency-counter IC rather than a commonly stocked modern logic device. Manufactured by Mitsubishi, the M54826P was designed specifically for radio-frequency display applications and combines frequency-counting functions with direct control of a five-digit LED display. Historical component documentation identifies it as a “Frequency Counter with 5-Digit LED Driver,” using Mitsubishi's I²L bipolar technology.

Today, the M54826P is particularly interesting to engineers restoring vintage radio receivers, communications equipment, frequency displays, and test instruments. It has also become a sought-after replacement component for certain Realistic/Radio Shack receivers, including the DX-300 and DX-302. Service documentation for both receivers identifies M54826P as the frequency-counter IC.

 

What Is the M54826P?

The M54826P is a dedicated frequency-counter and display-driver IC developed by Mitsubishi for radio receiver applications. Unlike a general-purpose microcontroller-based frequency counter, it integrates specialized circuitry intended to measure a radio receiver's oscillator-related frequency and convert the result into a readable five-digit LED frequency display.

Historical Mitsubishi documentation places the device in the company's I²L bipolar digital IC family. The “P” package designation is associated with a plastic molded package, and distributor information identifies the M54826P as a 24-pin DIP device. One specialist distributor lists it as a Mitsubishi DIP24 component with a nominal 5 V supply and I²L technology.

The architecture is highly specialized. Rather than simply counting an arbitrary input signal and sending the result to a generic display interface, the M54826P was designed around the requirements of radio frequency readout systems. Historical descriptions indicate that it supports AM, FM, and shortwave-related display applications, with selectable measurement/display steps appropriate to these radio bands.

Key Features of M54826P

One of the defining features of the M54826P is its integrated five-digit LED display-driving capability. This significantly reduces the number of external logic components required to create a frequency display.

Historical user documentation describes the M54826P as capable of directly driving a five-digit LED display and supporting brightness adjustment. It also incorporates a reference oscillator function associated with a 4 MHz reference in the documented application material.

The device is built using I²L (Integrated Injection Logic) technology. I²L was widely used in specialized bipolar digital ICs during the 1970s and early 1980s because it allowed relatively high logic density and low power consumption compared with some earlier bipolar logic approaches. Mitsubishi's historical semiconductor databook identifies the M5482-family devices as I²L products.

A specialist distributor specifies the M54826P with a nominal 5 V supply, DIP24 package, and an operating-temperature range of approximately −10°C to +60°C. Because this is a legacy device and surviving documentation is not always consistent across databases, engineers should verify the original datasheet and equipment schematic before using these values as design limits.

Another important characteristic is its specialized frequency-display function. Historical descriptions identify AM/SW display resolution around 1 kHz steps and FM operation around 100 kHz steps, reflecting the intended application as a radio frequency display rather than a laboratory-grade universal frequency counter.

M54826P Applications

Vintage AM, FM, and Shortwave Radio Receivers

The primary application for the M54826P is digital frequency display in radio receivers.

Traditional analog receivers often used a mechanical tuning dial to indicate the approximate receiving frequency. A dedicated frequency-counter IC made it possible to replace or supplement that dial with a numerical LED display. This was particularly useful in AM broadcast, shortwave, and FM receivers where users wanted a more precise indication of the tuned frequency.

The M54826P was designed around exactly this requirement. Its integrated counting and display functions allowed manufacturers to build a relatively compact digital frequency readout without adding a microprocessor and separate display-control circuitry.

For vintage-radio restoration, this makes the M54826P much more than a generic logic IC. A modern microcontroller could theoretically reproduce some of its functions, but doing so would require redesigning the input conditioning, counting logic, display multiplexing, firmware, power supply interfaces, and possibly the receiver's frequency-offset system.

Realistic DX-300 and DX-302 Receivers

A particularly important application is the Realistic DX-300 and DX-302 general-coverage receivers sold through Radio Shack.

The official-style service documentation for the DX-300 identifies IC501 as the frequency counter and specifies M54826P as the manufacturer's part number. The DX-302 service documentation similarly lists M54826P as the frequency-counter IC.

This makes the M54826P especially valuable to owners restoring these receivers. A failed frequency-counter IC can result in an incorrect or missing digital frequency readout even when the receiver's RF and IF sections continue to function.

The rarity of the device is reflected in historical radio-repair discussions. Amateur-radio enthusiasts have specifically searched for M54826P replacements for DX-300/DX-302 receivers, and later restoration reports describe obtaining rare replacement chips from overseas suppliers.

For this type of repair, retaining the original IC can be advantageous because it preserves the original receiver architecture and avoids modifications to the front-panel display circuitry.

Amateur Radio and Communications Equipment

The M54826P is also relevant to amateur-radio equipment and communications receivers that require a dedicated numerical frequency display.

Its specialized offset and frequency-counting functionality can be useful in superheterodyne receiver designs. In such systems, the frequency being measured internally may not be identical to the actual RF frequency selected by the user. A dedicated radio-counter IC can compensate for an intermediate-frequency offset so that the display corresponds more closely to the receiver's tuned frequency.

This is particularly useful in older communications equipment where the local oscillator and intermediate-frequency architecture were designed around fixed offsets.

Frequency-Counter Projects

Another historical application is the construction of specialized frequency counters and radio frequency measurement projects.

Enthusiasts have used Mitsubishi radio-counter ICs in experimental frequency-measurement equipment. However, the M54826P should not be treated as a modern universal frequency counter. Its architecture was optimized for radio frequency-display applications, and its resolution and frequency range depend strongly on the external divider, reference, and signal-conditioning circuitry.

This distinction is important when designing a replacement. A modern MCU, FPGA, or dedicated frequency-counter IC may offer greater flexibility, but the M54826P can be preferable when repairing an original design because its electrical behavior and display interface are already matched to the equipment.

Related Mitsubishi M5482 Family Models

The M54821P is one of the most useful related devices when researching the M54826P. It is another Mitsubishi radio-frequency counter IC using I²L technology and a 24-pin DIP package. Historical Mitsubishi documentation describes M54821P as a Radio Receiver Frequency Counter with 5 Digit LED Driver. It includes functions specifically designed for AM/FM receiver frequency indication.

The M54821P is especially interesting because historical documentation describes selectable IF-offset values, including common AM receiver offsets such as 455 kHz. It was designed to count a radio's local oscillator and convert the result into a direct-reading receiver frequency. Modern hobbyist documentation also demonstrates its use in AM, shortwave, and FM frequency-display projects.

The M54822P is another member of the same family, but it uses a four-digit fluorescent display driver rather than the five-digit LED architecture associated with M54821P/M54826P. Mitsubishi's historical databook identifies it as a radio-receiver frequency counter with a four-digit fluorescent driver and a 24-pin package.

The M54823P provides another variation, described by Mitsubishi as a radio-receiver frequency counter with a four-digit LED driver. Its intended applications again center on radio frequency display rather than general-purpose digital counting.

These related devices demonstrate why exact part-number verification matters. M54821P, M54822P, M54823P, and M54826P may appear similar in distributor searches, but their display formats, frequency-counter functions, offsets, and intended system architectures differ. A related model should therefore not automatically be considered a drop-in replacement.

Why M54826P Is Difficult to Source

The M54826P is a classic example of a legacy specialized IC. Modern semiconductor manufacturers generally replace this type of dedicated radio display logic with microcontrollers, programmable logic, or modern CMOS frequency-counter circuits.

As a result, original M54826P devices are now primarily found through surplus inventories and specialist electronic-component channels. Historical repair discussions from the late 1990s and 2000s already described the device as difficult to obtain, including reports of buyers searching internationally and finding small quantities in the United States.

For restoration work, this scarcity makes the package, markings, manufacturer identification, and condition particularly important. The correct device should be checked against the original PCB and service manual rather than selected solely because another M5482-family number looks similar.

Sourcing M54826P in the USA

When looking for a supplier for M54826P in USA, buyers should focus on exact part-number matching, manufacturer markings, 24-pin DIP package compatibility, date codes, physical condition, and authenticity.

Utsource currently lists M54826P as an electronic-component IC and provides a dedicated product listing for the part. For engineers, radio-repair specialists, and purchasing teams, Utsource can be used to search for the exact M54826P part number, review available product information and photographs, check listed inventory, and place an order when the component matches the requirements of the repair or restoration project.

Conclusion

The M54826P is a specialized Mitsubishi legacy IC designed for radio frequency counting and five-digit LED frequency display applications. Its I²L architecture, 24-pin DIP package, integrated counting functions, display-driving capability, and radio-oriented frequency-offset features made it useful in vintage AM, FM, and shortwave receivers.

Its connection to equipment such as the Realistic DX-300 and DX-302 makes it particularly valuable today for vintage-radio restoration. Related Mitsubishi devices such as M54821P, M54822P, and M54823P provide useful references, but their display interfaces and functional characteristics are different and should not automatically be treated as substitutes.

For anyone searching for a supplier for M54826P in USA, exact-part sourcing remains important because this is a specialized legacy component with limited modern production support. When restoring original equipment, preserving the original M54826P-based architecture can often be much simpler than redesigning the frequency-counter and LED-display system from scratch.

M54826P https://www.utsource.net/itm/p/12444324.html