Alps SKCL Yellow

This article requires photographic illustration

Alps SKCL Yellow

Manufacturer	Alps Electric
Family	Alps SKCL/SKCM series
Product code	SKCLAR SKCLFQ SKCLFM
Introduced	ca. 1988<ref name="MouseFan" />
Discontinued	ca. 1998<ref name="MouseFan" />
Precedes	Alps SKBL Yellow
Supersedes	Alps SKCL Green
Switch type	Linear
Sense method	Metal contact
Actuation force	58.8 cN
Keycap mount	Alps mount
Switch mount	Plate mount

Alps SKCL Yellow, or Yellow Alps, is a linear switch in the "complicated" Alps SKCL/SKCM series.

Description

Yellow Alps have an LED recess; the LED occupies the position where the tactile or click leaf should go. Typically this recess is left empty. It appears that switches ordered without an LED pre-fitted lacked the LED holes in the lower shell.

Yellow Alps appears to be the longest-running product in the SKCL/SKCM series. It appears to have been introduced around 1988, with approximately two years' overlap with Alps SKCL Green; the latter appears to be slightly lower in force. The earliest Yellow Alps switches had long slits and no Alps logo, but by 1990 or so the mould had been replaced with one with the Alps logo and short slits. The SKCLAR/SKCMCQ data sheet along with MouseFan's data suggests that the slits were never removed.

Variants

Known variants include:

Switchplate Color	Switchplate Length	Alps Logo	Generation
White	Short	Logo	Pine (with slits)

Part number	Description	Source
SKCLAR	No LED fitted?	1994 catalogue
SKCLFQ	Red LED fitted	1994 catalogue
SKCLFM	Green LED fitted	1994 catalogue

Keyboards

• Some ASkeyboard Sono1<ref name="ASkeyboard" />
• C.itoh CIT482F<ref name="citoh"/>
• Some Emerson KCLEA907L<ref name="Emerson2" />
• Emerson KFCLEA916A<ref name="Emerson" />
• Graphite 101-key<ref name="Graphite" />
• Some IBM Multistation Keyboards (IBM 5556)
• Intecolor AGS<ref name="Intecolor" />
• Mitsubishi M-6905-1 & M-6905-1N<ref name="SPARC" />
• NEC PK-KB015 (USB)<ref name="MouseFan-PK-KB015" />
• NEC PC-9801-114<ref name="PC-9801-114"/>
• NEC PC-9801-98-S02 M-System<ref name="PC-9801-98-S02"/>
• Packard Bell KCLEA907L<ref name="rzwv-KCLEA907" />
• Some Reudo Rboard Pro<ref name="Reudo"/>
• Some Sharp X68000
• Sharp Personal Workstation<ref name="SPARC" />
• Sharp UE-1K02<ref name="SPARC" />
• Unisys K32B<ref name="Unisys2"/>
• Unisys KB1<ref name="Unisys"/>
• Zenith 163-73
• Some Zenith Z-150
• Some Zenith ZKB-2 & ZKB-2R

Keypads

• Some IBM Micro Cadam LPFK (Lighted Program Function Keyboard)<ref name="LPFK"/>

As LED Keys Only

• Some Focus FK-5001
• Some Focus FK-8000
• Some Wang 725-3770/3771
• Wang 725-7231-US

Gallery

• 
  Colour comparison with Alps SKCM Amber (right)

Yellow vs Green

• 
  Unscientific strength comparison
• 
  Return spring comparison

SKCLAR

The following used switches originated in a Zenith ZKB-2 AT keyboard.<ref name="GH-ZKB-2" /> They are assumed to be SKCLAR as they match the 1994 Alps catalogue specification. Being shipped without LEDs fitted, the base does not accept LEDs without suitable holes being drilled into it.

• 
  Side view
• 
  Rear view
• 
  No LED holes in base

SKCLFQ

The following switches are NOS surplus from China. They are assumed to be SKCLFQ (per the 1994 Alps catalogue) based on their characteristics.

• 
  SKCLFQ (SKCLAR+red LED) and SKCLAR (no LED)
• 
  Front view
• 
  Side view
• 
  Adapted base design; note LED leg holes
• 
  Bases, seen from below
• 
  Base comparison; note the clearance recess for the LED in the securing tab on the left switch (SKCLFQ)
• 
  LED recess
• 
  LED retaining shelf
• 
  Internals
• 
  Return springs

Specifications

• 5454_31 (SKCLAR and SKCMCQ)

References

<references> <ref name="MouseFan">MouseFan — ALPS (Japanese only) Retrieved 2015-07-21.</ref> <ref name="rzwv-KCLEA907">ちゃたりたいね — PACKARD BELL KCLEA907L ALPS茶軸リニア (Japanese only) Dated 2013-08-25. Retrieved 2015-07-21.</ref> <ref name="MouseFan-PK-KB015">MouseFan — NEC PK-KB015 USB JAPAN (Japanese only) Retrieved 2015-07-21.</ref> <ref name="SPARC">Atelier Silencium — AX & Alps Bigfoot Keyboard (Japanese only) Dated 2010-02-17. Retrieved 2015-07-21.</ref> <ref name="GH-ZKB-2">geekhack — FS (Price Drops): Zenith (linear green alps) & SGI case</ref> <ref name="Graphite">YouTube — Graphite 101-Key Keyboard Typing VideoPosted 2019-10-24.</ref> <ref name="Intecolor">YouTube — Intecolor AGS Keyboard Typing DemoPosted 2020-09-03.</ref> <ref name="LPFK">Reddit — vintageJapanese IBM MICRO CADAM Lighted Program Function Keyboard (LPFK) from 1991 Posted 2020-09-13.</ref> <ref name="Unisys">YouTube — Unisys KB1 review (Alps SKCL Yellow) Uploaded 2020-07-03.</ref> <ref name="PC-9801-114">YouTube — NEC PTOS Keyboard PC-9801-114 ALPS Yellow Switch Uploaded 2012-02-16.</ref> <ref name="PC-9801-98-S02">Xahlee.info — NEC PC-9801 Keyboard, 1992 Updated 2020-05-06.</ref> <ref name="Emerson">Imgur — Emerson KFCLEA916A (Alps SKCL Yellow) (Credit:SantiGoIt) Originally posted 2019-09-13.</ref> <ref name="Unisys2">YouTube — Unisys Keycorp K32B F&M Typing (Alps SKCL Yellow) 빈티지 알프스 황축 기계식 키보드 타건 Uploaded 2021-01-24.</ref> <ref name="ASkeyboard">Atelier Silencium — Keyboards with Alps switches Dated 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2021-10-13.</ref> <ref name="Reudo">YouTube — Reudo Rboard Pro for Mac Keyboard Typing (Alps SKCL Yellow switch) 빈티지 알황 키보드 타건 Uploaded 2020-10-17.</ref> <ref name="citoh">YouTube — C.itoh CIT482F Keyboard Typing Demo Alps SKCL Yellow Uploaded 2022-06-27.</ref> <ref name="Emerson2">Imgur — Emerson KCLEA907L (Alps SKCL Yellow) Uploaded 2023-02-23.</ref> </references>