Let’s take a look at several different power supply technologies to power your rig. How do you get a low-noise, high-current 13.8 volts? Price, performance, power, and even weight are things to consider.
How many amps does your rig draw? Do you need to over-provision current? Is that cheap ebay-supply going to smoke your expensive radio? No everyone can afford an expensive linear power supply, so let’s take a look at some reliable alternatives.
One comment
Ole Helgerson
Useful discussion, thanks. Another alternative may be what I ended up with years ago with the goals of easy field use and immediate power access when the lights go out. The kit; 32Ah agm battery resting in a Powerwerx case sporting Anderson pp, post, USB and automotive terminals, plus a digital Volt meter. Constant float charging from a Guest marine unit (reviews suggest they can have quality problems, guessing that I got a good one).
The set up has in fact proven handy for field use and when the line power quits. Even though it might be a Volt or so short what the line current models can deliver, the 50W vhf/uhf and the 100W hf rigs seem to be happy with it. It carries the freight from Carson WA for the District 1 nets on ‘040. When the agm quits, a Lithium battery might be a good choice for a replacement. A bit lighter and longer power delivery while discharging, though spendier with flammability issues as compared to agm.
Ole Helgerson
Useful discussion, thanks. Another alternative may be what I ended up with years ago with the goals of easy field use and immediate power access when the lights go out. The kit; 32Ah agm battery resting in a Powerwerx case sporting Anderson pp, post, USB and automotive terminals, plus a digital Volt meter. Constant float charging from a Guest marine unit (reviews suggest they can have quality problems, guessing that I got a good one).
The set up has in fact proven handy for field use and when the line power quits. Even though it might be a Volt or so short what the line current models can deliver, the 50W vhf/uhf and the 100W hf rigs seem to be happy with it. It carries the freight from Carson WA for the District 1 nets on ‘040. When the agm quits, a Lithium battery might be a good choice for a replacement. A bit lighter and longer power delivery while discharging, though spendier with flammability issues as compared to agm.
Hoping useful. 73s KI7MBR