I want to purchase a switching supply for use with my K2/100. I used a small Astron SS (7amp) before I upgraded with the 100 watt amplifier. I never had any noise problems with the Astron.
I have heard a lot of favorable recommendations on others but would appreciate any comments (negative or positive . . . . no pun intended) about the various ones that are available. The MFJ and Alinco look nice too me. MFJ always seems to have a stigma about their products. I see they advertise that they (MFJ) do not have any hash problems in the ham bands. TIA W9VNE Jim Danehy Cincinnati, Ohio _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
On Sat, Sep 25, 2004 at 10:25:19AM -0400, jim danehy wrote:
> I want to purchase a switching supply for use with my K2/100. I used a > small Astron SS (7amp) before I upgraded with the 100 watt amplifier. > I never had any noise problems with the Astron. > > I have heard a lot of favorable recommendations on others but would > appreciate any comments (negative or positive . . . . no pun intended) > about the various ones that are available. > > The MFJ and Alinco look nice too me. MFJ always seems to have a stigma > about their products. I see they advertise that they (MFJ) do not have > any hash problems in the ham bands. I have been using an Alinco DM-330MVT for over 4 years and have been very satisfied. It has a control to vary the switching frequency in order to shift the noise, but I have never noticed any noise so I have not needed to use it. Bob, N7XY _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
In reply to this post by Jim Danehy-3
Hi
I have 3 MFJ power supplies and an Astron SS25M. They all work great with the K2/100 or any other radio I have used with them. I use a MFJ 4225MV on my work bench to power radios that I am working on or aligning. I use a MFJ 4245MV in my shack powering a K2/100 with 3 transverters and a Kenwood TR-D700 VHF/UHF FM radio. I use a MFJ 4125 and/or the SS25M for portable work like field day when I am not using solar power. I have never had any problem with hash on any of these supplies. I like the MFJ 42xx supplies because of the lighted meters, front panel voltage adjustment and cigar lighter socket on the front panel for easy connecting of accessories or a HT in addition to the normal 5 way banana sockets. The MFJ 4125 does not have any meters and has an internal voltage adjustment but it is the smallest lightest and quietest of them all. It has a 25 amp output on the front panel and a 5 amp connector on the rear for accessories. The astron has meters although not lighted and the voltage adjust is internal. All of the supplies have over current shut down. I have adapted the output of these power supplies to PowerPole connectors so I can plug in a RigRunner 405 or 408 Don Brown ----- Original Message ----- From: jim danehy<mailto:[hidden email]> To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2004 9:25 AM Subject: [Elecraft] recommended switching supply I want to purchase a switching supply for use with my K2/100. I used a small Astron SS (7amp) before I upgraded with the 100 watt amplifier. I never had any noise problems with the Astron. I have heard a lot of favorable recommendations on others but would appreciate any comments (negative or positive . . . . no pun intended) about the various ones that are available. The MFJ and Alinco look nice too me. MFJ always seems to have a stigma about their products. I see they advertise that they (MFJ) do not have any hash problems in the ham bands. TIA W9VNE Jim Danehy Cincinnati, Ohio _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]> You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm<http://mailman.qth.net/subscribershtm> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com<http://www.elecraft.com/> _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
In reply to this post by Jim Danehy-3
Jim,
I now own an astron ss25 (20a continuous) supply. It works well. Here is my expereince. I have borrowed a low cost supply that is sold through HRO, 20 amp rated. I was going to Fiji on a surfing+DXpedition and needed light weight. I tested the supply at my home in San Jose on the frequencies I would be using. All was well but I really only paid attention to the noise prior to transmitting a few times. There seemed to be no appreciable noise. When I got to Fiji and set up the station on a very remote island with no electrical devices there was no noise. As I began to operate I noticed "hash" would drift through my receive frequency as the power supply heated under the transmission load. With heating the PS internal oscillator was drifting a bit and harmonics of the swithch frequency would drift through the rcvr passband. This noise level was very low but very noticeable in such a quiet environment. I was working large pile ups and when the hash would land on the freq. I would have to work the loud sigs until it passed. The astron does this as well but the level is quite a bit lower than the cheaper model. Also, the astron noise is not noticeable when my ambient noise around the house/city is at normal levels. I am not sure I would even have noticed the noise on 40 meters ever at my house. I have reduced the noise on the astron my adding a couple by pass caps, getting a solid ground separate from teh power leads, and using ferrites in the 12 volt leads to force the rf currents into the ground wire to the rig. My conclusion: If you are really worried about weak signals use a linear supply with a good old heavy transfomer, or a marine battery. If you must use the switcher expect to spend a bit of time cleaning it up if you are in real low noise environments. For casual opearation in most circumstances I find the Astron to work fine. Even the cheaper model probably would be OK but you might have to do a bit of filtering/bypassing to really clean it up. Brian / n6iz / 3d2izjim danehy wrote: _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
In reply to this post by Jim Danehy-3
Jim,
I bought an Alinco DM-330MVT when it first came on the market. It must have been one of the very first ever sold. I have used it with several rigs (MFJ QRP Cub, Icom 706, PSK-20), as well as with my K2. I have been extremely pleased with it. I have never heard any noise at all from it, and I have tried hard to find a noise signature. However, if it ever does cause a noise problem, it has a control to vary the switching frequency to eliminate (or move) the problem. What I like about it the most is that it is extremely small and light weight. About like a very large paper-back book. I think you would be happy with it. Dan Allen KB4ZVM K2 S/N 1757 ----- Original Message ----- From: "jim danehy" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2004 10:25 AM Subject: [Elecraft] recommended switching supply I want to purchase a switching supply for use with my K2/100. The MFJ and Alinco look nice too me. W9VNE Jim Danehy Cincinnati, Ohio _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
In reply to this post by Jim Danehy-3
Jim, W9VNE wrote:
"I want to purchase a switching supply for use with my K2/100. The MFJ and Alinco look nice too me." ========== Be aware that all switching supplies generate noise/hash, no matter how much filtering they have. This is especially noticeable if the antenna is closeby, such as a random wire coming into a tuner in the shack. If you're worried about noise/hash from a switcher, then buy a linear (heavy) power supply. Only if weight was a consideration would I ever buy a switcher. In either case, I recommend Astron. 73, de Earl, K6SE _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
In reply to this post by Jim Danehy-3
I have both the Alinco and MFJ switcher and they both work FB, I have not been bothered by hash with either. The Alinco is nice with meter and adjustable output. Tim W4YN
Tim O'Rourke [hidden email] _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
In reply to this post by Jim Danehy-3
Like others, I have been using the Alinco 330 switching supply for a couple
of years now, and no detectible RF interference. Dave W7AQK _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
I have used the Alinco 330MV for a few years in my shack with no detectable noise until last year. Operating portable with the 330 sitting on top of my K2/100, I did get a little hash on 17m and 20m. It wasn't bad, but with a twist of the "noise offset" knob, it was shifted away. Also, if I moved the 330 a few feet away from the K2, I had no detectable noise. Don't hear the noise with the 330 on top of my 706MKIIG, but the K2 has much better ears! :-)
Paul w9bbr [hidden email] wrote: Like others, I have been using the Alinco 330 switching supply for a couple of years now, and no detectible RF interference. Dave W7AQK _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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