Filters

Power Supplies

Transceivers and other station gear often need a separate 12 Vdc power supply—but there are hundreds of options available, so choosing the right one is important.There...

Transceivers and other station gear often need a separate 12 Vdc power supply—but there are hundreds of options available, so choosing the right one is important.There are two types of circuits in a power supply, either switching or linear. Switching supplies are lightweight and portable, but they use cooling fans that can contribute to a noisy environment. Conversely, heavy-duty linear power supplies use a larger, heavier transformer. That makes them less portable, however they won’t cause RF noise or need cooling fans. You’ll want a well-filtered supply with the proper DC output voltage and a continuous...

Transceivers and other station gear often need a separate 12 Vdc power supply—but there are hundreds of options available, so choosing the right one is important.There are two types of circuits in a power supply, either switching or linear. Switching supplies are lightweight and portable, but they use cooling fans that can contribute to a noisy environment. Conversely, heavy-duty linear power supplies use a larger, heavier transformer. That makes them less portable, however they won’t cause RF noise or need cooling fans. You’ll want a well-filtered supply with the proper DC output voltage and a continuous current rating at least 20 percent higher than your maximum requirements. DX Engineering stocks power supplies from manufacturers like Alinco, Astron, Daiwa, Diamond Antenna, DX Engineering, Icom, Kenwood, MFJ, NTE Electronics, Sangean, Samlex and Yaesu.