Switching Power Supplies

We need more power! Switching power supplies have been around for some time now. There are many options, features, and price ranges. Some have various power tap options, like CLA outlets, power poles, banana plugs, and basic screw posts. Other features may include meters, or voltage adjustment abilities. Since these are specifically marketed for amateur radios, many have RF filtering to help keep from impeding on your radio session. Some, not so much…

Switching power supplies have the advantage of being smaller and lighter than their analog counter parts. For instance, an Astron RS-35 is about 40 lbs vs a comparable Alinco DM-330 switching power supply which can weigh as little as about 4 lbs. But there is even another option.

There are industrial power supplies that can have an adjustable power range and weigh as little as about 1.5 lbs. They are also very inexpensive and can be had for as little as about $25. The downside is there are no fancy dials, meters, or connectors. You must provide your own AC power cord, connectors, and housing. RF filtering is also only marginally present on many of these supplies. They may claim to not interfere with your radio, but that is subject to interpretation. For instance, in most cases they will work perfectly fine for VHF/UHF radios. But will be considerably more noisy if using for HF. The power supply I purchased produced several birdies throughout the 10 meter band, as well as less noticeable birdies in other bands. But for a lightweight, emergency power supply, it has proven to work quite well. RF chokes could be added to reduce some of the interference. But overall, I am very pleased with the purchase. It fits well with my “go anywhere anytime” philosophy of my station and is certainly more manageable than its 40 lb. counterpart.