How To Do Amateur Radio Using a DC Power Supply

Mobile amateur radio transceivers can be used with a DC power supply

Amateur radio now has many commercial radio retail outlets offering a wide variety of radios, both base-station type for use at home as well as mobile transceivers for use in a car or other portable situations. Portable or mobile radios are generally designed to be used with battery power so as to lend themselves to emergency setup and use. These mobile radios can be used in a base-station capacity only when using a DC power supply that converts a building's alternating current (AC) to Direct Current (DC) and steps down the voltage as needed by a mobile radio transceiver (usually 12 volts, as this is the voltage used in autos). These radios typically have two power wire "pigtails" coming from the back of the transceiver which are connected to the DC power source. Just as these may be connected to an automotive battery, they can also be connected to a DC power supply.

Things You'll Need

• Round crimp-on power supply post terminals, center holes same diameter as posts
• Wire stripper tool
• Pair of pliers or crimping tool

Instructions

1. Strip away enough of the wire insulation on the ends of the "power pigtail" wires which are seen coming out of the back of your radio transceiver so that the wires can be pressed into the wire inserts of post terminals for mating the wires with your DC power supply.

2. Insert the stripped tip of the red (positive) power wire into one of the post terminals and crimp the barrel of the wire insert socket firmly with a pair of pliers or a suitable crimping tool. Lightly tug on the wire to ensure it is crimped into the barrel firmly. Perform this step for the black (negative) power wire, also.

3. Unplug the power supply from the wall outlet to prevent any chance of accidental shock, and remove the tightening lugs from both posts of your DC power supply, leaving the threaded posts exposed. If the tightening lugs are colored red and black, slide the post terminal of the red wire over the post where the red lug was removed. In like fashion, slide the post terminal of the black wire over the post where the black lug was removed. If the lugs aren't colored, visually look for labels on the panel of the power supply for polarity markings of negative (-) and positive (+). The black wire terminal goes to the negative (-) post and the red wire terminal goes to the positive (+) post.

4. Screw the tightening lugs back onto the threaded posts, replacing each onto the post from which they were removed. Screw them down tightly.

5. Plug your DC power supply into a wall outlet and, if your power supply is equipped with a power switch, turn it on at this time. Once the power supply is powered up, proceed to turning on your radio and operate it as you normally would in a mobile setting (connecting the antenna to the radio, properly positioning the antenna, and so on).

Tips & Warnings

• If you are using a DC power supply to power your amateur radio transceiver, be sure the power supply is capable of providing the necessary voltage and amperage for proper operation of your transceiver. Without proper voltage and amperage, you may find that your radio will not function correctly. Most mobile radios require 12 to 14 volts, but each radio's amperage needs vary. The power supply must be able to handle the radio's needed maximum power. Radios with high power transmitter sections may require a power supply that is capable of delivering a high amperage. To be certain of your specific radio's needs, prefer to your radio's operating manual for this data.

• If you desire to transfer your radio between car and home regularly, consider connecting "Anderson Power Pole" blocks to your car and also in your home, at each radio operating location, and then just simply insert the bare stripped wire ends on the radio into the blocks. With this technique, you can use the radio in either situation without the use of lug terminals.

References

• Your First Ham Radio Station: Power Supply Information
• Anderson Powerpole for Amateur Radio