Re: [amsat-bb] Voltage required for proper radio operation

["JC Smith" <jc-smith@xxxxxxxxx>]

Actually, that's not what most specs say.  You have to check the specs on
your particular radio, but most say 13.8 +/- 15% (or 10% on some) Volts.
That's 15.97 - 11.73 Volts (or 15.18 - 12.42 Volts).

Except for vintage gear I run almost exclusively from solar charged
batteries and I have never found a modern radio that would not run on 12.5
Volts.

----- Original Message -----
From: "n4xeo" <n4xeo@bellsouth.net>
To: "Estes Wayne-W10191" <W10191@motorola.com>; <amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 1:40 PM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Voltage required for proper radio operation


> At 11:17 AM 12/31/2002 -0600, Estes Wayne-W10191 wrote:
> >N4XEO wrote:
> >
> >Most of the radios are rated for 13.8 volts now a days. With the parts
> >getting smaller and smaller they just can't run on less than that.
> >
> >W9AE replies:
> >
> >The VCO, LO, and mixer circuits in ham radios are generally powered by a
> >regulated internal voltage.  Usually 9.6 Volts or less.  It's not obvious
> >to me why a late-model ham transceiver shouldn't have stable frequency
> >when operated at 13.0 Volts.  Maybe some of us are using DC power
supplies
> >that have poor load regulation?  Or maybe the DC power cable has too much
> >resistance or poor connections?
> >
> >I have used a lawn tractor battery to power my FT-847 at max UHF CW
output
> >power, with no noticeable instability of TX Sat VFO frequency.  The lawn
> >tractor battery voltage was approximately 13.0V.  But my 12-gauge DC
power
> >cable is only 4 feet long - less than half the length of the original
> >cable set.  And of course the lawn tractor battery voltage doesn't drop
> >when I draw 12 Amps on transmit because it is designed for high current
> >engine starting.
> >
> >Wayne Estes W9AE
> >Mundelein, IL, USA
>
> I agree Wayne, but the bottom line is that the specs say 13.8 volts. This
> is what they are saying is needed. Maybe the regulators are being pushed
to
> the max where they need the higher voltage just to make the 9.6 volts or
> whatever!!!
>
> Bill N4XEO
>
>
>
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