Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter 50
watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was in the
car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

wrote:

Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter 50
watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was in the
car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

depends on the radio.
most ham Radio's these days require a min of 13.0 , anything less, the
results is unpredictable.
the computer supply even though quite good may not be up to snuff for
that unless you alter the regulator a bit.

"Jamie" wrote in message
...
wrote:

Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter 50
watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was in the
car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

depends on the radio.
most ham Radio's these days require a min of 13.0 , anything less, the
results is unpredictable.
the computer supply even though quite good may not be up to snuff for
that unless you alter the regulator a bit.



Often that's trivial, many power supplies have a pot in them to tweak the
output. Note that you'll need a load on the 5v for most of them to regulate
properly, an automotive brakelight bulb works well and doubles as a pilot
light.

James Sweet wrote:
"Jamie" wrote in
message ...
wrote:

Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter
50 watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was
in the car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

depends on the radio.
most ham Radio's these days require a min of 13.0 , anything less,
the results is unpredictable.
the computer supply even though quite good may not be up to snuff
for that unless you alter the regulator a bit.



Often that's trivial, many power supplies have a pot in them to tweak
the output. Note that you'll need a load on the 5v for most of them
to regulate properly, an automotive brakelight bulb works well and
doubles as a pilot light.

I've noticed quite a few very 'non-technical' questions coming from hams
lately. What does it take to pass the technical part of the lisence test
these days? Way back when I was a ham, any novice could have answered stuff
like this....

jak

I've noticed quite a few very 'non-technical' questions coming from hams
lately. What does it take to pass the technical part of the lisence test
these days? Way back when I was a ham, any novice could have answered
stuff
like this....

I'm not so sure. A friend of mine owned a company and he personally hired
the electrical engineers. He used to ask them to draw a simple circuit
using an op-amp to give a voltage gain of ten. He told me that very few of
the graduate EEs from respected colleges and universities could draw the
circuit or answer the question in any form.

You cannot easily measure human prowess, and perhaps cannot measure it at
all (with a simple test). Life is the only test that matters.

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 20:33:13 -0500, Charles Schuler wrote:


I've noticed quite a few very 'non-technical' questions coming from hams
lately. What does it take to pass the technical part of the lisence test
these days? Way back when I was a ham, any novice could have answered
stuff
like this....

I'm not so sure. A friend of mine owned a company and he personally hired
the electrical engineers. He used to ask them to draw a simple circuit
using an op-amp to give a voltage gain of ten. He told me that very few of
the graduate EEs from respected colleges and universities could draw the
circuit or answer the question in any form.

bull****.

That's first semester electrical design.

wrote in message
ps.com...
Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter 50
watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was in the
car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

Is the 12 volt output rated at 50 watts, considering the efficiency factor?
I doubt that it is. A radio of that type might need as much as 8 amperes.

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:58:34 -0500, "Charles Schuler"
wrote:


wrote in message
ups.com...
Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter 50
watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was in the
car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

Is the 12 volt output rated at 50 watts, considering the efficiency factor?
I doubt that it is. A radio of that type might need as much as 8 amperes.


What kind of efficiancy would a radio like that have? It may need
considerably more than 50 watts to get 50 for the output.

Tom

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 22:38:49 GMT, Tom MacIntyre
wrote:

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:58:34 -0500, "Charles Schuler"
wrote:


wrote in message
oups.com...
Can I use an old computer for a power supply for my mobile 2 meter 50
watt radio? Will the radio put out the same power as if it was in the
car? It calls for 13.8 volts.

Is the 12 volt output rated at 50 watts, considering the efficiency factor?
I doubt that it is. A radio of that type might need as much as 8 amperes.


What kind of efficiancy would a radio like that have? It may need
considerably more than 50 watts to get 50 for the output.

Tom

Sheez...efficiency...

Tom