• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
  • Click here to find out how to win free radios from Retevis!

Which big black base should I get?

I run 2 of these s700 12's at 14v to power my radio and a 4x2879 toshiba Stickman for a year now and they work fine. If i need i can add one or two more. Actually im looking to upgrade further because i have Gatekeeper building me a 1600dx with 8 hg 2879C's in it so ill want something bigger than 200 amps soon. Im looking at a bitcoin mining set up that i can turn into an up to 400 amp supply for under $300 and ill never need to upgrade again.
https://www.parallelminer.com/product/remote-managed-hp-3600-4800w-110-240v-mining-power-supply-kit/

Just watched the video, interesting to see. Put them somewhere out of the way.
That bitcoin looks like some technical mojo going on, to me. I've heard about the power for bit coin mining, massive amounts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tokin
http://www.randl.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=9120&products_id=67343
$249.95
Free Shipping

13.8 VDC
75 Amp Surge
65 Amp Continuous
Cigarette Lighter Plug
Over voltage protection
Over current protection
Quiet internal cooling fan with auto/on fan switch
Switchable AC input voltage, 115 or 230 Vac

http://www.randl.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=9120&products_id=66748
$268.95

MFJ's heavy duty 75 Amp switching power supply is excellent for powering your HF mobile amplifier or your HF and VHF/UHF rigs and accessories.

It's great for Ameritron's ALS-500M Solid State Mobile HF Amplifier and others with a power requirement of up to 75 Amps.

MFJ-4275MV delivers 75 amps maximum and 70 amps continuously without even flexing its muscles. Plugs into any 110 Vac wall outlet.
Is this MJF a switcher one? Can they be ran parallel with another?
 
Look for an unmolested older 2995DX with the Toshiba transistors.

They went to the fragile MOSFET amplifier around 2007 or 2006.

The one good thing was that they also quit using the heavy 60 Hz transformer and analog regulator. It was a real failure hazard. They changed to a switchmode "brick" power supply. Those have protection against current overload AND excess output voltage. The old power supply had neither.

Best of both worlds would be that radio with the bipolar-transistor amplifier and the newer switchmode power supply.

Would serve to solve the two biggest reliability issues.

73
 
You guys gave me a lot of good thoughts and information on which direction I might want to go rebuilding/building a station up.
I think in the long run I will probably end up with a power supply and a nice mobile that I can either have set to turn down to run into smaller box and possibly on high to run into a bigger box, that's really doable.
If I'm not mistaken I could run about 2 watts dead key in about 20 25 pep into my TS 400v what about the same into my tube Maco300.
Now the thing I'm trying to figure out is how would be the best way while inquiring equipment to go into a box that say needed 80 or 100 or so input, not had one of those so I don't know.
 
Just a little update. It's been several months since I started this thread. My boss has worked me usually 60-70 hours a week so not much time left for play.
I thought about all the great suggestions and information here.
I've got the Stryker 955 v-2 on its way to me. I'll sort of be rebuilding a station, power supplies etc..
I can always up the game later with a nice 7300 or such after other upgrades.
 
60-70 hours a week
Overtime stash $$$$ Antennas, Antennas, Antennas and equipment to get them "In the Air".
Good well thought out antenna system will do much more for signal/enjoyment than "any" big box mystery transistor amp.
Then when you're ready to step-up to better
SSB receiver/transmitter, then some of us will try and talk you out of that 7300 :p
 
Ended up getting a striker 955 v-2 to get back on the air. I guess the old pyramid put many volts into it when I keyed it down.
The radio was like 13.8 v until I keyed and the radio went into protection mode said DC high.
I bought a little 30 amp power supply with adjustable and a 13.8 v selection .
Was having house breaker at the pole problems.
I didn't want to overdo it with a large power supply until I get the pole breaker corrected.
The ole Dosy meter I have doesn't have a true pep. Probably a new meter will be next.
Probably too much pep from the striker 955 for the Maco 300 tuber ?
 
Ended up getting a striker 955 v-2 to get back on the air. I guess the old pyramid put many volts into it when I keyed it down.
The radio was like 13.8 v until I keyed and the radio went into protection mode said DC high.
I bought a little 30 amp power supply with adjustable and a 13.8 v selection .
Was having house breaker at the pole problems.
I didn't want to overdo it with a large power supply until I get the pole breaker corrected.
The ole Dosy meter I have doesn't have a true pep. Probably a new meter will be next.
Probably too much pep from the striker 955 for the Maco 300 tuber ?
I upgraded my 955 v1 power lead to a homemade 8 gauge lead and set my supply to 14.6 volts. I find i have less loss now with the new lead. I was losing 1.5 volts with the factory lead now its 3/10's of a volt loss with the 8awg. It would not be a good idea to hit your 300 with the 955 imo. Message_1633888460833.jpg
 
I upgraded my 955 v1 power lead to a homemade 8 gauge lead and set my supply to 14.6 volts. I find i have less loss now with the new lead. I was losing 1.5 volts with the factory lead now its 3/10's of a volt loss with the 8awg. It would not be a good idea to hit your 300 with the 955 imo. View attachment 58886
That sure looks like a lot beefier lead than is on the 955, nice.
I've got a heavier duty power lead it's got a fuse on both sides I might take a look at it later.
What as of breakers and how big is service is in your house to use gear?
Yeah I thought the 300 might have to sit this radio out, to much swing in it.
Not sure what max should be but I think when I borrowed my buddies galaxy it was swinging up to 40 ish, but that's been quite a while.
 
@Tokin how much is the AC amp pull from a power supply like yours might be a good basic for my level of understanding? lol
 
2768-1388537757-8450e335f0a26c652a77a543f97f472d.jpg
I have like 7 HF/VHF radio's running on External Astron Linear supplies...and have run switching supplies. Astron/Diawa/Jetstream...etc...
I however run better quality supplies.
Why would you spend big $$$ on all your radios/amps etc...then look for the CHEAPEST power supply system you can find????:confused::(
Just makes no sense to me:eek::D
Reading over this again, very nice setup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Woody-202
I think the 2995DXCF is okay. The issues I have come across with the power amplifier is the finals bias current is usually set too high from the getgo.
If the bias current is kept down to what the 520's are designed for the power section does pretty good.
I got some help on that issue from Handy Andy on this site a couple of years ago.
I do have a 2995 DXCF that I purchased new about 5 years ago. It still looks brand new. Fire it up on occasion. Been thinking of letting it go to another good home. Even posted some photos on here a little while back.
 
Last edited:
It's been a long time since I used my radio equipment but I'm trying to start up again.
I'm wanting to get a big black base but there's plenty of choices and I want to get the right one.
Rci ,Galaxy, Saturn, seem to be the ones I've been running across here and there.
Few of them have their own good size amp and output.
Some have five some six digit frequency counters.
At the moment I've got a tube amplifier and a 400 v Texas Star pill box, but think in the long run I would like to go with a plug-in pill box.
I want something works good on sideband and am.
I definitely like to keep the reliability up, but have a pretty versatile as far as running an amp or not and still getting out from my out in the woods Southwest Missouri spot.
Then again maybe a ham station, to use on the children's band (CB) no offense to anybody on that, that's what I use
Having not used most of those type of radios I'm not sure which one to go toward and which one to stay away from.
What do you guys think?
If you decide on a "high watt" 10 meter mobile radio converted for 11 meters, be certain you don't get the cart before you buy the horse. Translation: First, get a decent power supply for the radio of choice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Keto

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • @ kopcicle:
    If you know you know. Anyone have Sam's current #? He hasn't been on since Oct 1st. Someone let him know I'm looking.
  • dxBot:
    535A has left the room.
  • @ AmericanEagle575:
    Just wanted to say Good Morning to all my Fellow WDX members out there!!!!!