When you turn on your power supply and it shows 26 volts, are you going to turn on your radio?   Thus paying attention to the meters will protect your radio.   If when operating a contest for hours and you find the output drops off, wouldn't you glance at the meters?

As to power distribution devices, every contact and connection in the path adds resistance.  This makes the voltage at the radio vary with load.   And that variation increases the IMD emitted by your transmitter.

I've seen and evaluated several brands of power distribution strips.  All are pure crap!   Not suitable for the dynamic load presented by a SSB or CW radio during transmit.   Observe the power supply voltage on your radio during receive.  Then in transmit with 100 watts key down.  If it drops 0.5 volts or more, you have a power distribution problem.

It is much better to connect the radio power cable direct to the power supply and put the power distribution strip in a bucket of water and leave it there.

73

Bob, K4TAX


On 4/17/2020 9:03 PM, K8TE wrote:
Having meters will protect my radio?  I doubt that assertion.

Most radios today remain connected to their power supplies even when turned
off, much like a computer.  In the case of a K3, it is always connected to
the power supply, even when off.  So unless we don't connect the K3 to the
power supply until checking the power supply's Voltage, a Voltmeter on the
power supply wouldn't do much good.

Additionally, when operating the K3 for hours on end, like in a contest, who
watches the power supply Voltmeter?  I certainly don't.  I don't know who
would.  Instead, I use one of those power distribution devices that shuts
down Voltage to the equipment should it rise too high.

73, Bill, K8TE



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