[Elecraft] Switching power supplies...yet another comment

[Douglas Furton]

I'll add my two cents about switching power supplies here as well.  I bought an HPS-1a PS from Gamma Research.  This is a tiny switching power supply not too much larger than a deck of cards, yet it can deliver about 100W voice, and maybe 80W slow CW with my K2.  It is marketed as a "hybrid" PS because it uses a great bit of capacitance to smooth out the duty cycle, all fed by a small, switching PS.  

In a nutshell, this little switching PS works great.  I use it in my home shack sometimes, and when I set up in my backyard (not quite a DXpedition, but fun...) and have not noticed any noise.  On the down side, this particular unit was a bit expensive.

Anyway, I am a new ham, and originally was convinced by what I read that one should avoid switching PSs at all cost.  Perhaps switching PSs are better engineered now than in the past.  When my main supply -- all iron, size and heat -- gives up the ghost, I'm replacing it with a modern, efficient switcher.

Cheers,

Doug
K8EXB

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