[HBR] HBR progress

[Bill Cromwell]

On Sat, 2012-04-07 at 18:43 -0500, Chris Howard w0ep wrote:
> If I make an external power supply,
> what kind of connectors are good?  I know the
> Heathkit supplies used those octal plugs.
> I have a transceiver (NCX-5) that uses
> a "Jones" plug.
> 
> Is there anything at the local Radio Shack or
> electrician supply which will do the job?
> 

Hi Chris,

I like the octal plugs and sockets. Some connectors have 11 instead of 8
pins so they aren't really "octal" as octal means exactly 8. They fit
the 11 pins in the same space as the octal units and have the same keyed
plastic pin in the center so they resemble octal sockets and some people
call them that. There is a latin name for those but I don't know it. The
Jones series are excellent and might be a little easier to plug/unplug
than the octal or 11 pin plug/socket sets depending on how many pins you
have (more is harder to use). I don't know how easy they are to get cuz
I don't use them.

If you buy the octal plugs and sockets (easily available new) get the
"back shell" to make a properly protected plug. It will fit on male or
female parts but in our use it should be on the female part with the
male parts mounted on the radio. Most of the gear I have seen with those
have the female parts mounted on the radio BUT those units have the
power supply built in and the socket is for drawing power to operate
external gear. The design we are talking about works the other way
around. You won't want the possibility of "live" pins being exposed for
contact by your fingers. You could also hard wire a power cable to the
radio with male pins on the end and plug that into a female part mounted
on the power supply. If you can't find the backshells you can pot the
connector on the end of the cable.

If you will be connecting/reconnecting the power supply only rarely you
could use screw terminal barrier strips mounted on the power supply with
another on the radio or a hardwired pigtail on the radio. The RAK/RAL
are like that. With those, you will always have the option of connecting
the wires to the wrong place.

The connectors I have seen at the "Shack" I wouldn't trust with high
voltage and I have doubts about using them with "high" currents as well
although the heavier ones might work. Besides octal and Jones plugs
there are 4 and 5 pin socket/plug parts that are the same as some of the
older tube pin bases and sockets. Depending on what you can find on sale
and your requirements you can find what you need various places. You
will require a minimum of three circuits to include common, heater
voltage, and plate voltage. If the on off switch is on the radio instead
of the power supply add two more. For bias supply add another. Regulated
voltage might want another - you can see where this leads. For most of
our gear the 5 or 6 pin parts should be adequate. My National SW-3 uses
the 4-pin connectors with two for the heaters and two for the plate
supply. Having octal connectors on *everything* makes it easier to
accommodate various voltage requirements from just one supply and using
only the needed pins on the radios. More pins give you more flexibility
but don't design with more than you are going to need. Don't buy
phenolic or "cardboard" parts for this. If they are "bendy" they won't
last very long.

Others might have more (better) suggestions. I have never used something
called "power poles". What about those? 

73,

Bill  KU8H