[Icom] W32A power output

Gary Pearce KN4AQ [email protected]
Thu, 25 Jul 2002 22:26:13 -0400


At 05:45 PM 7/24/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>Is there a way to adjust the low power output of this radio internally? The
>300 mW in low just does not cut it and jumping to high power it just eats
>battery. I would go into the radio if I knew there was a pot to adjust it.
>
>I measured the low power on my HP-8920 which is very accurate. Sure would be
>nice to have 1 or 1.5W in the low and 5W on high without have to juggle
>operating voltages.
>
>73, Bob W3PT


I've never seen a way to do that, but you can select a different 
aftermarket battery and achieve part of your goal.

The W&W BP-172 makes the radio shorter and lighter.  It's a 4.8 volt, 1000 
mAH battery, and with it the radio puts out about 1.5 watts.

The BP-180S is 7.2 volts at 900 mAH.  At that voltage the radio does about 
3 watts.  Both batteries yield considerably longer life than the stock 650 
mAH 9.6 volt battery.  (By the way, low power should be about .5 watts, not 
.3, and remains .5 watts with both the above batteries).

If you find an adjustment, let everyone know.  The battery options aren't 
exactly what you're looking for, but they come close.

Getting into the W32 isn't too tricky.  Remove the four screws around the 
perimeter of the back (but NOT the one right at the back of the BNC 
connector), and the four screws on the flat plate under the battery (and 
NOT the two tiny screws in the "L" of that plate that point toward the top 
of the radio).  You don't have to take off the belt clip, knobs, unscrew 
the BNC connector or remove any other parts.

The radio will open like a clamshell, and should come apart fairly easily - 
no hard prying.  Be careful as you pull it apart - the front and back will 
still be connected by a flat ribbon cable that you probably don't need to 
remove unless you're going to go deeper.

73,
Gary KN4AQ