David Kinsell wrote:

I hadn't thought about the noise problem, but I can see it would be an
issue. If they don't use converters, how do the newer radios manage so
well on low voltages? For example, the Becker AR4201 is specified for
2 watts output at 10 volts,


I don't know where you saw that. On their web site, they list the input
voltage as 12.4 to 15.1 volts, with emergency operation only down to 10
volts.

It's in the manual, page 1-3.

and the Dittel FSG 2T is specified from 11 to 16 volts, with 9 to 11
volts emergency operation.


Yep. In their literature, they also say you must have at least 11.0
volts during transmit.

A 12 volt battery can put out 11 volts.


Sounds like two radios designed for 14 volt operation, just like always.

Not "just like always": The older radios can't come close to the specs
for these radios.

I wonder how long a 12 volt battery mounted in the tail is going to
supply 12.4 volts to the Becker?? 10 minutes maybe, if you've got good
wiring?? I expect Becker is just a little more honest with their specs,
rather than really being different than the Dittel.


Too bad the Becker/Dittel engineers don't follow ras, but it does free
them to design more stuff for us.


You've got to keep in mind the soaring market is peanuts compared to
the power market, so that's why radios have been, and still today are
designed to the 14 volt standard.

Except handhelds, of course, of which tons are sold. Maybe some of that
design technology is creeping into the panel mounts.

Why put a switching converter in
a radio that's sitting there all day long with a well-regulated, very
stout 14.2 volt supply?

Because it's easy to do? Because the generator might quit? Because you
can sell a few more radios to folks like us? I keep hoping an engineer
with some detail design knowledge of these radios will hop in here and
tell us, but no luck yet.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA