Yaesu FT-2900R and Astron FS-20a

[JEDIMANN74]

I just got a Yaesu FT-2900R that has a Current Consumption of TX 15 A at max 75W.  The Astron FS-20a says its Continuous Duty is 16A with a peek of 20.  This should be a fine combination right? 

[JEDIMANN74]

Really?  No one can chime in and help me?  It might be obvious but being that I have only had my Tech License since last Wednesday and don't want to ruin my radio. I really would love a little reassurance that I'm either correct that this should be fine or that I should just buzz off and look for help elsewhere.

[KF7GFL]

Based on the information you gave, it will be fine. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with that power supply but I do have its big brother and am very happy with it. I hope this helps.

Matt - KF7GFL

[JEDIMANN74]

Based on the information you gave, it will be fine. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with that power supply but I do have its big brother and am very happy with it. I hope this helps.

Matt - KF7GFL

Thanks for the reply Matt.  I figured as much but being new I wanted to double check.  I got the Power Supply in the mail today and it seemed to work well.  I only had it at 5w which is all I really needed to hit the local repeater from my house a few miles away.  Also going thru a little $24 mag mount antenna I didn't want to really push it on 75w.  Once I get a better antenna I think I will be solid.  Thanks again.

[KF7GFL]

You should be fine with the mag mount antenna as well. I have one for my go box that I run at 50w without any issues. About the only antenna I have ever melted was a homemade J-pole using some really cheap and thin twin lead. I was transmitting just fine and then all of a sudden, I watched the SWR warning appear on the radio. The guys I was talking to thought it was weird that they could hear me fine and then it went blank. I plugged in a new antenna and explained what had happened.

I suggest slowly increasing power so you know that your system is capable of before you get into a situation where you try to go all out and discover a limit you didn't know existed.

Matt - KF7GFL

[JEDIMANN74]

I didn't know that radios have an SWR warning.  I will have to look and see if that's in my manual.  I Probably wont run that radio at 75w until I get a real base antenna and or a much better mag-tenna.  Until then I think I will be just fine at 25w which is the next highest setting.  I was able to get out and rcv great on 5w so I will probably leave it there until I need to bump it up.  If the worst thing it will do is ruin the antenna and not the radio maybe I will check it out when I have another antenna for back up.

[K6RBK]

I didn't know that radios have an SWR warning.  I will have to look and see if that's in my manual.  I Probably wont run that radio at 75w until I get a real base antenna and or a much better mag-tenna.  Until then I think I will be just fine at 25w which is the next highest setting.  I was able to get out and rcv great on 5w so I will probably leave it there until I need to bump it up.  If the worst thing it will do is ruin the antenna and not the radio maybe I will check it out when I have another antenna for back up.

One of my first contacts on VHF was at 5 watts into a homemade j-pole about 5' above the roof into a repeater about 100 mi away.  You can do a lot with 5 watts if the terrain is right.

Rob