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Reviews For: Astron RS-35M

Category: Power Supplies

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Review Summary For : Astron RS-35M
Reviews: 174MSRP: 169.95
Description:
Astron 35 amp (ICS), 25 amp (continuous) linear regulated power supply.
Product is in production
More Info: https://www.astroncorp.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001744.6
N0FPE Rating: 2014-09-13
Years of service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had 4 35M supplies in my shack for years. 2 of them run 24/7/365. And when I say years I mean YEARS like 20+ none of them have ever given me a lick of problems. No hum, meters correct and they just work! I have owned one switcher in 35 years as a ham and it is no longer used in the shack. Now having said all of that I dont know how the NEW Astrons are because all of mine are over 20 years old.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N0FPE on 2008-09-04

I have 3 of these work horses. One runs my HF station, one runs my VHF/UHF station and one runs my repeater. All are over 20 years old and have not missed a day. The repeater and the UHF/VHF supply run 24/7/365. Cant beat them!
why would you use any thing else?

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N0FPE on 2006-01-31

I have 3 RS-35M's here. All of them came surplus to me from a communications trailer that was refitted. They are at least 12 years old and have run 24/7/365 since I picked them up 10 years ago. Never a burp, never a drop out. would I buy new ones? Sure, when these die! In fact i have a couple of RS-12S units in the closet right now that are brand new, just waiting for their chance to shine!!

Dan/NØFPE
W3DDF Rating: 2014-09-13
Great Amp Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Have had this power supply for about 5 months and it working great. Glad I purchased an Astron power supply.
WM4RB Rating: 2014-09-13
GREAT!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've have 2 ham shacks and they are powered by the RS-35M. Both have been running, (one non stop) for 11 years. I couldn't ask for a better preforming power supply!!!!
REMOVED_ACCOUNT_2015_01_09 Rating: 2014-09-13
Quality has gone down Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Never ceases to amaze me when someone writes a negative review on eHam immediately the same day two or more positive reviews come online praising the product.

Purchased my Astron RS-35M four years ago. The day it arrived I took off the covers to inspect the quality of the parts and the soldering job. The leads were soldered onto the terminals leaving 1 to 2 inches. Standard practice is to cut whatever remains after soldering. Been the standard since the 1930's but Astron seems to have forgotten that the past decade or so. They hire Illegal Mexicans in California and cannot instruct them since they don't speak English and we the consumer suffer because of it. For that much money one spends you want quality work.

My two meters burn't out within 2 years and I called for the replacement bulbs which normally would cost a couple of bucks apiece. Was shocked to learn I had to purchase new meters since you cannot replace just the bulbs. These meters cost around 50 bucks and after calling for a week complaining they got rid of me by sending me the meters free of charge. They should specify that in their sales literature to warn consumers the life of the bulb and replacement of meters is mandatory. It is deceitful. If I would have known this I would not have purchased it.

I have not had problems with current or voltage on this unit but the meter issue is something so basic and the lack of soldering skills is very disturbing. I will not purchase another Astron when this one goes to the graveyard. There is no other game in town but I will go to a Switching Power Supply with another company.



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Earlier 2-star review posted by REMOVED_ACCOUNT_2015-01-09 on 2009-05-02

Purchased this less than a week ago. No issues but have not put a full load on it either. What I found troubling was opening the top cover. The transformer looked like crap with wires that had been pulled out of the paper windings in the transformer. The paper was torn and bent, wires with the insulation melted from the person who was not careful where the hot soldering iron was while soldering. This looks to me like more junk from China. Sure is pretty on the outside but take a look at the insides.

Another issue is there are only TWO posts on the back for hooking rigs or accessories to especially if you have small RCA type phono plug wires it just doesn't work well. MFJ power supplies have little slot type places for these wires on their supplies. Calling HRO about this I was told I would need to spend another 75 bucks and buy the Anderson Power Pole strip. Hmmmm, they makes it around 260 bucks for this thing. Don't think so. This is going back and buying an MFJ.

WC4R Rating: 2014-09-13
Workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought mine in 1985. Ran it 24/7 for years. Finally failed in 2013. A $6 fix and it is running again. Quiet (virtually no hum), stable 13.8vdc. I have 2 of Astron's switching supplies and they are great but I hate the RF noise they create.
KG8JF Rating: 2014-09-13
Great Unit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my RS35 in 1994. It has been in continuous service ever since, with the exception of 2003. That year we moved and I was slow getting set back up. It's bullet proof.
K2WH Rating: 2014-09-13
Blown Out Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Awful supply.

I have had this for about 1 year and very early on, the voltmeter is reading way high around 15 vdc when the measured output on a Fluke meter is 13.7. Recently the transformer started to hum, audible noise. After 3 days of this hum, it went kablewy. Main power fuse blew, replace the fuse and kablewy. I thought the RS-35M and upgrade from the run of the mill 25 amp, no meter supplies. I wanted a linear supply to cut down on hash on my receivers. Well, I guess I'll go back to the old dependable 22 amp ones.

K2WH
WB6DGN Rating: 2014-04-10
Quick, cheap repairs Time Owned: more than 12 months.
"Four new power transistors (and a few other little things), 1 hour, and, get this, $20, it was fixed and working."

Yes, I've not experienced a company that is so reasonable with their repair parts cost. I called to order the transistor sockets, emitter resistors and other parts to rebuild the heat sink components on an RS50. What did I get? I got TWO NEW HEATSINKS with all the parts assembled and prewired, ready to install and all they charged me was $20.00 each. I figured it out and it amounted to ONLY $5.00 over the parts cost for all that labor. Can't beat that. For me there IS no other brand.
Tom
KA4AQM Rating: 2014-04-10
Never use anything else! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
If the room is quiet enough, they ALL hum....hummmmmmmmmmm...that's what transformers do; some louder, some softer.
KT4WO Rating: 2014-04-10
1992 still going Time Owned: more than 12 months.
24/7/365 for 22 years....(except pwr outages)
What more can I say.