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Reviews For: Astron RS-20A

Category: Power Supplies

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Review Summary For : Astron RS-20A
Reviews: 57MSRP: 99.99
Description:
20A 13.8 volts power supply
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.astroncorp.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00574.6
WR2W Rating: 2003-05-18
Another Astron Diesel! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use the RS-20A for my IC-V8000 2 meter transceiver, and have had no problems with it. Another solid PS from Astron...
KB1JEC Rating: 2003-04-23
Plug it in, turn it on... Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Big, heavy black box. Put it on a shelf, put the +/- wires in the +/- terminals, plug it in, turn it on... done! 13.8vDC all the time, powers the 60 watt 2M base rig without a problem. If I had to recommend a power supply, this is the one.
KG4GFI Rating: 2003-02-21
Great Power Supply Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I actually have the Astron RS-20M. I have had mine almost a year now and have had no problems at all. It does an excellent job. I use it daily with my ham radios, scanners, a cb, testing electronic gadgets, radios and even police radars! The gauges were slightly off for my taste...read about 1/2 volt high and 1/2 amp low and being an electronics student and a perfectionist as well I wanted them exact. After removing the power supply cover they can easily be calibrated via each gauges pot resistor attached behind each gauge. I also found the output voltage can also be easily adjusted as well if desired but was already right at 13.8. The only think I wish I had done different with mine is purchased it sooner....I never knew what I was missing!
KC5QFE Rating: 2003-02-01
You cannot go wrong with this power supply. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
--I have owned my Astron for over seven years now, and it has never failed me. Most of that time, it has stayed on 24/7. I've had all sorts of radios connected to it, including 4 watt cb radios, 50 watt VHF radios, and the 100 watt Yaesu FT-100. This power supply has absolutely no problem with 100 watt rigs. What more can I say? Just hook it up and forget it!
N2ERN Rating: 2002-12-16
great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have one of these -- pre-Astron days -- mine says CLEGG, but it's the same supply. I bought it used in the mid-'80s, and eventually sent it back to Astron for a fix. It's a ROCK!! The light doesn't work anymore, but who cares??

A ROCK! Give it a 10!
KD8WK Rating: 2002-12-16
Reliable Workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own the RS-20M, which is a 20A with a volt/current meter (switch selectable) on the front panel. (I heartily recommend the metered version, as having a knowledge of the current draw is invaluable in many situations.) The Astron RS-20A/M is rated at 16 amps continuous power, 20 amps ICS (50% duty cycle). However, I have seen the meter read as high as 24 amps for short durations without the supply shutting down or suffering other ill effects. My unit has performed flawlessly for what is going on 17 years. Voltage regulation is rock solid, and the over-current protection is impressively fast when it does cut in. I would have no qualms about replacing this unit with another RS-20M should the need finally arise.
WB6MYL Rating: 2002-11-29
Forgetable! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
What more praise can you give a PS than to state that after ten years I have forgotten about this PS; you just flip the switch and its there and has been there all the time. Lets see...twelve reviews and all "5s"...that says something......
Reliability (or fear of such)is the antithesis of the 1000mp MKV.
Thanx for reading. Phillip W. Harris, PhD.P.C.
N8UMV Rating: 2002-09-01
Great power supply Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is one of the strongest supplies I have used. It has been in service for 8 years and has not skipped a beat. It has handled everything I have thrown at it. Looks great, doesn't take up a lot of room in the shack. Anyone looking to buy a power supply this one deserves your consideration.
W8ASI Rating: 2002-07-13
GREAT! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my backup supply to my RS-50M. This supply takes a licken and keeps on ticken! No sweat with any 100 watt radio put on it. It just keeps going and going and going and going and going.... I think you get the picture!
VE6XX Rating: 2002-07-10
biggest bang for the buck, period! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Greetings All: I read all the reviews posted here, & agree 100% with them.
Astron has historically put their money into quality parts & components that make the supply competent & reliable, & skimped on the case. The Astron case is two pieces of painted sheet metal, stamped out by the hundreds. The case is serviceable, functional, & is cosmetically benign.
Other suppliers give us a fancy case with lettering & labels, two-tone paint etc.
If you take ANY Astron supply & weigh it, & then weigh the competitors supply, you will see that in the case of linear supplies like the RS-20, the Astron is far heavier. The weight difference is in the transformer. Astron supplies a superior quality transformer that will handle the load & not cook. I own a number of Astron supplies, metered, adjustable, & fixed, & I have only ever had ONE fail. An induction strike of lightening literally blew the 723 regulator chip to its component atoms!! I replaced the 723 & Voila! The supply worked as well as new!
I know of no power supply that equals the Astron on a dollar basis. No, I don't work for Astron or own stock!!
Cheers! Brian, VE6XX