It Works!

Eight days after I received my second dead-on-arrival MFJ-4225MV power supply, I received a third unit and it works. I would have been very surprised if it was also DOA since the folks at MFJ powered it up and tested it before shipping it to me, which I assume was not done with the two DOA units.

The power supply is light in weight and small in size compared to previous high amperage DC power supplies I have owned and does not cover much territory on my crowded desk space. It features lighted meters that monitor the voltage and current and a front-panel knob detented at 13.8 volts, that adjusts the voltage between 9 and 15 volts. A continuously running "whisper" fan cools the unit; some folks might object to the volume of the whisper, but it did not annoy me.

I connected the power supply to my Elecraft KX3 transceiver, powered up and searched the radio bands for any noise caused by the power supply, but found none. The wall wart that I had been using to power the KX3 previously made its presence known on the radio bands, especially on 50 MHz, so I was happy, but not surprised that the MFJ-4225MV did not.

The MFJ-4225MV is a keeper.

DOA x 2

At Hamvention, I wanted to purchase an MFJ-4225MV power supply. MFJ had none at their booth, nor did any of the dealers at the convention who sold MFJ equipment, so I ordered one online after I returned home from Dayton.

UPS delivered the power supply about a week later and it was dead on arrival.

I contacted MFJ and they had UPS pick up and return the dead unit back to them. I tracked the package back to MFJ and then there was silence until I received an e-mail from UPS on Monday informing me that a package from MFJ was on its way.

UPS delivered a replacement MFJ-4225MV yesterday and it was dead on arrival.

Argh!

UPDATE: I phoned MFJ and they are shipping me another replacement with a return label for the dead unit. To avoid DOA x 3, the folks at MFJ tested the replacement unit they are shipping to me.

Very Portable Power Supply

Make: Newsletter points to a YouTube video that shows how build a pocket-sized power supply, which you can take to the next ham radio flea market for testing any battery-powered gadgets to see if they work.