[aprssig] D700 GPS connection

[Stephen H. Smith]

scott at opentrac.org wrote:
> How's everyone powering their GPS receiver when used with the TM-D700A?
> Would have been nice if Kenwood had provided a 5 volt power output like
> Alinco did, but oh well.  I'm thinking about trying to come up with some
> sort of simple adapter that wouldn't require a cigarette lighter socket or
> anything.
>
>
>   

I've always thought the EIAJ (Electronic Industies Assn Japan) blew it 
when they defined the standard MiniDIN 6-pin packet/data connector by 
not providing a pin for 12 VDC power for the gadgets that connected to 
this jack.   


I stuffed a tiny 1 watt Astrodyne 9-18VDC in/5 VDC out  isolated 
switcher inside my D700.  (I soldered flying leads to the pins intended 
for PC mounting on this 1/2" x 1" x1/4" package, and then encapsulated 
the whole thing in a piece of heat shrink.   I then connected the 5 VDC 
output to one of the unused pins of the DB9 main serial connector. 


Most of the serial-version mouse-type GPSes come with a male PS2 plug to 
steal power from a laptop keyboard jack.  On the mating DB9 plug,  I 
have a 2" pigtail with an inline molded  female PS2 connector coming out 
a notch filed in the side of the DB9 backshell.     


On other radios (without the serial port or aux connectors of some 
sort), I have filed a notch in the case (or drilled a 1/8" hole through 
the back panel) and have a similar PS2 pigtail 2" long dangling out the 
rear for powering GPS devices.   My approach is that the radio should 
always provide the power for peripherals without having to have forked 
12 VDC power cables from the primary power source. 

Note that in addition to the usual cigarette ligher plug with an 
internal 12->5 VDC switcher in it, Deluo also has an inline 12 to 5 
converter with flying leads (complete with inline fuse holder) for the 
12V input and a PS2 jack for the 5VDC output for $20 .  Pics and details 
here:

        
http://www.deluoelectronics.com/customer/product.php?productid=14    


This device could possibly be stuffed inside the larger radios (or 
velcro'ed to the side of the case). 





--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
EchoLink Node:      14400    [Think bottom of the 2M band]
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.com


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