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Re: Topband: Progress with ugly computer noise

To: <K4PI@BELLSOUTH.NET>, <TOPBAND@CONTESTING.COM>
Subject: Re: Topband: Progress with ugly computer noise
From: "Bill Wichers" <billw@waveform.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 18:33:55 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
A lot, probably most, of the really cheap UPSes are just switching step-up 
converters. The easy way to spot them is from the crazy ratings like "1000va" 
but only 3 amps (which should be about 360va). They sell them based on people 
thinking "bigger is better" even though a .36 power factor is pretty useless. I 
used to always think apc's .7 was misleading... The big commercial units are 
.8-.9.

I've personally always had good luck with the apc smartUPS line for small 
upses. They are sinewave output (and surprisingly good when checked w/ a 
scope), and pretty clean due primarily to their pseudo-ferroresonant design. 
I'd stay away from the backUPS line though since those aren't much different 
from the el-cheapo units.

Note that supposedly "bad" smartUPS upses can be found for cheap at swaps and 
on ebay. Almost always all that is needed is a new set of batteries to get them 
running again.

-Bill
[Sent using Blackberry Messaging]

----- Original Message -----
From: topband-bounces@contesting.com <topband-bounces@contesting.com>
To: TOPBAND <TOPBAND@CONTESTING.COM>
Sent: Wed Jul 04 18:14:07 2012
Subject: Topband: Progress with ugly computer noise

Be careful with UPS units as I have seen them cause more problems noise wise 
that computers.  A friend of mine had a really bad one he had to unplug to 
operate on any band.  Everything was clean once he got rid of that thing.. 73 
Mike K4PI
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK

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