[CQ-Contest] Mobile Inverter RFI and Mobile Paddles

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

N4KM and K0LUZ's reports of their RFI problems from the AC-DC inverter 
prompts me to share some of my experience.

For my first couple of years of mobile contesting I used such a setup, and 
tried to deal with the considerable RFI from the not very good inverter I used 
to power the AC adapter for my laptop. Then I acquired a "Car Adapter", a DC-DC 
converter to power the laptop.  It is totally quiet.  Additionally, it is not 
particularly sensitive to low battery voltage, as was the AC inverter.

I got mine on eBay for about $30.  It was made by Lind.

K8CC also went the car adapter route.  At first he still had major RFI 
problems while running it from the car's electrical system.  Then he went to a 
separate battery (a 20AH pull from a commercial UPS), and the noise went away.  
(Having a good source of such batteries, I'd been using separate batteries to 
power the laptop from the start.)


Another improvement from the original setup that I described in my NCJ 
article on mobile contesting (March-April 2002; 
http://www.ncjweb.com/marapr02ncj.php ) :

I've acquired a K9LU "Lil Bugger" paddle. This has a footprint of about an 
inch square, and weighs a few ounces.  I have the magnetic base version, for 
which I have attached a large flat washer to the right of the laptop.  It stays 
put very nicely, sends the occasional CW very easily, and does not have the 
lethal flying object potential of a Bencher.  

I'd also recommend the Lil Bugger for DXpeditioners.  It would save you a 
couple of pounds vs. a Bencher, and I suspect it would raise a lot less curiosity 
among airline baggage screeners.


73  -  Jim   K8MR