[TenTec] Re: Installing batteries in the Jupiter? With booster, perhaps

[W4CHLTenTecEl]

Not a good idea !  We used a TenTec Pegasus during Field Day and whenever voltage dropped to about 12.3V, the rig was rendered unusable.  We thought about using a power booster device (a low noise one) as we had done with a laptop requiring 16V, but had a FT-817 on hand which is better suited to a wide variety of power supply input voltages. 

Still like the idea of using a Pegasus (or if we had one, a Jupiter) with emergency power, but would need to either have a low noise "booster" device, or perhaps an extra cell that can be switched in series, such as using individual lead acid cells to boost the voltage back up to around the 14V max that the Pegasus lists (Jupiter lists same on TenTec site).

We used a kit from N4UAU to do the job with the laptop.  There is a higher power version, or you can built yourself for higher power if running a Jupiter/Pegasus QRP isn't your intent !  From old QST article by N4UAU:
http://user.gru.net/n4uau/kits/Booster%20QST.pdf

Cheers & 73 de Mark W4CHL

Mark R. Smith  W4CHL at amsat.org
Chapel Hill, NC http://rtpnet.org/parc