HI Sean,  
    
  On Sat 2039-Apr-02 23:51, Sean Dennis (1:18/200) wrote to Richard Webb:  
    
   RW>   I hate switching power supplies.  I know, they're  
   RW> cleaner than they used to be, but that noise you describe is  
   RW> consistent with their behavior.  
    
  SD> My dad has an Alinco power supply where he can "dial out" the noise  
  SD> that the PS causes.  It's pretty neat.  
    
  I've heard of those, and a couple of guys i talked to with  
  them really liked them.  I'm using this 70 ah Astrong  
  monster over here.  Wish they'd made it rack mountable  
    
    
  Another thought, maybe we're blaming the wrong switching ps  
  for some of your noise issues.  Where's your shack in  
  relation to your computers?  
    
   RW> Get you a bigger gel cell and float charge it with a trickle charger,  
   RW> I bet that'll clean up a lot.  
    
  SD> I wish I'd not given away the other batteries I'd received; I could  
  SD> have put two of them together for more amperage.  I'm wanting a  
  SD> particular charger - around $100 - that will work especially well  
  SD> with gel cells.  The charger will limit the voltage to around 13.4  
  SD> volts and then trickle down the charge to make sure each cell has  
  SD> 2.4v without "burning" the cell with higher amperage.  
    
  That would be nice.  I wish I could find myself enough  
  change to afford that WEstmountain radio powergate. Provides such a charger,  
  plus relays that when the mains power goes  
  automatically switches you to your battery bnk from your  
  power supply, otherwise floats the gels.  WE had our own  
  system partially rigged up at University hospital NEw  
  ORleans, had to do it on the sly for various reasons, so the limitation was  
  when I could put money in.  But, I'd still  
  hook the hf up to one of the hospital's gels and run my net  
  from it then charge it back up for a couple days.  
    
  SD> Of course, once I start working, I'll have money for all of these  
  SD> toys. :)  
    
  There's always that too.  Trouble is, when I do work my  
  business takes every dime I make, but that's an investment  
  in the future, so I'm not complaining, just stating a fact  
  .  
  I think I'll take a $50 as mad money to the hamfest next  
  weekend, and that's it .  
    
   RW> OH btw, if you've got aluminum wiring, inspect all your  
   RW> fixtures, make sure that they used those little pigtail  
   RW> splices to that aluminum wire that are made for the purpose.  
   RW> electrolytic action or intaction between the copper and the aluminum  
   RW> can be a dangerous thing, and you might find your home sweet home  
   RW> becomes an inferno.  IF fixtures aren't connected with those little  
   RW> pigtails made for the purpose get 'em.  
    
  SD> I did not know that but I can safely tell you that none of these  
  SD> outlets in here use those because "maintenance" is a foreign concept  
  SD> to my landlord.  
    
  Better check it out then!!  Aluminum wiring with fixtures  
  designed for copper can be a real hazard.  Expansion is  
  different for aluminum than for copper.  IF you can find it  
  on such sites as rtfm.mit.edu the electrical wiring faq, I  
  think it's under /pub/usenet-by-group/alt-home-repair but  
  might be wrong, but the electrical wiring faq discusses it.  
  There are little pigtails that you can buy to attach to that alumnium  
  wiring,  
  other end for connection to fixtures  
  intended for copper.  
  Ask at your favorite electrical supply imporium, and go diy, the life and  
  property you save might be yours.  
  i rewired a mobile home completely from the distro box,  
  using armored BX on the surfaces of the walls instead of  
  trying to work with the aluminum stuff inside the walls.  
    
  Regards,  
             Richard  
  --- timEd 1.10.y2k+  
   * Origin:  (1:116/901)