Many thanks to QRPer contributor, Bruce, who writes:
Hi Thomas,
I have been on a several-year journey to get to the point where all my portable electronics can be powered or charged via USB or USB-C. Gone are the days when I would have to lug around multiple chargers (or lots of spare batteries) in my travels.
Unfortunately, radios have been the holdout. I know that some people have played with USB-to-12v converter boards, with varying levels of success. I recently came across these dongles sold by the Romanian company roWaves Technologies:
I just received a DS-02 (for FT817) and a DS-04 (for IC-705). I can now charge my 2m HT and marine VHF handheld using a USB-C charger or battery pack. I can now charge/run my IC-705 at 12v from the same source.
I have yet to explore how much noise these adapters generate. Even if just used for charging, they’re a great addition to my travel kit.
Probably not SOTA gear, but a nice addition to any ham’s travelling kit.
Bruce
Wow! Thanks for the tip, Bruce! I love how compact these are and it’s certainly a huge bonus that they can charge the internal batteries on your rigs. That alone, as you say, is huge because it can cut down on the amount of accessories needed during radio travels.
Let us know how well this works for you over time, Bruce. I’m curious if others have tried this USB to 12V converters–please comment!