That's true, but if you buy a 12 amp power supply, you're happy until you 
get an HF radio which needs at least 20. Now it's adding up, then if you get 
in to packet or some other digital mode and that radio can run while you're 
on another band as mine does, mine beacons every half hour and is often 
active a lot more than that while I'm talking on HF. 2 meter radio with the 
TNC on high power, plus HF radio= probably over 30 amps. I remember the day 
when I got my first 12 amp power supply, I outgrew that fast, so that's why 
I say you might as well go bigger than you need if you can. You'll want it 
someday. They don't change much, it's not like you want the latest features 
in your power supply, the one I bought 12 years ago and have run that whole 
time, is the same one most hams buy today and have since the early 80s at 
least. It's like an antenna tuner, you might as well get more than you need, 
you may want it some day and that's not the kind of thing that changes much 
over time. Radios are fun, you can get the latest one every few years if you 
have the money. Antennas, sometimes you might want to try something 
different, I know I sure do.  I can't even tell you the last time I touched 
my power supply. There's probably 3 inches of dust on top of it. It runs 
around the clock doing it's job and doing it very well. I outgrew that 12 
amp one I had about 6 months after I got it when I went to HF. Even before 
that I had my HTX-212 on it for voice and an HTX-202 and 30 watt amp and tnc 
hooked to it for packet though, it never complained because it was an 
astron, but that was pushing the rated limits I'm sure.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob J." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 12:17 AM
Subject: Re: power supply


>A transmitter cannot draw more amps than the inline fuse will tolerate.
> Amps don't add up fast just because multiple transmitters are connected to
> the same power source if the user transmits on only one at a time.
> Transisterized receivers draw far less amps than do their transmitter
> counterparts.
>
> hth
>
> 73   Bob   KD8IXD
>